If you’ve been on birth control up until now but are now ready to get pregnant, you might have some questions. After all, you may have heard that it may take longer to get pregnant if you’re using hormonal contraception. The good news? That’s mostly a myth.
To better understand getting pregnant after stopping birth control, we consulted some experts. Read on to find out everything you need to know.
How long does it take to get pregnant after using birth control pills?
While everyone’s needs are different, using hormonal contraception generally doesn’t affect how quickly you can get pregnant, says Jill Purdy, M.D., an obstetrician-gynecologist and medical director at Northside Women’s Specialists.
“For birth control pills, rings, patches, and implants, when patients stop using these products, they may become fertile as soon as two weeks after stopping use,” says Dr. Pardee. “With an IUD, fertility returns even more quickly.” This means that, contrary to popular belief, it’s very likely you’ll get pregnant within the first month of stopping hormonal birth control.
The only exception is the Depo-Provera birth control injection, which can affect fertility long after you stop taking it: “The effects of each injection last for three months, but fertility may return after another three to six months,” explains Dr. Pardee.
What is the risk of disease after stopping birth control?
When talking about pregnancy and fertility after birth control, it’s important to keep in mind that many factors come into play, including the timing of intercourse, you and your partner’s overall health, and luck. In other words, fertility isn’t just affected by whether or not you’ve used birth control recently.
“Patients can get pregnant as soon as two weeks to six months after stopping hormonal birth control,” says Dr. Pardee. “Overall, healthy couples have about a 25% chance of conceiving per cycle,” she says. That means it’s not uncommon for couples hoping to conceive to spend months trying to get pregnant, whether they’re using hormonal birth control or not.
Tip
If you want to maximize your chances of conceiving after stopping birth control and are ready to start trying, Dr. Minkin advises: “I encourage anyone trying to conceive to eat a healthy diet, not smoke, drink alcohol or use drugs, and take a daily folic acid supplement, which helps prevent birth defects.”
When should I stop taking birth control pills if I want to become pregnant?
It’s normal to have irregular periods after stopping hormonal birth control, says Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale University. “Your period may be a little irregular for the first few months, but that doesn’t mean you won’t get pregnant,” she explains. That’s because, although you may no longer ovulate at the same time each month as your body readjusts to your menstrual cycle, ovulation can still occur, which can make having sex to conceive a little more difficult.
For this reason, Dr. Minkin recommends that people who take hormonal contraception wait a few months after stopping birth control until their period becomes regular, and use alternative contraception such as condoms if they are not trying to get pregnant.
Dr. Pardee advises her patients to stop taking hormonal contraception once they’re ready to get pregnant: “When you finish a pack of birth control, remove the patch or ring, or remove the implant, you’re more likely to ovulate and become pregnant two weeks later,” Dr. Pardee explains.
If you have an IUD, that time frame can be even shorter: “Once the IUD is removed, patients can become pregnant almost immediately, depending on what time of the month the IUD is removed,” says Dr. Pardee.
Tip
If you’re using Depo-Provera, it will take a long time for your fertility to return, says Dr. Minkin. Some parents become pregnant soon after stopping Depo-Provera, but most parents will need a little longer. “It can take six months, or in rare cases longer, for the injected medication to leave your system,” says Dr. Minkin.
Do different contraceptive methods affect fertility differently?
Research supports the claim that different contraceptive methods have slightly different effects on fertility after stopping. A systematic review and meta-analysis published inthe journal Contraception and Reproductive Medicine found that there was little difference in the time it took to get pregnant depending on the type of contraceptive method used before trying to conceive (barrier method, IUD, hormonal contraception).
However, some studies have found that depending on the type of birth control used, it may take several cycles for full fertility to return. For example, a study published in the British Medical Journal in 2019 found that people who stopped taking hormonal contraceptives and IUDs usually regained fertility within about three menstrual cycles, while those who used IUDs (copper and hormonal) regained fertility within about two menstrual cycles. If you use contraceptive injections, it takes the longest for fertility to return, about five to eight menstrual cycles.
What are the signs of ovulation after stopping birth control?
After you stop using birth control, you may wonder when your fertility will start to return. To successfully conceive, you need to ovulate again. (Most hormonal birth control methods block ovulation.) But how do you know when ovulation starts again? One way to figure this out is to track your signs of ovulation. Ovulation usually occurs about two weeks before your period, but your period may become irregular soon after you stop using birth control.
Typical signs of ovulation include:
- Increased cervical mucus that becomes clear and slippery in appearance (similar to raw egg white)
- Pelvic and abdominal pain
- Increased libido
- Sensitive breasts
- Dysfunction
- Light or slight bleeding
- Mood swings
If you’re looking for more definitive proof that you’re ovulating, Dr. Pardee says you might try tracking your basal body temperature. “This is your temperature taken in the morning before you wake up,” she said. “Your basal body temperature rises around the time of ovulation.”
Ovulation predictor kits or ovulation tests can also be used to detect luteinizing hormone (LH) in urine, which increases as ovulation approaches. The test strip darkens as ovulation approaches and is darkest the day before ovulation.
Are there any concerns about fertility by going off birth control?
Dr. Minkin maintains that birth control use is unlikely to have any lasting effects on fertility, although other factors can also influence how quickly you can get pregnant after stopping birth control.
These factors include hormone issues, thyroid issues, reproductive organ problems, and chronic health conditions such as endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Fertility is a two-way street, and problems with sperm or sperm production in your partner can also contribute to fertility issues.
Infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after 12 months of trying, but it also depends on your age. If you’re over 35 and have been trying for six months and still can’t get pregnant, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends seeing a doctor. If you’re over 40, you should see a doctor sooner.
But for most healthy couples, trying every cycle and being a little patient is all that’s needed, with the understanding that it’s normal for it to take a few months for a positive pregnancy test to appear.
Key Points
After you stop most hormonal birth control pills, you may be able to get pregnant after a month or two. That period may be extended if you use Depo-Provera injections. For most people, it’s normal to need to try for several months to get pregnant, whether you’re on birth control or not, but if you’re over 35 or have any chronic health conditions, talk to your health care provider.
