How Long After Stopping Birth  Control Can You Get Pregnant

If you are considering discontinuing birth control pills solely for the intention of becoming pregnant, know that it is feasible. The time it takes to become pregnant may vary depending on your biology and the sort of birth control you were using. When you are certain that you may be ready to have a baby, discontinue birth control. In most cases, your body does not require time to eliminate birth control hormones. Many women report conceiving within a month or two of discontinuing most forms of birth control. If you believe you will need time for the hormone to wear off after stopping prior to actually having a kid, use a condom. Because it is possible to get pregnant sooner than you think or expect.

Barrier method

Because the barrier technique does not necessitate the use of hormones, they do not interfere with your menstrual cycle by preventing ovulation or thinning the uterine linen. As a result, they have no direct effect on fertility. Without barrier birth control during intercourse, you can become pregnant as soon as you have sex.

The Pills 

Pills are hormonal contraceptives that regulate various bodily activities to keep you from becoming pregnant. Combination tablets containing progesterone and estrogen hormones function by preventing the release of eggs, hence preventing ovulation. Within 1-3 months of quitting combo tablets, you may begin to ovulate. The majority of women become pregnant within a year. Women who used the pill for more than 4 or 5 years were more fertile than those who used it for two years or less. Studies reveal the following about combination pills.

52-57% of women conceive in 3months

71-83% conceive in 6 months

77-94% of people conceive 12 months

Minipill

When it comes to mini pills or progesterone-only tablets, you might become pregnant days or weeks after discontinuing use. These medications do not usually block ovulation, but they do disrupt the linen, preventing eggs from latching to it. After a few days, the uterine linen begins to return to its natural texture. Women can get pregnant within 6months after ceasing to take pills. Pills often begin to lose their hormone impact 24 hours after you stop taking them. This is the reason why you may become pregnant if you skip them even for one day. These Hormones were designed not to last long in the body, which is why you must take them on a regular basis for them to be helpful in preventing pregnancy.

IUD  

Copper IUDs do not contain any hormones. When you remove them, ovulation occurs almost immediately. Pregnancy can be attempted within one month of the device being removed. Hormonal IUDs are restricted to the uterus and allow for regular hormonal cycles. When compared to other hormonal contraceptives such as the pill and injection, it has less influence on hormone production. Ovulation resumes within a month, and pregnancy can occur between 2 months and a year. Non-hormonal copper IUDs tend to produce a faster return. Studies reveal the following about IUDs for women mid-20s to early 30s who stopped using them.

Hormonal IUD	Non hormonal IUD
38-43% of women  conceive within 3months	50-58% of women conceive within 3months
36-65% of women conceive within 6months	72-75% of women conceive within 6months
78-96% of women  conceive within 12 months	71-91% of women conceive within 12 months

Patches and vaginal ring 

After discontinuing them, the cycle returns to normal. You can become pregnant within one to three months of having them removed. 

Injection

After stopping birth control shots, It may be difficult for some to conceive. The Hormone dosage in shots is higher. As such, they need time to wear off and  could take up to ten months for periods to resume. Shots are normally not advised for women who plan to have children within a year after starting birth control. According to Zoey 92% of women will get pregnant within two years,

From the day of the first skipped shot, studies reveal how long it took women in mid-20s to early 30s who stopped shots to conceive

23-35% of women conceive in 3months

52-59%  conceive in six months

77-82% conceive  in 12 months

Implants

These are placed beneath the skin. They are hormonal in nature and secrete the progesterone hormone. Pregnancy takes an average of 3-8 months. According to research

38-50% of women conceive within 3months

63-77% conceive within 6 months

77-86% conceive within 12 months ages 17-20

Is it safe to be pregnant after birth control?

Yes, it was once regarded to be risky and associated with miscarriages, but that is no longer the case. It is safe to conceive immediately.

Does it matter whether you get your period

No, not always. Some do and some don’t see their period immediately after discontinuing hormonal birth control. They have an effect on hormonal balance, and it takes the body some time to return to the pre-birth control stage. If you have an undetected ovulation however, you could become pregnant if you have unprotected sex.The first thing to do if you haven’t yet seen your period after quitting birth control is to take a pregnancy test. It is possible not to see your first period after discontinuing birth control pills and still get pregnant. Since you might have released eggs without knowing an ovulation test is the only method to find out if you are ovulating. However, if you do not feel it after a while, consult your doctor. Fertility can be affected by a variety of things. Age, genetics, and medical history are only a few examples.

When should I see my doctor?

• If you are under the age of 35 and have not used birth control for up to a year and not conceived.
• If you are over the age of 35 and have not conceived after 6 months of discontinuing birth control, consult a doctor.

Do Birth control have lingering effects

Contraception has no long-term consequences that interfere with fertility. Pregnancy isn’t as simple as it seems. According to statistics, the fertility rate of women in their early to mid 20s who are not on birth control is roughly 25-30% every menstrual cycle. That is, a 30%  probability of becoming pregnant. This number doesn’t factor in your partner’s fertility which also has an impact on how rapidly you can conceive. Your partner’s fertility competence may increase or reduce your chances of conceiving. It is also possible that your fertility chances waned during your birth control days since the quality of your eggs decreased as you grew older. It is a known fact that fertility gradually declines in the 30’s, which comes with a 20% chance of getting pregnant. Additionally, health problems affecting your fertility may have developed which was masked by birth control. According to a 2018 review of studies, contraceptive use regardless of duration and type does not affect the ability to conceive after quitting. It doesn’t delay fertility. In a study 83% were able to get pregnant within the first 12 months after quitting. 

Somethings you can do if you are looking to conceive after quitting birth control includes

• Prenatal vitamins
• Lifestyle changes
• Lose weight
• quit smoking
• Have sex within the fertile window of your cycle

How about emergency contraceptives, do they affect fertility?

No, according to the WHO, emergency contraception has no effect on future conception.

How about if I did a tubal ligation?

Tubal ligation is a type of permanent birth control that involves tying the tubes. You could try a reversal. According to study, between 50% and 80% of persons who reversed the operation may be able to conceive again. This would be determined by how the tube was originally knotted.

Hormonal birth control may briefly delay your ability to conceive due to its effect on the reproductive cycle. The amount of time will vary depending on the type. As previously said, the shot may take longer than an IUD due to the high levels of hormone they contain. However, they do not permanently impair your capacity to conceive in the future. Most people who stop taking birth control become pregnant within a year, and there is no difference in the capacity to conceive between those who stopped using hormones and those who stopped using other methods after two years.