One of the questions that always pops up here on TF in readers’ comments is: how long does it take to get pregnant after stopping birth control? It’s definitely a complex question, and although we hear many accounts of women who got their positive results even in the first cycle without birth control pills, these cases can be considered exceptions rather than the rule.
We can say that, after stopping the contraceptive pill, some women may take up to a maximum of 3 months to resume their menstrual cycles1. If it takes longer than that, it is necessary to see a doctor to investigate the reason. Most women will not have issues resuming their fertility, as no contraceptive method truly interferes with this.
So, after all, how long does it take to get pregnant after stopping birth control? The answer to this question is just one and it is much closer to you than you might think! The time it takes for a woman to get pregnant after birth control depends exclusively on two things:
- Your body
- The method you were using
Before birth control, your body’s hormonal cycle was different from when you were taking it. By starting the contraceptive method, a woman starts to ingest a regular amount of synthetic hormones, whether they are estrogen (more frequently) or progesterone-based. With these hormonal doses, the body does not let the ovulation peak occur and that’s why a woman does not become pregnant.
How Does the Body Respond After Stopping Birth Control?
Once you stop birth control, your body needs to readapt without those daily, monthly or quarterly doses. All the hormonal functioning required to ovulate again depends exclusively on when your body will be able to eliminate these ingested hormones. Some women may take longer than others, and the wait to become pregnant can also vary2.
Some women manage to eliminate the residues of contraceptives quickly, and this is also related to the type of birth control used and its dosage. In some cases, it is necessary to wait for the injectable effect to wear off before becoming fertile again. The body itself starts to give signals as fertility returns and the hormones re-balance. In the case of the pill, even missing one day already puts you at risk of pregnancy.
It’s worth mentioning that some women may experience temporary vaginal dryness, until all hormones stabilize, you know? But this can be managed with the help of lubricating gels that are suitable for those trying to conceive. These lubricants not only address vaginal dryness, but also help balance vaginal pH and increase sperm survival, as is the case with FamiGel lubricant gel.
What Is the Normal Timeframe for Menstrual Cycles to Return to Normal?
A normal timeframe for birth control to leave the body is three months. After a certain period, the woman realizes she has gone back to menstruating or notices some coffee ground-like spotting. After this spotting, the hormonal cycle tends to stabilize and, for most women, these changes occur by the third cycle without medication.
Does Injectable Birth Control Take Longer to Leave the Body?
The issue, in reality, concerns the time it will take to become pregnant after using injectable birth control. “I stopped taking birth control injections and haven’t menstruated, can I get pregnant?”. The answer isn’t so simple, as the way these injections work is different from oral, patch, and even implant or hormonal IUD methods. That’s because they are injected and released little by little every day, making it more difficult for the body to eliminate. In these cases, you just have to wait for the effect to pass on its own, and not get another injection3.
It may take a bit longer to get pregnant naturally. The injection takes about 3 months to leave the body, but remember, this is not a rule! It’s just an estimate based on experiences reported by women who stopped the injection, whether it’s Messigyna, Perlutan, Depo Provera or any other kind.
Of course, nothing prevents you from ovulating already in the first cycle without medication, but it’s recommended to wait a while before getting your hopes up for a pregnancy. If you’re having very long cycles after stopping birth control, your gynecologist should be informed and, if necessary, provide medication so the change isn’t too abrupt or shocking for your body.
Normally, the regular timeframe for a healthy couple to get pregnant is one year (if under 35), or 6 months (if over 35). If pregnancy doesn’t occur in this time, it’s advisable to see a specialist and do blood tests, ultrasounds, and evaluations of your partner to check if there’s something wrong. If you took birth control for a long time, you should wait for your period to return. If it doesn’t return within 3 months, the ideal is to look for a doctor.
Important Tip: After having tests and confirming that your health is all right, just start trying and reinforce your attention to diet and body care to help the positive result come even faster! An excellent tip for couples trying to conceive is to use vitamins that boost fertility for both men and women. Never forget that a properly nourished body makes all the difference when it comes to conceiving a baby. Famivita has several products that can help you at this time.
Talk to your doctor and make them your best friend!
See also: What Is the Best Birth Control? – Formulas and Types
