When deciding to try for a pregnancy, determining the correct time to stop contraception is essential. The timing depends heavily on the specific method of birth control used. For most methods, fertility returns almost immediately upon cessation. Intentional timing ensures the best chance of a quick and healthy pregnancy while avoiding an unintended one.
Timing for Short-Acting Hormonal Methods
Short-acting hormonal methods, such as the Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill, the Vaginal Ring, and the Contraceptive Patch, allow for a rapid return to fertility. These methods primarily suppress ovulation, but their hormonal effects leave the body quickly once discontinued. For the combined pill, hormones are often eliminated from the system within a few days of stopping the medication.
Healthcare providers often advise finishing the current active cycle before stopping completely. While not medically required, this helps create a predictable withdrawal bleed, making it easier to track the first natural cycle afterward. The Progestin-Only Pill, or “Mini-Pill,” also allows for a rapid return to fertility. Ovulation can resume within weeks, meaning conception is possible during the very first cycle after stopping these methods.
Discontinuing Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC)
Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) methods offer extended protection, and their discontinuation requires different planning. Both the hormonal and non-hormonal copper Intrauterine Devices (IUDs) require a medical appointment for removal. Fertility returns almost immediately once the device is out. Since the copper IUD does not affect hormones, a person can potentially conceive in the same cycle the device is removed.
Similarly, the Contraceptive Implant releases progestin but allows for a rapid return to fertility once a healthcare provider removes the small rod from the arm. The Injectable Contraceptive, such as Depo-Provera, has the most complex timeline because it uses a high dose of progestin released gradually. Fertility return after the final shot can be delayed by six months or more, sometimes taking up to 18 months for normal ovulation to resume, requiring much earlier planning for conception.
Navigating the Return of Your Natural Cycle
After stopping hormonal birth control, the first bleed experienced is typically a withdrawal bleed caused by the drop in synthetic hormones, not a true menstrual period signaling ovulation. A true period only occurs after a person ovulates, which may take a few weeks to a few months as the body’s natural hormone cycle reestablishes itself.
Beginning a prenatal vitamin containing at least 400 micrograms of folic acid is highly recommended, ideally starting one to three months before trying to conceive. This supplement helps prevent neural tube defects, which occur very early in pregnancy, making pre-conception supplementation important.
To maximize conception chances, a person should begin tracking their natural cycle using methods like monitoring basal body temperature (BBT) or changes in cervical mucus. Ovulation predictor kits (OPKs) are also useful tools, as they detect the surge in luteinizing hormone that precedes ovulation.
If periods do not return after three months of stopping contraception, or if a person under 35 has been trying to conceive for 12 months without success, consulting a healthcare provider is appropriate. For those 35 or older, seeking medical advice after six months of trying is generally advised due to age-related changes in fertility.