When Does Fertility Return After Stopping Birth Control?

People who use birth control but want to become pregnant typically have questions about when they'll be fertile again.

The answers will likely depend on the method you use and your overall health history. Within a few weeks, you may see signs of ovulation after stopping the pill. And it may take months to become fertile if you use Depo Provera injections. However, there are many misconceptions about how easy it is to get pregnant once you have stopped birth control.

This article discusses different birth control methods and how quickly you can expect fertility to return after stopping them. It also looks at some other factors that may affect fertility.

How Long Will It Take to Get Pregnant?

Most hormonal birth control methods stop you from ovulating, or releasing an egg. If you do not release an egg, there is nothing for sperm to fertilize. This is why you do not get pregnant.

When you stop using hormonal birth control, you will start ovulating again. Regular ovulation is one sign that you could be fertile. But a return of ovulation does not automatically mean you will get pregnant.

Fertility Return by Birth Control Method

When you regain your fertility, your body begins to ovulate again. This increases the possibility that you can get pregnant. The amount of time it takes depends on what birth control method you were using.

Barrier Methods and Natural Methods

Contraceptive methods that rely on barriers and timing do not interfere with ovulation. This means you can get pregnant as soon as you stop using them.

Barrier methods block sperm from reaching your egg and include:

• Cervical caps
• Diaphragms
• External condoms
• Internal condoms
  
• Spermicide

As an added bonus, condoms also protect you from sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Left untreated, some STIs can lead to infertility.

Some people use natural family planning methods. If so, you may be able to get pregnant faster. Many of these methods involve keeping track of your most fertile days. So now, just do the reverse instead of avoiding sex around those days.

Combination Birth Control Methods

Combination birth control is a type of hormonal contraception that prevents pregnancy by stopping ovulation. Combination birth control methods include:

• Combination birth control pills, such as Loestrin and Nextstellis
• NuvaRing
• Transdermal contracpetive patch

How long it takes to get pregnant after stopping the pill, patch, or ring varies. It can sometimes take up to three months for cycles to return to normal, but your fertility may return within the first month.

This also seems true for other types of birth control pills. When you stop progestin-only or extended-cycle pills, your fertility should return quickly.

Research shows that 80% of people who try to conceive after stopping hormonal birth control will get pregnant within the first year. This number is the same as that of the general population.

Healthcare providers often advise waiting at least three months to try to conceive after stopping combination birth control. This can help you keep track of your natural cycle so if you get pregnant, it will be easier to date the start of pregnancy.

IUDs

IUDs are an effective method of long-term contraception. However, it may take longer to get pregnant after IUD removal than other types of birth control. There are two types of IUDs:

• Hormonal (such as Mirena, Liletta, and Skyla)
• Non-hormonal copper (ParaGard)

Fertility can return within a month of removing an IUD, though it may take longer for some. Studies show pregnancy occurs within one year of IUD removal in 70% to 75% of those actively trying to conceive. This is slightly lower than rates after hormonal contraception.

You can have your IUD removed at any time by a qualified healthcare provider. Do not try to remove it at home.

Nexplanon

Nexplanon, a progestin-only birth control implant, releases progestin for three years. However, you can have it removed early if you want to get pregnant.

Fertility will come back quickly no matter how long you used this method. After the implant is removed, fertility can return as quickly as seven to 14 days. It typically takes at least a month and may take up to two cycles for natural fertility to return.

Depo Provera

Depo Provera is an injection that prevents pregnancy for 12 weeks. Don't expect to get pregnant quickly after you stop this method. On average, it takes seven to 10 months to begin ovulating after you stop Depo Provera. For some people, it may take more than a year.

According to the manufacturer, you should stop Depo Provera shots for a full year before you want to get pregnant.

Depo Provera only prevents pregnancy for three months. However, the hormone medroxyprogesterone acetate stays in your body longer.

Though some people report the return of fertility within three months of their last Depo Provera injection, this is not typical. It takes some time for the hormone to make its way completely out of your body.

Other Fertility Factors to Consider

As a rule of thumb, your fertility should go back to the way it was before you started birth control. If you had regular cycles before, you should have regular cycles again.

Your age may also play a part. That is because fertility drops as you get older. This is especially true once you turn 35.

There has been a lot of research on the return of fertility after stopping birth control. A review of studies involving nearly 15,000 people found that pregnancy rates within one year of stopping birth control averaged 83.1% with few differences between methods.

Ovulation Does Not Equal Pregnancy

You may not get pregnant right away, even after your fertility returns or you start to ovulate, and the amount of time varies. Some people become pregnant within a month. Others may try to get pregnant for a long time.

At this point, your ability to get pregnant has nothing to do with previous birth control use. Your age, health, and lifestyle can all make it harder to get pregnant. You may also experience infertility.

You may have concerns after you stop birth control. Talk to your healthcare provider if:

• Your period doesn’t come back after three months.
• The number of days you have your period changes.
• Your cycle is irregular.
• There is a major change in how heavy your bleeding is.
• You are younger than 35 and have been trying to get pregnant for 12 months.
• You are over 35 and have been trying to get pregnant for six months.

Summary

Past use of birth control does not affect future fertility. How quickly your fertility returns depends on the method you used.

Barrier and natural methods do not affect ovulation, so you will already be able to ovulate when you stop using them. After stopping most hormonal birth control methods or IUDs, fertility should return within three months. Depo Provera, however, can take seven to 10 months (or even longer) for ovulation to return.

Other factors may also impact your fertility. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have concerns after stopping birth control.