At What Point Can You Get Pregnant After Stopping Birth Control?
What physical changes take place when a woman goes off birth control? When is it possible for her to become pregnant after getting off the pill?
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Physical Changes After Stopping the Pill:
Many women get off birth control for a variety of reasons. Some are sick and tired of the drudgery of a daily pill, while others are concerned about the side effects of artificial hormones.
Ceasing to take the pill ushers in hormonal withdrawal bleeding, which signals changes within the woman’s body. It takes time for hormone levels to stabilize and for the body to resume any functions which had been previously blocked. If you are about to get off birth control, be patient with yourself as you allow your body to adjust!
Note: You will not necessarily experience all possible side effects.
In 50% of cases, the transition goes almost unnoticed. The ease of adjustment is affected by the woman’s overall health, the length of time the medication was taken, the type of birth control, and the age of the woman when she started taking birth control.
Most adjustments should be complete within three months.
Getting Off Birth Control: Possible Side Effects
Initially, the menstrual cycle may be irregular, with no or delayed ovulation. While there may be no menstrual bleeding, low hormone levels may lead to inter-menstrual bleeding or spotting.
Hormone withdrawal may cause hair loss, which usually resolves itself quickly.
Menstrual bleeding may become heavier for a time, since the growth of the uterine lining is no longer suppressed.
Your skin may change for better or for worse. Pre-existing skin issues may return after dropping the pill. Some women report an overall improvement in their skin’s appearance.
While these side effects may be unpleasant, there are plenty of reasons to push through:
Fewer Health Risks
The risk of developing uterine, ovarian, or breast cancer, increased by birth control pills, decreases back to a lower level.
Reduced tendency toward headaches and depression.
Counter-indications with other medications are no longer an issue.
Artificial hormones cause a decrease in your body’s pH level. Your acidity levels will now return to normal.
You& are less likely to develop blood clots.
Positive Effects On Your Relationship
Hormones play an important role in relationships. One aspect is the part they play in achieving sexual fulfillment. Taking artificial hormones can have a negative effect on the quality of your relationship. Here are some positive changes that women have noted after stopping the pill:
The woman often feels a renewed attraction toward her partner.
Increased desire for sexual intimacy.
Some women describe the effect as a “relationship makeover.”
After Birth Control: How Long Until You Can Get Pregnant?
Contraceptive protection is no longer guaranteed as soon as the first pill is missed. That point could mark the beginning of a natural menstrual cycle.
As previously noted, it may take a while for one’s body to adjust. On the other hand, cases are also known in which women have become pregnant immediately after getting off birth control.
Case in point are women who forgot to take the daily pill one single time — and were then holding a positive pregnancy test a few weeks later. This proves that even missing a single dose is sufficient for triggering ovulation and starting the menstrual cycle.
This means that it is possible for a woman to become pregnant without having had a menstrual period as a result of being off the pill for only a matter of days.
After the Pill: Anxious About Being or Becoming Pregnant
If you have recently stopped using birth control and have noticed that you haven’t started your period yet, you may wonder, “Could I be pregnant?” Go to Symptoms of Pregnancy to identify other signs that may indicate a pregnancy.
- Our tip: 🤰 Taking the Online Pregnancy Test is fast and simple. Choose your concerns and symptoms within a multiple choice format and receive an immediate evaluation.
If your test results are positive and you are indeed pregnant — this may come as a complete surprise, so soon after coming off birth control. You probably have a lot going through your mind and are wondering where to go from here. Everything is happening too fast and feels out of control!
You are not alone! We would love to walk alongside you by providing you with a judgement-free setting in which you can find the path that is just right for you. Here are some resources that were tailor-made for your situation:
- ⚖️ Wondering whether to have an abortion or not? Take our free Abortion Test! You will receive a personal evaluation.
- 💡 Dealing with a specific issue? Take the Solutions Finder Test!
- ⛑ Where do I go from here? — Quick Answers Quiz
Soundbites and Stories
"I am 23. Last July I stopped taking the pill because I was not happy with it. I also wanted to know what it would feel like, without artificial hormones in my system. (I had been on the pill since I was 15 or 16). For the first few months my cycle followed a perfect 28-day rhythm.
Now I am a week late. Although it is hard to tell whether I am late or not. My cycle is no longer regular. I sometimes have my period every ten days."
This experience was shared (in German) on profemina's open forum.
Getting off Birth Control Because You Desire to Have a Baby
Some women get off birth control, because they would like to start a family.
While the pill is no longer a hindering factor in becoming pregnant, immediate conception is by no means guaranteed. Despite unprotected sex, many women initially have a hard time getting pregnant. This can be upsetting and emotionally painful…
Statistical Likelihood of Conceiving After Going off Birth Control:
In this case, statistics are reason for hope. Seventy percent of couples conceive within the first six months after stopping birth control (after more than five years of taking the pill). Within a year, almost 90 percent of couples anticipate a baby.
Note: The higher the estrogen content of the pill (i.e., the stronger the pill), the longer it usually takes to become pregnant.
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