So, you and your partner have decided to go in a family way. Congratulations! However, after this decision, one of the common concerns is when to stop birth control for conception. Well! Don’t worry. We have got you covered. Read this blog to know about getting off birth control to get pregnant.

What Do You Need to Know About Stopping Birth Control?

You can get pregnant immediately after discontinuing contraception and stopping birth control delays pregnancy—these are the two most common beliefs about stopping birth control. So, what exactly happens when you no longer take birth control pills or use other birth control options? Well! There’s no single answer because each body reacts differently to the discontinuation of a birth control method. So, yes! You can get pregnant soon after having intercourse without contraception. But it does not mean every woman will. Similarly, it might take several days or even months for ovulation and/or your menstrual cycle to return to normal, thus delaying pregnancy. However, remember that conception can occur as soon as you start ovulating, irrespective of whether you get your period. Hence, you may want to take an ovulation test before sex.

What Happens After You Stop Taking Birth Control?

Your body undergoes several physiological and emotional changes when you end pregnancy prevention. These include bloating, cramps, mood swings, fluctuating libido, and even depression. In addition, some post-pill side effects mimic pregnancy symptoms, for example, nausea, breast tenderness, and spotting. Therefore, consult your gynecologist to confirm pregnancy. In addition, you may be prescribed a folate supplement when you halt birth control use to get pregnant. Folate supports embryonic development. Folate levels in the body can decrease while you are on birth control pills. Hence, you need to take supplements to replenish folate before and soon after conception.

When to Stop Birth Control Before Trying to Conceive?

There’s no perfect timing to get off birth control. You can do it when you and your partner are ready for parenthood. A misconception making the rounds is that you need to wean off the pill. However, it is safe to discontinue the pill or any other birth control method at any point in your cycle. If you still have doubts, talk to your OB/GYN, as they can advise better based on your medical history. In addition, using a pill tracker while on birth control makes it easier to track the number of days since you went cold turkey on birth control. This information helps you know if your body is taking too long to return to the pre-birth control stage and be conception-ready. Generally, it takes one month to a year to get pregnant once you stop using birth control. However, this period may extend up to two years if you have got birth control shots.

Tips For Getting Pregnant After Stopping Birth Control

There are no magic tricks for getting pregnant after terminating contraception use. Following a healthy lifestyle, good sex, cutting back on alcohol and stress, and quitting smoking boost fertility and help start a healthy pregnancy.

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