When to Go Off Birth Control to Get Pregnant

Many women decide, after a period of using birth control, that it is time to become pregnant. Each woman's body is different. The time it will take to become pregnant after going off birth control depends on the birth control method practiced.

Oral Contraceptives

• Many women taking oral contraceptives (the pill) worry about how it can affect future pregnancy. Gynecologists agree that when you are taking regular birth control pills, you can start trying to conceive as soon as you finish your pack of pills. Since a woman's body may take a while to ovulate after being on the pill, it may take quite a few months before she actually gets pregnant. However, some women get pregnant the month after they stop taking the birth control pill.

Depo-Provera

• Depo-Provera is effective for 12 weeks. It may take a woman's body four to six months to ovulate normally after her last Depo-Provera shot. It is common to take up to twelve months to get pregnant after using the Depo-Provera shot. If you know you would like to have a baby within a year, it would be best to forgo this form of birth control.

IUD

• Most gynecologists agree that a woman regains her fertility immediately after the removal of an IUD. Pregnancy is possible one month after the removal of this device from the uterus; therefore, you can safely try to conceive once the IUD is removed.