Here is what you need to know about contraceptive pills
Birth control pills are one of the most common pregnancy preventive tools for women. Taking these pills does not mean that a woman does not want to have babies or will neven have babies. It is just a temporary method to prevent unwanted pregnancy. If you have been taking these hormonal pills for quite some time, then you might wonder how long it would take for you to get pregnant when you stop it. Here is you what you need to know about it.
How these pills work
Oral contraceptive pills work in different ways like maintaining consistent hormone levels, controlling the rise in the estrogen that leads to ovulation or thickening cervical mucus. Apart from this the pills also reduce cramping and bleeding during the period. Different varieties of contraceptive pills are available in the market, which work in different ways. The pills are considered extremely safe, with almost no side effect when taking for a short term.
When can you get pregnant?
Once you stop taking the pills, your body just takes 24 hours to flush out the hormones. After this, your body goes into a normal menstrual cycle and again start ovulating. If you and your partner try, you might get pregnant in the first month itself. To get pregnant, you need to have a normal period. As per the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), a woman’s menstrual cycle might be irregular for up to 3 months after she stops using the pills. Apart from that, you age, genes, lifestyle habits and medical condition can also delay your pregnancy. If everything goes fine you can expect to conceive in 3 to 6 months. For some, it may even take a year.
What studies say
According to a Danish study published in the journal Human Reproduction, taking contraceptives can delay pregnancy by 2 to 6 months after the women stop taking the pills, as compared to other methods of preventing fertilisation. This study included around 3,000 women, aged 18 to 40 years. In the study, it was also revealed that long term use of pills has no negative effect on the possibility of getting pregnant.
When to seek help
If you are dependent on these pills from a long time then it is always good to consult your doctor before trying to conceive. Different factors can affect your fertility and taking an experts advice on this matter is a good idea. It is even more important for women above 35 years. Here are a few things that you can do to increase your chances of getting pregnant:
- Stop smoking
- Avoid drinking alcohol
- Exercise daily
- Include vitamin and folic acid in your diet
- Manage your stress level
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