Going Off Birth Control
If you want to get pregnant, go off the birth control. When you are likely to get pregnant after going off birth control depends on the type of birth control method you have been using.
You may get pregnant any time after you stop using them if you are using the following methods of birth control:
- Barrier Method (condoms, diaphragm, cervical cap, and contraceptive sponge)
- Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (implant or intrauterine device (IUD). You need to get it removed.
- Fertility Awareness Or Natural Method (this method involves having sex on particular days when a woman is not ovulating). You need to change the timing of sexual activity.
You may get pregnant in a few months after your periods become regular if you are using a hormonal method (pill, patch, implants, or injection)
Trouble Getting Pregnant
Most women will get pregnant within six months and all women will become pregnant in one year if they are having sex regularly. If you don’t become pregnant after trying for a year, you are considered to be having trouble getting pregnant.
There can be several reasons for not getting pregnant. It may be due to timing, stress, age, premature withdrawal or pulling out by the partner, or reduced vaginal lubrication. There can also be involvement of more complicated medical factors or infertility issues. This is the time to have a pre-pregnancy checkup to find out if any of these factors are affecting your ability to get pregnant.
Knowing when you are most fertile (ovulating) will help you plan your pregnancy. Ovulation means that your hormones and egg are ready for fertilization. Having sex immediately before, during, or after ovulation gives you the best chance to get pregnant. Sperm can live up to 3 days in the woman’s body. You can become pregnant if you have sex a day or two before or after ovulation.
However, it is not easy to know exactly when you are ovulating. Doctors recommend that you have sex between 7th and 20th day of your cycle to become pregnant. Doctors and fertility experts tell that having sex every other day or every third day can also result in conception.
If you have an irregular menstrual cycle, an ovulation predictor kit (OPK) can help you identify when you are most fertile. These kits detect a surge in the production of luteinizing hormone (LH). The production of LH occurs roughly 36 hours before ovulation. You can buy an OPK without a prescription at most drug stores.
Signs and Symptoms Of Ovulation
Some signs and symptoms occur in women when they are ovulating. These symptoms may vary from woman to woman. Identifying these signs and symptoms can help you detect when you are ovulating.
The following are the signs and symptoms of ovulation:
- Breast tenderness
- Abdominal bloating
- Slight cramping or pain on one side of the pelvis
- Light spotting
- Increased sex drive
- A heightened sense of smell, taste or vision
The following three methods can help you identify when you are ovulating:
- Mittelschmerz Method: Mittelschmerz is one-sided, lower abdominal pain associated with ovulation. This occurs midway between periods.
- Basal Body Temperature Method: Basal body temperature (BBT) is your temperature at rest as soon as you wake up in the morning. A woman’s basal body temperature rises slightly with ovulation. By recording this temperature daily for several months, you’ll be able to predict your most fertile days. You have to use a basal body thermometer, which is available at most pharmacies.
- Cervical Mucus Method: This involves being aware of the changes in your cervical mucus throughout the month. The hormones that control the menstrual cycle also change the kind and amount of mucus you have before and during ovulation. Usually, this mucus is minimal and clear. When this mucus is sticky and resembles uncooked egg whites, it indicates ovulation. You have to insert your finger in the vagina and feel it. The more you can stretch it between your thumb and index finger, the closer you are to ovulation.
