27 Feb Can contraceptive pills affect fertility?

By Reproclinic Editorial Committee

What are birth control pills?

Contraceptive pills are one of the most commonly used contraceptive methods after the condom. There is a lot of information about the contraindications, the different brands and the experiences of women who have taken this method since its inception, although it is to be recalled that not all the information we can find on the internet is reliable, so it is advisable to consult different sources of information and, when in doubt, consult with a specialist.

It was in 1960 when this type of anovulatory was introduced, however its composition has changed a lot over the years. In the beginning, these pills contained very high doses of oral synthetic steroids, up to 10 times more than current contraceptive pills.

Due to the high content of estrogens that contained the initial anovulators, they were associated with the presence of unwanted side effects, but by lowering this amount and with the medical advances made, the side effects have been greatly reduced.

Can contraceptive pills affect fertility?

Currently there is no scientific study that directly accuses contraceptive pills with problems with fertility. If you are using or have used this contraceptive method and now you want to be a mother, the first thing you should do is finish the package of anovulators that you have started and once the rest week ends, do not continue with another one.

When you decide to stop taking this contraceptive method it is important to do not abruptly stop it, but to continue with the treatment until the box is finished, otherwise you can create a hormonal imbalance and your menstrual cycle will take longer to return to the desired normality. Once a woman has stopped taking the pill, she will slowly ovulate again and have her menstrual cycle normally. The only thing contraceptive pills do is prevent ovulation, so the body has to get used to ovulating once a month again.

How to get pregnant after leaving birth control pills?

Once the contraceptive pills are quit, the woman’s body returns to normal. Depending on what type of menstrual cycle you have, regular or irregular, the appearance of the menstruation can take more time. The returning of a normal ovulation can take an average between one to three months. If you want to conceive it is ideal to let pass at least one complete menstrual cycle after taking the pill.

If you want to know how to maximize the chances of getting pregnant see our entry on How to know your fertile days in our blog.

How long does it take to get pregnant after quitting the pill?

The normal time to get pregnant naturally after taking the birth control pill and leaving at least one menstrual cycle for the female reproductive system to return to normal, is the same as any other couple seeking pregnancy, that is, up to twelve months. The waiting time will depend on each woman’s menstrual cycle, the quality of their eggs, the quality of their partner’s sperm, etc.

If after this time there has been no luck, a specialist who will look for a fertility problem can be consulted. In the case of being a woman over the age of 39, and if a pregnancy is not obtained after the first 6 months, it is highly advisable to consult a specialist and to not wait for a year.