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Pregnancy & Postpartum

Question

Can I start trying to have a baby as soon as I take my last birth control pill?

Answer

There are no known adverse effects to conceiving right after discontinuing birth control pills. However, doing so can make it difficult to calculate your due date.

A woman's menstrual cycle is often irregular immediately after she stops taking oral contraceptives. In particular the timing of ovulation during the first cycle is quite unpredictable. So if you were to conceive during that first cycle, the standard method of estimating the start of your pregnancy by the first day of your last period would be unreliable.

Ideally, once you discontinue birth control pills, you should use a barrier form of contraception, such as a condom, for two to three months before trying to conceive. If conception does occur within these first months, it’s advisable to use some alternative method of estimating pregnancy such as an ultrasound test.

MEET OUR EXPERTS

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Meet Our Experts

The START HEALTHY, STAY HEALTHY™ Resource Center panel of experts offers practical advice, answering many questions typically asked by parents and expecting parents.

Lillian M. Beard, M.D. Pediatric Health

Lillian M. Beard, M.D., is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and an associate clinical professor at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She is a frequent guest expert and spokesperson on national TV programs, discussing issues related to children's health. Dr. Beard practices pediatrics in the Washington, D.C., area.

José M. Saavedra, M.D., FAAP Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition

José M. Saavedra, M.D., a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, is a pediatric gastroenterologist with long-term experience and expertise in nutrition. Medical and Scientific Director of Nestlé Nutrition North America, Dr. Saavedra is board-certified by the American Board of Pediatrics, the Sub-board of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, and the American Board of Nutrition. He is also an Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition, at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins-Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Roy M. Pitkin, M.D. Prenatal Health

Roy M. Pitkin, M.D. is professor of obstetrics and gynecology and is former chairperson of the ob/gyn department at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), School of Medicine. He is a frequent advisor to national health agencies concerned with women's health issues and has received numerous international honors for this work.

Robert N. Hamburger, M.D. Food Intolerances

Robert N. Hamburger, M.D. is professor of pediatrics emeritus and former head of the pediatric immunology and allergy division at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) in La Jolla, California. Professor Hamburger is a consultant and continues as an educator and clinician in the UCSD Free Clinics in San Diego and Tijuana, Baja California.

I have stopped taking birth control pills after 10 years of use. But I haven't had a period yet. Is something wrong? Checklist for your preconception checkup It took two years to conceive my first child. Should we expect it to take as long next time?