How to Stop Birth Control when Wanting to Conceive

Schedule a preconception doctor appointment. Before you stop birth control, schedule a preconception visit with your doctor. If you are up to date on your annual exams (e.g. pap smear, breast exam), this visit generally won't involve a physical or gynecological exam. Your doctor will inquire about your lifestyle habits, medical history, and gynecological history, and may provide advice on how to conceive.

Start building healthy habits. Once you decide to conceive, start adjusting your lifestyle habits to prepare for pregnancy. If you're a smoker, work on quitting the habit before trying to conceive. Start getting regular, low impact exercise (e.g., jogging) and move away from fitness activities that pose a high risk of falling or injury (e.g., mountain biking).

• Cut caffeine down to 2 servings a day, and begin eating a more well-balanced diet.

Start taking folic acid supplements. As soon as you decide to conceive, start taking folic acid supplements. Folic acid decreases the risk of miscarriage and birth defects, but you must start taking it 1 to 2 months prior to conception for it to be successful. Buy either 400 or 800 microgram tablets at your local pharmacy, to be taken once a day.

• For best results, start taking folic acid a month before you stop using birth control.

Avoid planning too far ahead. Plan for pregnancy as an imminent possibility before stopping your birth control, whether it be discontinuing your contraceptive pills or having an IUD removed. While it could take months to conceive after halting contraceptive measures, it is also possible that you will get pregnant right away. If you want more of an adjustment period before conception (e.g., to plan for things financially), wait to stop birth control until you are absolutely ready.

Finish off your last pack. Depending on your type of contraceptive pill, stopping mid-month may result in bleeding. Finish off your pack and go through your regular monthly bleeding, which will also make it easier to track your ovulation. It will also help in estimating your due date down the line.

Anticipate bleeding. Anticipate "withdrawal bleeding" when you stop the pill, similar to the light bleeding or spotting you might experience when you miss taking pills during the month, or when you are taking the nonactive pills in the pack. If you have been taking birth control consistently to skip periods, expect to experience full, period-like bleeding after you stop. During the time after stopping birth control and before getting pregnant, irregular bleeding is normal and not a cause for concern.

Be patient. Everyone's body responds differently to stopping birth control, so it's normal that conception time after stopping ranges widely amongst women. As a general rule, it usually takes several months to conceive, though it can sometimes happen right away. If you still have not gotten pregnant after 6 months free of oral contraceptives, contact your doctor.

Have your IUD removed. Once you are certain that you are ready to get pregnant, make an appointment with you ob-gyn to have your IUD removed. You will be able to conceive within the same month that the IUD is removed. The removal procedure will only take a few minutes, but you can prepare for pain or cramping by taking an ibuprofen beforehand.

Stop the contraceptive shot. If you want to stop your Depo Provera injections to get pregnant, plan ahead as much as possible. Injections last between 8 to 13 weeks, but it can take up to a year for fertility to return to normal after the shot wears off. Typically, it can take between 9 to 10 months to get pregnant after your last Depo Provera shot.

Remove the patch or ring. Contraceptive patches or rings releasing both estrogen and progestin are similar to the pill as combination hormonal methods of birth control. Be prepared for pregnancy before ceasing to use either of these, as immediate pregnancy is a possibility. There is no definitive evidence on how long it takes to conceive after you stop using these methods of contraception, but experts believe the wait time might be similar or shorter than what you would experience with the pill.

Have your implant taken out. Contraceptive implants are progestin-only hormonal methods of birth control. When you are ready to conceive, contact your doctor to have the tiny, plastic rod removed from under your skin. Once it is removed, it may be possible to get pregnant right away.

Skip barrier methods. If barrier methods of contraception are your choice of birth control, trying to get pregnant should be fairly straightforward. Once you stop any type of barrier method, you can feasibly conceive the next time you have sex. These methods include:

• Condoms
• Diaphragm
• Cervical cap
• Spermicidal foam, sponge, cream, jelly, suppository, or film