How quickly can you get pregnant after stopping the pill

It can take a while for your periods to come back after you stop taking the pill.

Period usually start again within 4 weeks after stopping the pill, but this depends on what your cycle is normally like.

Weight, health, stress, exercise and conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) can all influence your cycle.

Your periods may be irregular when you first come off the pill, and you should allow up to 3 months for your natural menstrual cycle to fully re-establish itself.

This is because the pill contains the hormones that stop the release of an egg (ovulation) each month.

The first period after stopping the pill is known as a "withdrawal bleed". The next one after this is your first natural period.

It's unlikely that the time you've been on the pill will cause infertility. You might be able to conceive immediately after you stop taking it.

However, while the pill does not cause fertility problems, it can mask underlying problems you may already have, such as irregular periods.

You can get pregnant as soon as you come off the pill, so it's important to use another form of contraception, such as condoms, straight away.

If you want to get pregnant, it's a good idea to plan for pregnancy before you stop taking the pill. This gives you time to make sure you're in the best physical health for pregnancy – for example, by taking folic acid supplements, giving up smoking and giving up alcohol.

Find out more about planning your pregnancy.

Page last reviewed: 1 March 2022
Next review due: 1 March 2025

Many women use oral contraceptives or "the pill" as their method of contraception when they're trying to prevent pregnancy. If you're among this group, then the first step when you decide you are ready to start trying to conceive will be getting off the pill. The next question is, how long should you wait before trying to conceive after coming off the pill?

Doctors often advise women to have a preconception health visit with their doctor or midwife if they are thinking about getting pregnant. Your provider can help you devise a plan and ensure you are as healthy as possible in preparation for pregnancy.

Post-Pill Symptoms

It was once believed that once you stopped taking the pill, you should wait two to three menstrual cycles before becoming pregnant. Doctors also once believed that if you got pregnant right away, there was a higher chance of miscarriage. It turns out that isn't true, as the hormones found in birth control pills don't stay in your system after you stop taking them.

When you go off the pill, you may experience withdrawal bleeding, which is the period-like bleeding you experience when taking the non-hormonal pills in your pack. Withdrawal bleeding is not the same as true menstrual bleeding, but that doesn't mean you aren't fertile.

If you do get pregnant before having your first true post-pill period, you may have a slightly harder time pinpointing exactly when you ovulated, which could make it challenging to estimate your due date.

Resuming Fertility

Most women begin to ovulate again within two weeks of stopping the pill, which is a sign that you are now able to get pregnant again. While you have a chance to get pregnant during every ovulation cycle, you still may not get pregnant right away.

It can take a couple up to a year to get pregnant, even with no problems related to their reproductive respective health. Still, going several cycles without conceiving often concerns women about the state of their fertility, especially after they've stopped birth control.

One thing to do if you are wanting to conceive is to track your ovulation cycles. You can start simply with an app then move onto the other more involved methods if you still have not conceived after a few months. You might consider learning about and charting your fertility signs like cervical fluid and basal body temperature or using ovulation prediction kit (OPK) products.

Other Post-Pill Precautions

Research has shown that taking birth control pills can deplete your body of nutrients such as folate, vitamins B2, B6, B12, C, and E, magnesium, selenium, and zinc. Many of these vitamins and minerals are highly associated with fertility and are vital for pregnancy, so it's worth taking a close look at your diet both before and after going off the pill to see if you may be falling short in certain areas.

In addition to preventing pregnancy, many women also use the pill to regulate their menstrual cycles or to alleviate heavy periods and menstrual pain. In such cases, it can take several months to have a normal period again after stopping the pill. You may experience post-pill amenorrhea, or your body is still not producing the hormones needed for ovulation and menstruation. There might also be an underlying issue such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or endometriosis.

If you have not had a period within three months of stopping the pill, take a pregnancy test to confirm that you're not pregnant and make an appointment to see your provider.

A Word From Verywell

While you're waiting to get pregnant after the pill, it can be helpful to talk to your doctor about concerns regarding what's normal and what's not. Some women get pregnant on the pill, miss a pill and get pregnant, or come off the pill and get pregnant right away. But there are also many women whose bodies need more time. This just means it may take you a while to get pregnant, which is perfectly normal.

Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Girum T, Wasie A. Return of fertility after discontinuation of contraception: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Contracept Reprod Med. 2018;3:9. doi:10.1186/s40834-018-0064-y

  2. Davis AR, Kroll R, Soltes B, Zhang N, Grubb GS, Constantine GD. Occurrence of menses or pregnancy after cessation of a continuous oral contraceptive. Fertil Steril. 2008;89(5):1059-63. doi:10.1016/j.fertnstert.2007.05.012

  3. Palmery M, Saraceno A, Vaiarelli A, Carlomagno G. Oral contraceptives and changes in nutritional requirements. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2013;17(13):1804-13.

Additional Reading

How quickly can you get pregnant after stopping the pill

By Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH
Robin Elise Weiss, PhD, MPH is a professor, author, childbirth and postpartum educator, certified doula, and lactation counselor.

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Can I get pregnant right after I stop taking the pill?

The contraceptive pill stops your body from ovulating, but as soon you stop taking the pill this process kicks back into action. So, it's possible to get pregnant as soon as you come off the pill. As many as 84 out of 100 couples will get pregnant within a year of starting to have regular sex without contraception.

How long after stopping the pill will I ovulate?

Generally speaking, ovulation will resume two to four weeks after you stop the pill. It may take a bit longer for older women and women who have been on the pill for a long time, according to Columbia Health. In some cases, re-establishing a regular ovulation cycle can take a few months.