Stopping your chosen method of contraception is the first step to making a baby.
Here’s our quick guide to stopping the pill, implants and injections safely so you can begin that lovely job of trying for a baby.
At a glance
- Have your coil removed by a professional
- Swap your pill for folic acid
- Stop renewing your injections
Getting ready
Now you’re trying to get pregnant, it’s time to start on the folic acid, and think about getting your body in tip-top condition to conceive and begin that miraculous process of growing a baby.
Coming off the pill
How should I stop taking the pill?
If you are taking the combined pill it’s best to wait until the end of your current packet. That way you will get a withdrawal bleed as usual and your next bleed will be a proper period. If you stop in the middle of a packet, you may have some irregular bleeding for a while. If you are taking the mini (progesterone only) pill, you can stop whenever you like.
What happens when I come off the pill?
When you come off the pill, your periods could start any time from a couple of weeks to a few months later - it may be a while before they’re regular again. You’ll probably get some light bleeding for a few days, but this isn't a period, it’s just normal ‘withdrawal bleeding’.
How long does it take to get pregnant?
You’ll be fertile soon after you stop, but most doctors recommend you have at least one proper period before you start trying for a baby. This is mainly because it allows them to calculate an accurate due date. So don’t worry if you get pregnant straight away, it’s just great news!
Removing your implant
How is the implant taken out?
It needs to be removed by a specially trained doctor or nurse. But it should come out easily - hopefully just with a tiny cut, done under local anaesthetic. There’s a chance it’ll be hard to find, but a quick scan will soon locate it.
Suppose I find I'm pregnant before it’s taken out?
There’s no evidence it’ll do any harm, but doctors still recommend you remove it during pregnancy (you can always have one put in again after the birth).
When will I be able to get pregnant?
You should be fertile straight away, so time to get healthy and start taking that folic acid!
Stopping injections
What happens when I stop injections?
You simply stop renewing your injections, which means the hormones being released into your body slowly run down.
When will I be able to get pregnant?
You need to allow about a year.
"Once the injected hormones have left your body, you’ll go back to your previous level of fertility - there’s no long term effect from contraceptive injections,” says Richard Smith, Consultant Obstetrician.
“But because the injection stopped you ovulating, it’ll take a while for your cycle to get back to normal - maybe a year or more. So if you’re planning to try for a baby in the next couple of years, best stop your injections now and use another form of contraception in the meantime.”
That said, some women get pregnant straight away, so don’t rely on this gap!