Women tend to fritter half their lives trying not to get pregnant and then when they decide they are prepared, they find out it is not always that easy to conceive. In efforts to prevent pregnancy, women nowadays use oral contraceptives, hormonal patches, condoms and numerous other birth control methods.

When it comes to hormonal contraceptives, the best bet is to complete the current cycle and then attempt to get pregnant. After the cycle, attempts can be made to start getting pregnant even though it may be advisable to wait for the first normal menstrual period after stop taking the pills. But this precaution is not necessary.

Some women conceive in a week or two after stopping birth control pills. It is recommended to complete the cycle so they do not have irregular bleeding. In general, the center of the month is when ovulation and potentially conception are most probable to take place, so the best fertile window is a couple of weeks after stopping contraception.

An important point to think is that if there has been a previous pregnancy or miscarriage, wait about three months to provide the body a chance to recover. This is where a waiting period makes sense.

Preparation before pregnancy

Other types of contraception, the intrauterine device must be removed before a woman starts attempting to conceive. Couples can just stop using condoms when they are ready to conceive. If the person is planning to become pregnant, it is ideal to have a full menstrual cycle before trying to conceive.

One can more accurately calculate the fetus's age by counting from the first day of the last menstrual period before became pregnant. The total time it takes for a woman's full fertility to return after stopping birth control varies for all women and depends on the birth control method she is using.

The ability to get pregnant gradually decreases as per age, starting at age 25. Poor health and irregular periods may also decrease the fertility. After stopping any form of birth control, one may have a more difficult time getting pregnant simply because of older age than when started using birth control.

Plan it wise

If the person is planning to become pregnant, it is a good idea to start taking a multivitamin that contains folic acid. Taking this vitamin in early pregnancy can reduce the chances of having a baby with certain birth defects. After stopping birth control pills, one might expect to get pregnant as soon as the next cycle or not for another 3-6 months.