Trying to Get Pregnant

I hear from a lot of women who are suddenly ready to have a baby. They want to be pregnant as soon as possible. Others are considering pregnancy and trying to get prepared. (link to preconception blog:

Stop All Birth Control

It may sound obvious, and that’s because it is! If you’re ready to become pregnant, then the first thing to do is to STOP using any birth control.

With most birth control methods once you stop using them, you can get pregnant right away! That’s right, you may get pregnant within days or weeks of having an IUD, Implant removed or stopping the pill, patch or ring. That’s because your menstrual cycle start up again immediately. The only exception is for women who use the injections, (Depo-Provera) which may take 12-18 months for a return to fertility

Do I have to wait for 1 – 3 months?

You do not have to wait for the hormones to leave your system because they are cleared from your body within a day or 2. And that means you can become pregnant right away.

Though it may take a few weeks to see a period return, but the process that leads to your period resumes as soon as you stop birth control.

When should I start taking a prenatal vitamin?

If possible start taking a prenatal vitamin with folic acid and DHA in it for 3 months before you start trying to become pregnant. Research shows that women who take folic acid for several months before getting pregnant have a reduced risk of having a baby with a serious neural tube (spinal cord or brain) defect. The risk of this occurring is thankfully very low to begin with, but it’s good to reduce it even further by taking a prenatal vitamin when you’re starting to think about getting pregnant.

How long will it take to become pregnant?

Most of the couples I talk to want to know how long it usually takes for people to become pregnant once they start trying.

On average for couples where the woman is healthy and under 35:

Months of Trying Percentage who will be pregnant

3 months 50-60%
6 months 80%
12 months 85%
36 months 91%

After age 35, fertility rates do decrease slightly, however don’t get discouraged, because it might take a bit longer to get pregnant.

When to see a specialist

If you’re:
35 or younger and you’ve been trying for 1 year
35 – 38 and you’ve been trying for 6 or more months
38 – 40 or older and you’ve been trying for 3 or more months

I hope this information has been helpful. Good luck and remember to take your prenatal vitamin as you prepare for pregnancy.