Effect of recent or past use of contraception on Fertility

Many women are concerned about how past use of contraception might affect their future fertility. In almost all cases, your fertility is returned to normal within a short time of discontinuing the contraception. Birth control pills prevent pregnancy by stopping the ovulation process. Almost always, birth control pills do not affect your future fertility. That’s especially true if your menstrual periods were normal prior to beginning the pill. However, a few women who stop taking birth control pills experience some diffi culty getting pregnant.

A medical investigation may be a good idea if you have gone off birth control pills and still don’t have normal menstrual periods within six months. Another type of contraception is the Depo-Provera hormone injection, which works by stopping ovulation. One shot is supposed to prevent pregnancy for three months. Unfortunately, many women who want to become pregnant often fi nd that it takes between 6 and 16 months for their menstrual cycle and ovulation process to return to normal