Contraception FAQ

As tempting as it is to leap straight from contraception to conception, you may want, or need, to wait. For our reference and knowledge, let's share our experience or knowledge and discuss.

If you are trying to get pregnant, there are some changes you could make to prepare for a new baby. Whichever type of contraception you're stopping, make sure you take more natural food with healthily balanced nutrients as soon as you start trying for a baby.

When should I stop taking the pill?

If you're coming off the combined pill (combined oral contraceptive or COC), it's best to stop taking it when you've finished one complete cycle of pills.

Your period may return in two to four weeks, or it could take up to a few months. You'll be fertile again when you ovulate, two weeks before your period starts.

It's usually recommended that you wait until you’ve had one normal period before you start trying for a baby. This can help in giving you time to be in the best of health.

Don’t worry if you get pregnant immediately after stopping the pill. It won’t harm your pregnancy or your baby. This is also true if you get pregnant while still taking the pill.

When should I stop taking the mini pill?

If you're on the mini-pill (progestogen-only pill or POP) you can stop taking it at any time. It's often recommended that you wait until you have at least one normal period before you start trying for a baby.

There will be no harm to your pregnancy or your baby's health if you get pregnant just after coming off the mini pill. It also won't cause any harm if you get pregnant while you're still taking it.

How soon will I be fertile after my implant is removed?

The progesterone in your implant works by stopping your ovaries from ovulating. It thickens your cervical mucus so that sperm can't swim easily in it. These effects can wear off very quickly. You could become pregnant before you get a normal period.

You need to see a doctor or nurse at your surgery or family planning clinic to have your implant removed. Your doctor or nurse will feel around to locate the implant. Then they'll give you an injection of local anaesthetic, before they remove it.

How long will an injection take to get out of my system?

It depends which injection you've had. Each Depo-Provera injection gives you 12 weeks' contraceptive cover. Each Noristerat injection lasts for eight weeks. Once this time is up, it may take a little while for you to become fertile, particularly if your injection was Depo-Provera.

With Noristerat, you could start to ovulate again around the time that you'd be due for your next injection. You're unlikely to get pregnant immediately, though.

Depo-Provera can take at least several months to clear your system enough for you to ovulate.

There have been concerns that conceiving while the Depo-Provera hormones were still in your system could lead to birth defects and low birth weight. Recent studies have not backed this up. There have been no such concerns with Noristerat.

I’ve been using a coil. Will it affect my fertility?

Your normal fertility will return as soon as you have your coil or intrauterine device (IUD) taken out. To have it removed, make an appointment with your family planning clinic or GP.

You may be concerned that using an IUD may have increased your risk of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). PID can lead to fertility problems if left untreated. It's true that your risk of PID is higher in the few weeks after you've had your IUD fitted.

However, the main risk of PIC is from a pre-existing chlamydia or gonorrhea infection. Before inserting an IUD you will be tested and, if necessary, treated for chlamydia. If your GP thinks there is a chance you may have gonorrhea, you will be tested and treated for this too.

Beyond the first few weeks of having your IUD fitted, your risk of PID is the same as other women not using an IUD. Your risk if PID also depends on your risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection. Past chlamydia infection is associated with blockages to the fallopian tubes causing infertility, not past IUD use.

How long will the contraceptive patch take to get out of my system?

It can take a few months for your normal menstrual cycle to return when you stop using the contraceptive patch. It's probably easiest to stop at the end of a patch cycle. It’s usually recommended that you start trying to conceive after you've had one normal period. If you stop sooner, and get pregnant straight away, no harm will come to your pregnancy or your baby.

I've been using an intrauterine system. Will it affect how soon I conceive?

Your normal fertility will return soon after you've had your intrauterine system (IUS) taken out. If you're younger than 30, you have about a 90 per cent chance of getting pregnant within the year. To have it removed, make an appointment with your family planning clinic or GP. It can be taken out at any time, and you can start trying for a baby straight away.

The IUS is similar to the IUD in that it could increase the risk of an infection from bacteria already in your body. This is more likely in the first few weeks after you've had it inserted.

The main risk to your fertility, however, is from a pre-existing chlamydia or gonorrhea infection. Before inserting an IUS you will be tested and, if necessary, treated for chlamydia. If your GP thinks there is a chance you may have gonorrhea, you will be tested and treated for this too.

After that it's thought that you have lower risk of infection. This is because the progesterone in your system makes your cervical mucus thicker, stopping infections from getting in. Even so, it's best not to take the risk of contracting a sexually-transmitted infection.

Research has found that past chlamydia infection is associated with blockages to the fallopian tubes causing infertility, not past IUS use.

If I conceive while using a spermicide, will it affect my baby?

If you become pregnant while using a spermicide, either with a diaphragm, cap or condom, there's a very slight chance it may affect your baby. There's thought to be a slightly increased risk of your baby having a heart defect.

The heart defect is a hole between the left and right ventricle, which is treatable. However, we don't know for sure if spermicide causes this defect, or whether it is associated with it for another reason.

Can sterilisation be reversed?

Of all forms of contraception, sterilisation is the hardest to reverse. It is possible to have an operation to try to reverse it, but it is rarely available on the NHS. Arranging a reversal privately can be difficult and expensive.

Reversal can be less successful as you get older. How the sterilisation was done, and the method used to reverse it, can also affect the chances of success. If the sterilisation severely damaged your fallopian tubes, a reversal may not be possible at all.

If you had a clip sterilisation then the odds look better, as nine in 10 women become pregnant after a reversal of this method. A reversal is a major operation and will involve staying in hospital.

If your partner has had a vasectomy this can be reversed too. Success rates vary widely. Some men develop sperm allergy after a reversal. Their body produces antibodies that kill their own sperm. Fertility treatments are needed for their partner to conceive.

courtesy : Internet Source and www.babycentre.com