Can Birth Control Make You Infertile?

Key Points:

• Birth control does not directly cause infertility; stopping its use typically allows your body to return to its natural menstrual cycle.
• Most women can conceive soon after discontinuing birth control, but the time it takes to get pregnant may vary.
• Signs of potential fertility issues after stopping birth control include irregular menstrual cycles and specific physical changes for both men and women.

If you and your partner were waiting for the right time to grow your family, you may have been on some form of hormonal contraception, or birth control. But now you have reached the point in your lives where you want to take that first step towards parenthood or add another child to your family.

Some women fear that taking pills will interfere with future attempts to get pregnant, but actually, that’s not the case.

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Here’s everything you need to know about how birth control can affect your fertility, including whether if birth control pills can make you infertile.

Can Birth Control Make You Infertile?

No, birth control does not cause infertility. Medical evidence confirms that hormonal contraception, including pills, patches, or rings, does not permanently harm your reproductive system or ability to conceive.

The CDC lists various infertility causes, but birth control is not one of them.

Birth control temporarily regulates hormones to prevent ovulation. Once stopped, these hormones quickly leave your system, allowing your natural menstrual cycle and ovulation to typically resume within weeks.

While birth control prevents pregnancy during use, it doesn’t cause lasting damage. If you had irregular periods before contraception, those may return, as birth control often masks pre-existing conditions rather than causing them.

Many women regain fertility and ovulate soon after discontinuing birth control.

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Types of Birth Control and Return to Fertility

While the overarching message is that birth control does not cause infertility, the timeline for the return of your natural fertility after birth control can vary slightly depending on the method used.

Most hormonal contraceptives are designed for their effects to be quickly reversible, but there are nuances:

How Long Does it Take to Get Pregnant After Stopping Birth Control Pills?

For most women, ovulation and menstrual cycles resume very quickly after stopping daily pills.

According to more than 20 studies, 83% of people who stopped contraception got pregnant within the first 12 months.

Many can conceive within the first cycle or a few months, reflecting a rapid return to fertility after birth control pills.

How Soon Can I Get Pregnant After NuvaRing Removal?

Similar to oral pills, the hormones from patches and rings clear your system rapidly once removed. The return to ovulation and normal fertility after birth control patches or rings is typically swift.

How Soon Can I Get Pregnant After IUD Removal?

With both hormonal IUDs (e.g., Mirena, Skyla) and non-hormonal copper IUDs (e.g., Paragard), fertility can return almost immediately after removal.

The copper IUD has no hormonal impact on ovulation, and hormonal IUDs, while locally active, typically don’t suppress systemic ovulation in the same way as the pill, allowing for a quick return to fertility after birth control IUD removal.

How Long After Nexplanon Removal Can I Get Pregnant?

The hormones from a birth control implant (a small rod inserted under the skin) are designed for continuous release.

Once removed, hormones leave your system relatively quickly, and your fertility after birth control implant removal can return within weeks to a few months.

How Long After Stopping Depo Can I Get Pregnant?

Birth control injections can sometimes lead to a more significant delay in the return of fertility after birth control. The hormone in Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate) can suppress ovulation for an extended period.

While it doesn’t cause permanent infertility, it’s not uncommon for it to take 6-12 months, or occasionally longer, for regular ovulation to resume after the last injection.

Regardless of the method, the key takeaway is that the contraceptive effect is temporary, and your body’s natural processes are designed to restart, allowing for the return of your fertility after birth control.

When to See a Doctor (Post-Birth Control)

It’s natural to be eager to conceive, and understanding the return of fertility after birth control can help manage expectations.

While many women get pregnant quickly after stopping contraception, it’s important to know when to seek professional medical advice if conception doesn’t happen as expected.

Remember, birth control does not cause infertility, but it can mask pre-existing conditions that might affect your ability to get pregnant.

You should consider consulting your doctor or a fertility specialist if:

• You are under 35 and have been trying to conceive for 12 months or longer of regular, unprotected intercourse after stopping birth control.
• You are 35 or older and have been trying to conceive for 6 months or longer of regular, unprotected intercourse after stopping birth control.
• Your menstrual cycle does not return to a regular pattern within a few months after stopping birth control, especially if you had regular cycles before starting contraception.
• You experience symptoms of potential underlying fertility issues, such as severe pelvic pain, very irregular periods, or signs of conditions like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) or endometriosis that may have been present but masked by birth control.
• You or your partner have known medical conditions that could impact fertility (e.g., a history of STIs, male factor infertility concerns).

A healthcare professional can assess your overall health, discuss your history, and perform tests to understand the root cause of any difficulties in conceiving, independent of your past birth control use.

Are There Signs of Infertility to Watch For?

The main sign of infertility once you stop taking birth control would be the inability to get pregnant after a year of trying. But there are other symptoms of infertility that you may notice before that point.

For one, if your menstrual cycle is still irregular or hasn’t returned after a few months of stopping birth control, you should contact your doctor or healthcare professional.

If you’re female, hormone changes may cause:

• Lower sex drive
• Skin issues
• Weight gain

If you’re a male you should look out for:

• Pain or swelling in the testicles
• Libido changes
• Difficulty with erection or ejaculation

Remember that you should always consult your OB-GYN or fertility specialist with any concerns about your fertility and any birth control that you take.

Struggling with Infertility? Surrogacy Could Be the Solution You Need

If you’re facing challenges with infertility and exploring all possible options, surrogacy could be a viable path to building your family.

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Interested in learning more about surrogacy and how it can help you? Reach out today to speak with our expert team.

We are here to guide you through every step of the process and help you understand how surrogacy could be the right choice for you.