Can You Get Pregnant After Stopping Birth Control for a Month?

Engaging in sexual intercourse after discontinuing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)?

Your girlfriend has been taking Yaz for about a year and a half and plans to stop the medication for a month after her period ends in March.
She finished her last pill on March 24 and had unprotected intercourse with withdrawal on the night of March 25.
Is there a chance of pregnancy? Also, I would like to ask if there are any residual progesterone effects in her body after stopping Yaz, which would prevent pregnancy.
Thank you.

Niming, 30~39 year old female. Ask Date: 2019/03/26

Dr. Cao Guotao reply Obstetrics and Gynecology

Hello, please rest assured that after taking the last pill on March 24 and completing your menstrual period, you should not be pregnant.
Wishing you good health.

Reply Date: 2019/03/26

More Info

When considering the question of whether one can get pregnant after stopping birth control for a month, it is essential to understand how hormonal contraceptives work and the body's response to their cessation.

Hormonal birth control methods, such as the pill (like Yaz, which you mentioned), work primarily by preventing ovulation. They do this by maintaining consistent levels of hormones in the body, which suppresses the natural hormonal fluctuations that lead to ovulation. When a person stops taking the pill, the body begins to readjust to its natural hormonal cycle. This adjustment period can vary significantly from person to person.

In your case, you mentioned that your girlfriend has been on Yaz for about a year and a half and plans to stop taking it after her menstrual cycle in March. After stopping the pill, it is possible for her body to resume ovulation relatively quickly, but this can take time. Some women may ovulate as soon as a few days after stopping the pill, while others may take a few cycles to return to their regular ovulatory patterns.

Regarding your specific situation, you had unprotected intercourse shortly after she stopped taking the pill. While it is true that there may still be some residual hormones in her system immediately after stopping the pill, the likelihood of ovulation occurring soon after cessation can still be significant. If she stopped taking the pill on March 24 and had her last menstrual period, ovulation could potentially occur within a week or two, depending on her individual hormonal response.

The concern about residual progesterone (or any other hormone) affecting the likelihood of pregnancy is valid. However, once the pill is discontinued, the hormonal levels will begin to drop, and the body will start to prepare for ovulation. Therefore, if you had unprotected sex on March 25, there is a possibility that she could become pregnant if she ovulated shortly after stopping the pill.

To summarize, yes, it is possible to get pregnant after stopping birth control for a month, especially if unprotected intercourse occurs around the time of ovulation. If your girlfriend is concerned about the possibility of pregnancy, it may be beneficial for her to take a home pregnancy test if her period is late or to consult with a healthcare provider for further guidance.

In addition, if she is considering trying to conceive, it is generally recommended to wait until her menstrual cycle has returned to a regular pattern, which can help in tracking ovulation and understanding her fertility better. However, many women do conceive shortly after stopping birth control, so it is essential to be aware of this possibility.
If you have further questions or concerns about fertility, contraception, or pregnancy, consulting with a healthcare provider can provide personalized advice and information tailored to your specific situation.

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