How long should I wait to get pregnant after stopping birth control pills?
Providers used to advise waiting 3 months after stopping pills before trying to get pregnant. This wait improved the ability to accurately date a pregnancy. Now with improved ultrasound dating of pregnancy it is no longer necessary to wait this long. Women may begin attempting conception right after the first normal menses. If breast feeding, how long should a woman wait until having a depo medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA, Depoprovera®) contraceptive shot? “Wait 6 weeks until the first contraceptive shot.” That is what most providers said. There were theoretical questions about the effect of DMPA on the baby and also on the quality and quantity of breast milk. This advice to delay the shot resulted in many women becoming pregnant. The current concept is that the DMPA contraceptive shot can be given before leaving the hospital. Should the DMPA (DepoProvera®) contraceptive injection be started the first time during a menses? Menses ensured the the woman was not pregnant. Now, doctors f
