TTC after years of BC

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-27-2004
TTC after years of BC
8
Fri, 08-27-2004 - 4:47pm
I've been taking BC for about 10 years now...i've taken the pills, depo shot and most recently the patch...i stopped taking it about 6 months now...will all these years of birth control affect the chance of me getting pregnant...i already have a 10 year old daughter.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Fri, 08-27-2004 - 5:13pm
Hi adiaye77, welcome!

After stopping most hormonal contraceptives a return to fertility is nearly immediate in most cases. Depo is the exception, where for some women it might take up to 18 months or perhaps longer to begin cycling naturally again and the length of time you took it is not a determining factor. Since you have been off hormones for 6 months have your periods returned? Let us know how you're doing, ok?

Good luck in TTC!

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-27-2004
Wed, 09-01-2004 - 3:07pm
Thanks Jill, my periods have returned normally. I was taking the depo shot from 1994-1997, the pill from 1997-2003 and the patch from 2003-2004, like i said before i've been off birth control now going on 7 months come Friday...i just want to know how long will it take me to get pregnant...is it a chance i may be sterile? I really want to have another child, but will the years of taking birth control affect that chance.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-16-2004
Wed, 09-01-2004 - 3:41pm
Birth control shouldn't affect your fertility one way or the other, except that the older you get, the less fertile you are just naturally. 7 months isn't really long enough to be thinking you are sterile (altho it seems like forever, huh?). I'd say give it the rest of the year and maybe even a year and a half and then go see a fertility expert. They should be able to test you and your man and tell you if either of you is having problems. But realize that just as it is really easy for some people to get pregnant, others seem to have to work at it a lot harder.

I'm sure Jill will be on here shortly too with her advice....

Good luck with it!!!

Susan

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-27-2004
Wed, 09-01-2004 - 3:49pm
Well thanks for your advice, I'm only 27 and i hope that i can still have more kids, maybe i do need to stop worrying so bad.
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-16-2004
Wed, 09-01-2004 - 4:07pm
At 27, you should still be plenty young enough to concieve. Prime age (from what I've heard) for women is between 21 and 28. After 30, it starts to get a little more difficult. At 35 it tends to become even more difficult. You should be ok - I hope you do get pregnant!!! Good luck!!!

Susan

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-12-2004
Wed, 09-01-2004 - 4:13pm
Hey! I am in the same boat here! I am 29 (30 in Dec 04) and I have a 5yr old DS. Me and new DH (28, 29 in Jan) are ttc #2 for me and #1 for him. I was on the patch for months and months and now off for FIVE months ttc. and nothing. I am glad you are on here and maybe more people will post with their experiences w ttc after the patch. Good ole AF arrived today and I thought maybe this was it as bad as my BBs hurt for the past couple days. nope. My CNM says to keep trying for a whole year before any intervention in concern of that "Inf------" word...

She recommends we BD LESS often... only ONE TIME EVERY OTHER DAY. I guess we are trying too hard? How are you and your DH doing the BD thing? She said the egg lives only 48 hrs while the sperm live 72 hrs, allowing plenty of time for the sperm to get to the egg and having plenty enough of the lil swimmers to penetrate the tough outer covering of the egg. So anyhow, I have to get a grip on the reins on my stallion and tell him to WHOAAAA BIG BOY!! The anticipation of BD after obstaining may just be the ticket!! Maybe she is on to something here! :) GOOD LUCK!!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Wed, 09-01-2004 - 4:33pm
I've been on birth control since I was 18--I'm now 33--I took pills up until I decided to have a baby in 2002...Now I use Mirena IUD....I don't think what you've taken should affect your fertility...It might take your body a while to get used to the difference in hormones....and you might not ovulate for a while....Try getting some ovulation test kits....this website is helpful too....

www.tcoyf.com

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Wed, 09-01-2004 - 5:36pm
After only six months of TTC it is far too soon to be using the S-word! Are you familiar with Toni Weschler's book Taking Charge of Your Fertility? It is a wonderful book about the use of fertility awareness (charting your fertility signs: basal body temperature, cervical position and cervical mucus) to either avoid pregnancy or TTC. Knowing when you are fertile will allow focusing your efforts on those times. I and a lot of other members recommend TCOYF, it is a great resource. Let us know how you're doing, ok?

Good luck,

      Jill