Pregnancy Planning (cont.)
How soon after stopping birth control can I become pregnant?
There is no evidence that there is increased risk of spontaneous abortion increases if a woman becomes pregnant in the first cycles after stopping oral contraceptive pills.
Intrauterine devices (IUD's) are not harmful to the fetus. Women who get pregnant with an IUD that is still in place do not have higher change of congenital abnormalities in the fetus compared to other women. If the IUD of a woman in her 1st trimester is carefully removed by a doctor, or if it is expelled on its own in the 1st trimester, the chance of spontaneous miscarriage is not increased compared to other women.
When barrier methods such as condoms, diaphragms, cervical caps, and sponges
are used, pregnancy can occur by simply discontinuing their use during a regular
cycle. The same can be said for spermicidal gels and suppositories. For more information about birth control, please read the Birth Control article.
Medroxyprogesterone (Depo-Provera) is an injectable hormone used for
contraception. The contraceptive effect of Depo-Provera may last as long as 18
months after the last injection. Normal menstrual cycles and pregnancy cannot
occur until after the contraceptive effect wears off.
How do we maximize our chances of becoming pregnant?
For most couples, becoming pregnant occurs naturally. Some couples have
difficulty conceiving, and ways to maximize chances of conception become
important. Other parents may want to time the delivery of their babies during
particular times of the year or space the birth of their babies according to a
desired schedule.
The first step in maximizing the chances of conception is by estimating the
time of ovulation. Ovulation is that time of the menstrual cycle wherein the egg
is released from the ovary and travels towards the Fallopian tube. In women with
regular menstrual cycles, ovulation usually occurs 12-14 days prior to the onset
of the next menstrual flow. Simply counting back fourteen days from the expected
date of the onset of next period should be the time of ovulation. The couple
should have intercourse for several days before, day of, and day after the
expected time of ovulation. There is usually some variation in the time of
ovulation even in women with regular cycles, so a few extra days of intercourse
before and after expected ovulation is advised.
If the cycles are irregular and
unpredictable, estimating the time of ovulation becomes difficult, and
professional assistance may be sought. Another option for a woman with irregular
cycles is the use of ovulation predictor kits now available over-the-counter at
most drug and grocery stores. These kits can be used to determine the
approximate time of ovulation by detecting urinary hormone elevations that
precede ovulation. Another approach is to have intercourse every other day
throughout the menstrual cycle. This approach will take out the stress or
anxiety involved in timing intercourse.
Basal body temperature timing is a technique of checking the body temperature every morning and charting the results. If the temperature rises by a certain amount and stays elevated, it can be assumed that ovulation occurred. The problems with this method are that it is tedious and only provides the woman with information about ovulation after it has occurred.
Ultrasound images of the ovaries can be performed to monitor the growth and
collapse of the ovarian follicle during the cycle. The follicle is the fluid-filled structure that surrounds the egg, and it can easily be seen on
ultrasound. This method is probably the most accurate in timing ovulation. It is
also the most expensive and is usually reserved for selected couples who are
experiencing difficulty in becoming pregnant.
It is important to remember that even though intercourse and ovulation
coincide, pregnancy may still not be achieved in any given menstrual cycle or
even after several consecutive menstrual cycles. In many situations, the failure to
conceive after multiple attempts is not a reason for alarm. It is not uncommon
for pregnancy to occur only after several months of consistent attempts. Couples
who have experienced an inability to conceive after several cycles may consider
seeking professional advice to determine if an
infertility evaluation is
necessary.
Next: Can I do something to help my chances of conceiving a
boy or a girl? »
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