--- title: "Getting Pregnant After Stopping Birth Control | Sutter Health" description: "I was on the Depo Provera shot for about two years, then switched to birth control pill. I'm trying to get pregnant but I'm having irregular periods. I think my uterine lining is thin. What else can I do to get pregnant?" url: "/ask-an-expert/answers/getting-pregnant-after-stopping-birth-control-1051061372" --- 1. Home / 2. Getting Pregnant After Stopping Birth Control # Getting Pregnant After Stopping Birth Control * * * Medically reviewed by - Anjali Tate, M.D., FACOG ## Question I was on the Depo Provera shot for about two years, then switched to birth control pill. I'm trying to get pregnant but I'm having irregular periods. I think my uterine lining is thin. What else can I do to get pregnant? ## Answer Both the birth control pill and Depo Provera work by temporarily “turning off” the ovaries. By doing so, the ovaries no longer produce eggs and therefore conception is not possible. A side benefit is that these hormonal contraceptives (Nuvaring and Nexplanon included) thin the lining of the uterus so that women on these contraceptives will have very light to no periods. When a woman goes off a hormonal contraceptive, such as the Depo Provera or birth control pills, it can take up to six months for the ovaries to “wake up”. When this occurs the ovaries begin ovulation again and start producing eggs so that a woman can conceive. She will begin to have regular cycles. Sometimes the body needs more time for the ovaries to start working. It is always helpful to keep a menstrual calendar to find out if there is a pattern to the irregularity. Over-the-counter ovulation kits are useful to determine the fertile windows in order to help with conception. You should also speak to your gynecologist in order to find out if there are any other causes for the irregular cycles that will also prevent conception. Other conditions, such as a low thyroid level, can prevent ovulation, leading to irregular cycles and the inability to conceive. ## Explore related topics PregnancyInfertility ## Related questions View all questions - Health Q&A ### Fertility Problems: Should I Be Tested? I've been trying to conceive for three months now and no luck. Is something wrong with me? - Health Q&A ### Are Birth Plans Necessary? Are birth plans necessary? - Health Q&A ### Avoiding a C-Section Birth Are there ways that I can help avoid a C-section delivery? - Health Q&A ### Bonding with Baby After C-Section After a C-section birth, how long will I have to wait before I can bond with my child (breastfeeding, skin-on-skin contact, holding my baby)? - Health Q&A ### Calcium for Lactose-Intolerant Pregnant Women I don't like and can't tolerate milk and dairy products. How can I add calcium to my diet during pregnancy? View all questions ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/getting-pregnant-after-stopping-birth-control-1051061372#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Getting Pregnant After Stopping Birth Control"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalWebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/getting-pregnant-after-stopping-birth-control-1051061372#medicalwebpage","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/getting-pregnant-after-stopping-birth-control-1051061372","name":"Getting Pregnant After Stopping Birth Control","description":"Both the birth control pill and Depo Provera work by temporarily “turning off” the ovaries.","inLanguage":"en-US","medicalAudience":{"@type":"MedicalAudience","audienceType":"Patient"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/getting-pregnant-after-stopping-birth-control-1051061372#breadcrumblist"},"mainEntity":{"@type":"Question","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/getting-pregnant-after-stopping-birth-control-1051061372#question","name":"Getting Pregnant After Stopping Birth Control","text":"I was on the Depo Provera shot for about two years, then switched to birth control pill. I'm trying to get pregnant but I'm having irregular periods. I think my uterine lining is thin. What else can I do to get pregnant?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/getting-pregnant-after-stopping-birth-control-1051061372#answer","text":"Both the birth control pill and Depo Provera work by temporarily “turning off” the ovaries. By doing so, the ovaries no longer produce eggs and therefore conception is not possible. A side benefit is that these hormonal contraceptives (Nuvaring and Nexplanon included) thin the lining of the uterus so that women on these contraceptives will have very light to no periods. When a woman goes off a hormonal contraceptive, such as the Depo Provera or birth control pills, it can take up to six months for the ovaries to “wake up”. When this occurs the ovaries begin ovulation again and start producing eggs so that a woman can conceive. She will begin to have regular cycles. Sometimes the body needs more time for the ovaries to start working. It is always helpful to keep a menstrual calendar to find out if there is a pattern to the irregularity. Over-the-counter ovulation kits are useful to determine the fertile windows in order to help with conception. You should also speak to your gynecologist in order to find out if there are any other causes for the irregular cycles that will also prevent conception. 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