Should you be off birth control for a while before becoming pregnant?

[shelly72]

I was taking oral birth control for several years. I have only recently stopped just this year as I would like to have a baby and feel it is now or never!

Is there a time frame in which it is best to wait after stopping before becoming pregnant for health reasons or anything like that?

[Alice]

I think in most cases, you want to have 2 or 3 cycles without being on birth control just to establish your own hormonal balance. I am not sure if there are any risks with not waiting, I just see this as a common thing to be advised to women trying to conceive.

[healingwaters]

I have read that you should allow a minimum of 3 cycles but some doctors believe it is best to do 6 full cycles without oral contraceptives because you want your own hormone levels to be completely balanced for tracking the health of you and your baby.