Stopped taking birth control, had sex, pregnant?
Question
I stopped taking birth control after my last period. A week before my next period, I had sex twice while off of them, the first time with a condom and the second without (we used the withdrawal method). Now it is time for my cycle, (I’m calculating from the last time I took my last “sugar pill”) and I’m late. What is wrong? Could I be pregnant?Please help….
Answer
Last Updated: July 1, 2013
Coming off oral contraceptives, ovulation can return very quickly, or be delayed, as your body adjusts to the discontinuance of the artificial hormones. Either pregnancy or a delayed ovulation could explain the delay of your menses. A pregnancy test would be appropriate to determine which scenario explains your delayed menses.
The other issue is how to calculate a delayed menses. You are calculating from the date of your last “sugar” pill. A more effective means would be to learn to recognize the signs of fertility. Not only would this eliminate the mystery as to when you are fertile, permitting you to avoid a pregnancy by limiting intercourse to the infertile days,but it will also tell you quite accurately when to expect your next menses. Menstruation follows ovulation by 9-17 days, in a population of women, but usually does not vary more than a day or two for an individual woman. Thus, by learning to identify and interpret your signs of fertility, you can know within a day or two when to expect your period, reducing the anxiety you are now experiencing, in part because you are in the dark as to what your body is doing. An NFP Professional from our website can help you to learn to identify these signs.
The other issue is how to calculate a delayed menses. You are calculating from the date of your last “sugar” pill. A more effective means would be to learn to recognize the signs of fertility. Not only would this eliminate the mystery as to when you are fertile, permitting you to avoid a pregnancy by limiting intercourse to the infertile days,but it will also tell you quite accurately when to expect your next menses. Menstruation follows ovulation by 9-17 days, in a population of women, but usually does not vary more than a day or two for an individual woman. Thus, by learning to identify and interpret your signs of fertility, you can know within a day or two when to expect your period, reducing the anxiety you are now experiencing, in part because you are in the dark as to what your body is doing. An NFP Professional from our website can help you to learn to identify these signs.
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