Still Not Pregnant. Why??

My cousin went off birth control, and it took her 2.5 years to get pregnant.... when she talked to her doctor he taught her to track her ovulation, so that she could try during her most fertile times. She got pregnant 3 months after that... I would talk to the doctor. It won't change anything, but you will at least know what's going on. And who knows, maybe you will be able to figure out the best way to get prego! :) Good luck!!!

Unless Dana K is a doctor and didn't mention it, don't listen to her. Women's cycles are incredibly sensitive, and very small hormonal changes can cause a woman to stop and start menstruating/ovulating. After all, pregnancy and breastfeeding can stop you from getting a period for 2-3 years, but we don't say that permanently damages your chances of getting pregnant.

Anyway, don't beat yourself up. And yes, stress can reduce the likelihood of getting pregnant, but that might not be it. If you've been trying for over a year, yes, you should see a doctor. In all likelihood it's nothing and you've just "missed your window" each month, but if it is something else, you want to know earlier rather than later. This isn't something you should be embarrassed about - lots of women try to get pregnant, and lots have even a little bit of difficulty.

Finally, I don't think anyone else suggested ovulation predictor kits. They're super expensive, but work well. The kind where you pee in a cup and dip the strip is much cheaper because it's a little more inconvenient, but you can use them for months.

I totally understand where you're coming from. We tried for a full year before I got pregnant with my daughter, my first. I was also 25. Everyone assumed because I was young we'd be pregnant in a minute. We were just about to start mild medical intervention when I got pregnant on my own. I hope you also have good luck.

One thing I will say is stop thinking and trying to get pregnant and just let it happen. Maybe your stressing yourself out and constantly thinking about getting pregnant. Also, I would definately go and see a doctor, there should be no fear in seeing your doctor, after all your doctor is the one who knows your health history and birth control that you have been on, My friend was on the orthotricyclen pill and when they finally decided to try and have a child, she stopped her birth control and she ended up getting pregnant almost 2 year's later. But everyone's body is different, it just sounds like your trying to hard to get pregnant, this is something you should just enjoy and when it happen's it happen's! Good luck!

You must remember that your body thinks it was pregnant 6 months ago (I mean it was flooded with pregnancy hormones for years, and though you know better, it still relies on hormones). The human body wasn't built to get pregnant again 6 months after giving birth (which is what your body thinks it very likely did) and takes time to get back into the swing of things. It can take up to a year which is why they ask you to wait that long before freaking out.

Start taking prenatal vitamins too, I was almost on the same as you , and I get pregnant after a year but I have a miscarriage and then pregnant again after year and a half ....stop worrie about it your baby will come ....and yes stress doesn't help at all....

When I went off the pill it took almost 2 years before my cycles returned to normal and 2.5 years before we got pregnant (only 18 months of that was *trying*). I had all kinds of tests, as did my husband. Turned out there was nothing wrong and I've gone on to have 3 healthy pregnancies resulting is 3 perfect little girls.

Sometimes our bodies just need time to 'reset'. I would go to the doc to rule out any problems. Wouldn't it be better to know if there WAS a problem? I mean, you're still young and healthy so there's time to fix a problem (if there is one) or pursue other avenues. Good luck :o)

You can use the inexpensive ovulation kits you can buy at walmart or a drugstore to help track your cycles. You can learn how to chart your temperatures and cycles that way, but I think it is confusing. What I did was use a fertility monitor. A new one can cost about $250 and a 3 month supply of test sticks are about $50, but it works and takes the guesswork out of the whole process. You can also find them on ebay or maybe borrow one from a friend that is no longer using it. My husband and I were in our mid to late thirties when we started trying for our family. With my first pregnancy it took about 9 months to get pregnant. We tried some fertility methods like clomid and IUI, but none of them worked. We ended up getting pregnant on our own when we stopped trying so hard. :-)
When we tried to get pregnant for the second time we started after my son was 6 months old because we didn't know how long it would take to get pregnant again. This is when I tried the fertility monitor and we were stunned to find out we were pregnant within 2 months!
One other thing you can try is if you always have sex at night, try having it in the morning or other times of the day. You never know when you will catch those little swimmers at their best! Good luck!
A.

Hey A.,
I would definitely go in for an ob/gyn appointment. There are a variety of different things that could be the issue such as fibroids, cysts, hormone imbalances, improper timing. etc. In fact, you may want to send your husband to get checked as well. He may be contributing to the fertility issues too. :)
As for Seasonique, if it is anything like DeproProvera that may be an issue. We have a friend who was on it for only a year and it took almost three years for her cycle to get even somewhat normal. Definitely as your ob/gyn about that.

Waiting to seek help is fine if you're able to stay relaxed and it's not always on your mind. For most of us, that's not really how it works. If you are stressing out about this, I'd talk with your doctor. Better to have an idea or a path to follow than to wonder if you're headed in the right direction.

The general rule of thumb is under 30, try for a year before seeking help; and over 30, after 6 mos. I was on the pill for 15 years and it took me 6 mos after stopping before we got pregnant the first time. I was 32. I had a miscarriage and long story short, ended up doing in vitro to get my two little boys. Don't worry--you are probably fine. Cutting back on the caffeine & alcohol is great. Have you tried ovulation tests or getting a basal thermometer? Both of these things will help you determine the best time to try to conceive.

It couldn't hurt to talk to your OB/GYN. Knowledge is power--the doctor will proabably do some bloodwork and hopefully you'll get some answers from that and be able to move forward in your quest to start a family. Personally, I found being pro-active and talking to my doctor was more helpful to my psyche than sitting at home worrying about things that I had no idea were true or not. Even if you do end up needing assistance to have children like I did, it is totally worth it!

Good luck!

Best, S.

Anything that would alter your system to the point that you only have 4 cycles a year is going to not healthy and could cause long term damage to your fertility.

I also recommend Taking Charge of Your Fertility, but talk with your doctor. If you've been trying to conceive for a year without success, your doctor should know. We were trying for a year, and I saw my doctor for my yearly exam, not realizing there was a problem. My doctor ordered some tests and I found out I was most likely not ovulating. One round of Clomid later I was pregnant. As for some comments you'll get about just relaxing and letting it happen - unfortunately that's not so easy when you want a baby!

A., I'd definitely say 25 is still young enough to give you a lot of time to get pregnant. It is also the reason why you should not get tensed or worried. Like many have already said, stress and anxiety serve you no purpose, they only damage any chances. So, play it relaxed. :)

Eliminate general stress from both your and your partner's daily lives. Maintain your healthy eating habits and cut-down caffeine and alcohol. Get plenty of fresh air and healthy exercise, both of you (with spring approaching, plan for a nice vacation). And I agree with someone who replied that 'doing it' everyday can also work adversely. 2-3 times a week, where both of you have had a chance to relax and replenish your bodies, might work just fine. Most importantly, do all this WITHOUT always thinking 'Is it working yet? Am I pregnant yet? Are we doing it right'. Dream happy, minus the anxiety.

Sometimes, your body MAY take upto 2 years to regularize ovulation cycles and normal hormonal action, after stopping birth control pills. Do not take any specific medications or drugs which advertise that they can get your pregnant, without first consulting with your doctor. I've heard of many medications gone wrong. Give nature a chance to act on its own.
Also, I've been told that some extra intake of Folic Acid helps in better ovulation and chances of conception, so do ask your doctor if that is the case, and give it a try.

Most importantly, despite all help and advice and suggestions that friends and forums like this can give, the best advice you can get, is indeed from your doctor. So, don't be afraid to get your doctor to give you a general check-up and general advice. :)

All the best to you!

Both of you should try to reduce your use of wireless devices... laptops, cell phones, etc. They impair and reduce your fertility. You can do a search on this... many, many scientific studies back this up:

http://www.radiationtalk.com/info/radiation_fertility.php

You need to see an acupuncturist who is long in practice and preferably well trained in herbs. He'll knock the rest of the birth control out of your system and you will conceive.

When I was TTC I read that birth control takes about six months to get out of your system entirely. I also read that most doctors will want you to try naturally for a year before they will want to test or try something like Clomid.

I would definitely recommend tracking your ovulation. There are many methods you can use to do this.... I would do a couple. Like ovulation test strips. They can be purchased very inexpensively from sites like earlypregnancytests.com. Also keep track of your cervical mucus. (Just make a note on the calendar and see how it matches up with your test strips.)

Also, keep in mind that only roughly 20% of fertilized eggs progress to viable pregnancies. Statistically, there are many many factors that must align to have a successful pregnancy. I know it's frustrating, hand in there and try to enjoy the practice while you can.

Okay, well there are lots of questions that arise...were trying to get pregnant as in having sex every other day, tracking your cycles, etc.? If you have been doing that and your cycles are regular, then I do think it's time to go to the doctor. If you haven't been doing that, then it's probably a good time to start, but I would also start by going to the doctor. Even if there are no underlying problems, your doc can give you good tips and strategies, sadly, it sometimes does take a strategy! ;) I don't necessarily think it's b/c of the pill, but I suppose it's possible.

Are you having your period every month now???

Read the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility". It will help you figure out if and when you are ovulating.

Try taking the herbal "FEMALE CORRECTION". You can get it online at azurestandard.com

If you still don't have luck in a couple months, I would go to the doctor. (Even if it is a naturalpath doctor. At least you will be getting some professional help.)

I also recommend taking charge of your fertility. It is a must read. If after a few months of using the information in there and your not pregnant, I would go to the dr.

Wow. We sound pretty similar however I'm 33 and 6 months pregnant. I only share this with you to show you that it is VERY possible to become pregnant. I was on the birth control for 15+ years. I was off of it for 6 months, nothing happened. I went to the dr and started fertility path. I was checked and so was my husband. It was actually extremely comforting because I was told that we were both able to conceive it was just a matter of getting there. It did take a year. We ended up doing IUI after 2 attempts of 'planned intercourse.' I also went to an acupuncturist throughout the time I was doing fertility. She explained many, many things to me. One of which was after being on the pill for so long I had to give my body time to figure out what to do on its own. In addition, the amount of worry and stress you are under thinking about this has an immense impact on your body. Going to the doctor could have the opposite affect that you are anticipating, if could provide answers that will comfort you.

Please feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Best of luck~
S.

You might try an acupuncturist. My husband is one and had a pretty good success rate with it. Just remember that it doesn't work for everyone, but I would try a cheap alternative as opposed to the expensive ones. I have hear of the birth control going both ways, some people it takes a while for their system to purge it and others get pregnant straight away.