Find out how different contraceptives, such as birth control pills, IUDs, and implants, influence fertility and what to expect when you stop using them. This section discusses the time it takes for fertility to return after stopping contraception and how these methods may affect your pregnancy chances. Get insights and tools to help plan your conception after birth control.
When choosing birth control, it’s easy to focus on the method—but how you use it matters just as much. The gap between perfect use (no mistakes) and typical use (real life) can change your odds in a big way. What “perfect” vs “typical” use means Perfect use Taking the pill at the same time daily … Read more
Some contraceptive pairs reduce protection or add risk. If you want to “double up,” choose methods that complement each other—not ones that fight or cancel out. Below are combinations most people should avoid, plus better substitutes. Pairs you shouldn’t mix Don’t mix Why it’s a bad combo Better instead Two external condoms or an external … Read more
Using two methods at the same time can lower pregnancy risk, especially if at least one method protects against user error. The calculator below estimates protection when you combine methods under typical or perfect use. Check your combined protection How the estimate works (plain math) Convert each method’s effectiveness to a failure rate. Example: 95% … Read more
Some pairs of birth control work especially well together. Below are evidence-based combinations that increase pregnancy protection while keeping STI protection in mind. When you want precise numbers for your situation, use our Combined Contraceptive Effectiveness Calculator. How “combined effectiveness” works (in plain English) Each method has a small chance of failure in a given … Read more
Implanon NXT is the etonogestrel contraceptive implant. The product label says to replace it at 3 years. Some studies followed users for longer and found very low pregnancy rates in years four and five. That extended use is off-label in many countries, so decisions should be made with a clinician who knows your situation. What … Read more
Withdrawal can lower pregnancy risk when done perfectly. In real life it fails often. Two findings matter here: pre-ejaculate usually has little or no sperm when there has not been a recent ejaculation, and residual sperm in the urethra seems short-lived and often clears with urination. This is where the informal “5-hour rule” comes from. … Read more