NFP after quitting hormonal contraception
If you are using hormonal pills or another form of hormonal contraception and wish to discontinue them in favor of natural fertility awareness methods, you may follow the action plan outlined below:
- Finish the current pack of pills before discontinuing use.
- After stopping hormonal contraception, begin daily basal body temperature measurements and observation of cervical mucus.
- Be aware that your first cycle after discontinuation may be atypical. You may observe only less fertile types of mucus or a shortened high-temperature (luteal) phase.
- At the beginning, do not identify the preovulatory infertile phase. If you are avoiding pregnancy, it is recommended to abstain from intercourse until the postovulatory infertile phase has been clearly identified.
- In subsequent cycles, use the same rules for determining infertile days at the beginning of the cycle as those recommended for beginners.
- Determine the postovulatory infertile phase from the evening of the fourth consecutive elevated temperatures following the mucus Peak Day.
- If you are planning to conceive, it is advisable to wait approximately six months, as hormonal contraception may temporarily disrupt the body’s natural hormonal balance.
Physiology of fertility
Maturation of woman
Avoiding conception
Pregnancy planning
Fertility after childbirth
Fertility problems
Premenopause and menopause
You may follow a similar procedure if you have been using an IUD:
- visit a healthcare provider to have the device removed;
- begin daily temperature measurements and cervical mucus observations as soon as possible;
- cervical mucus characteristics may initially appear unusual, but the menstrual cycle usually normalizes within a short time;
- if the IUD contained hormones, follow the same recommendations as after discontinuing hormonal contraceptive pills.
Please note that after stopping hormonal contraception, intercourse should be avoided until natural postovulatory infertility has been clearly established. This initial period should be used for careful observation of your body, with particular attention to changes in cervical mucus. Intercourse during this time may distort mucus observations due to the presence of semen and lead to misinterpretation.
To determine fertile and infertile days, apply the rules recommended for beginners. However, remember that the cycle length observed while using hormonal contraception or a hormone-releasing IUD should not be taken into account, as it does not reflect your natural cycle.