Understanding Delayed Periods After Birth Control - Is Pregnancy Possible?

Question
maybe you can clear this up for me! late august i stopped taking birth control pills after being on them for about 6 months...then started my period...then had sex with my partner on the last day of my period. He wore a condom but I know nothing's 100% effective. I haven't had a period since then....since late august...it is now mid october.......i haven't taken a test yet but i'm wondering before i take the test, could it just be that my body is confused without birth control pills? or am i probably pregnant?

please help...i am so confused. thank you.

Answer
Dear Kelci,

There are many various causes for amenorrhea (absence of periods) - pregnancy being just one. Others can be:
-Hormonal abnormalities, which cause fluctuating levels of the hormones needed to support menstruation
-Emotional or physical stress / Depression
-Rapid weight loss or gain
-Change in diet
-Low body weight
-Obesity
-Frequent or strenuous exercise
-Cysts or tumors in the ovaries
-Thyroid or Pituitary dysfunction
-Certain medications or drug use
-Menopause OR Premature ovarian failure (menopause before age 40)
-Occasionally stopping birth control pills

For you, the stopping of the BCPs is the most likely possibility because you had protected sex on approximately cycle day 5 of that cycle. Your expected fertile window would have been cycle days 11-21. However, because you have missed at least one period, you should test for pregnancy to rule it out. Make sure when you test that you use 1st morning urine to get a concentrated sample for the most accurate results.

The general recommendation is that if you miss three consecutive periods and pregnancy is not the reason, you should see your doctor so that a cause can be determined. More than likely your doctor will do a quantitative blood pregnancy test (serum beta hCG) to make sure that pregnancy is ruled out as an option at that time also. Once you've been examined and evaluated, your doctor may decide to give you a medication to get your cycles "kick started" again.

I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well.

Brenda