AboutBrenda Expertise I have been an R.N. since 1988 and come from a family of nurses. I have clinical experience in labor and delivery, as well as post-partum care and pre-term pregnancy complications. I have also worked in Community Health Clinics dealing with this area of expertise, including WIC (Women, Infant, & Children) clinics performing nursing evaluations and assessments in determining a need for services or intervention for pregnant women, newborns, and young children. I have worked in immunization clinics in and around my community as well. I also have several years experience in OB and Pediatric Home Care Nursing. In addition to that, I am a mother of two, ages 21 and 16, both of which I had hoped would be vaginal deliveries, but ended up being C-Sections... one of which had me in pre-term labor...another which was frank breech (bottom first)... one who rejected the breast... and so on... to list my personal experience would be a bit lengthy! I'd simply like to help anyone who might have a question or concern that I can draw on my expertise to answer!
Experience I have been an R.N. since 1988 and come from a family of nurses. I have clinical experience in labor and delivery, as well as post-partum care and pre-term pregnancy complications. I have also worked in Community Health Clinics dealing with this area of expertise, including WIC (Women, Infant, & Children) clinics performing nursing evaluations and assessments in determining a need for services or intervention for pregnant women, newborns, and young children. I have worked in immunization clinics in and around my community as well. I also have several years experience in OB and Pediatric Home Care Nursing. My experience also includes approximately three years working in Behavioral Services.
Education/Credentials Graduated from the Mary Lanning School of Nursing in May 1988. Have been a licensed Registered Nurse in the state of NE since 1988.
Question Hey there. I havnt been on the jab now for 10 months. I have been trying to have a baby but im not getting any periods. Before stopping the depo, i was on it for a year and a half. Can i still get pregnant? Wil i be able to have a concieve a baby this year?
Answer Dear Cassie,
If you have resumed normal, regular menstrual cycles, you should be fertile and able to conceive. The most fertile time of your cycles will be cycle days 10-21 - particularly CDs 11-17. I typically suggest that couples who are actively trying to conceive have sex every other day from CDs 10-22. This allows for any variation in your ovulation day and also gives your partner's body time to build back up his sperm stores.
If you have not returned to regular menstrual cycles, unfortunately conceiving a pregnancy may be more difficult. This can be an effect of Depo Provera use that women don't think much about when they start using it.
The side effects of Depo Provera may linger until the drug is completely gone. After the last shot of Depo Provera, it can take over 6 months for the drug to leave the body. For many women who eventually decide to have a baby, this ends up being a big issue since those effects will often also affect their fertility for several months after the last shot. And, in my experience, the longer Depo is used, the longer it can take for regular menstrual cycles to return to normal. If this is the case for you, I would simply suggest having sex every 2-3 days in order to try to ensure that your chances of having sperm present when you ovulate is high.
I hope this information has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well.
