Postpartum Contraception

Medically reviewed by: Gladstone R, Brent S, Karol D, Hojabri S, Al-Harbi H, Harris K, Hobson S, Shirreff L

Last updated August 16, 2025

Postpartum Contraception

Fertility After Giving Birth

Predicting the return of fertility after giving birth is difficult and impacted by several factors, including breastfeeding.

Some people will ovulate within 4 to 6 weeks of delivery.
Ovulation returns before your menstrual period. For example, people ovulate and get a period 2 weeks later.

The return of fertility is unpredictable. Your doctor won’t be able to tell you when you are going to ovulate. Therefore, it is important for you to consider using contraception until you are ready to conceive again.

Common Misconceptions Among Postpartum People

I will not be interested in having sex during my postpartum period.

FALSE:

Libido in the postpartum period is variable, and there is no “normal.” After giving birth, libido is impacted by many things, including tissue healing, vaginal dryness related to low estrogen from breastfeeding and new demands of motherhood.

Contraception will negatively impact my ability to breastfeed.

FALSE:

There are several effective contraceptive methods that have no impact on breastfeeding or your baby.

If I am breastfeeding my baby, I don’t need to use birth control.

FALSE:

Breastfeeding is only effective at preventing pregnancy when you feed at least every 4 hours with no formula supplementation, for up to 6 months postpartum, assuming you haven’t gotten your period yet.

Choosing the Right Option for You

Factors to consider when choosing postpartum birth control include:

Hormonal vs. non-hormonal options:

Hormonal birth control comes in many forms (pill, patch, ring, injections, IUD) and may contain both estrogen and progesterone or progesterone alone. Estrogen-containing options may decrease breastmilk supply (see next page).

Reversible vs. permanent options:

Most birth control options are reversible. Reversible options do not delay the return of fertility when stopped. There are permanent forms of contraception for both men and women:

Tubal sterilization (“Tubes tied”) for women
Vasectomy for men

Other Considerations

Cost:

Ranges from $0 to $400
Many birth control options are covered by basic drug plans
Ontario residents with OHIP coverage are eligible for free contraception when aged 25 years or younger

Effectiveness:

85 out of 100 women will get pregnant within one year without contraception
If you are trying to prevent pregnancy in the postpartum period, it is important to have an effective and reliable form of birth control
Methods range from 75% to >99% effectiveness

Route of administration:

Having a newborn is a busy time. Different birth control options require different levels of attention. For example:
- Long-acting reversible contraception like the IUD or the progesterone implant need to be inserted by a health care provider, but typically require no attention after insertion
- Progesterone-only oral contraceptive pills must be taken everyday at the same time to prevent ovulation

If you have questions about what method of contraception is right for you during your postpartum period, you can ask your doctor or midwife. A postpartum visit typically happens 6 weeks after you have had your baby.

You can also find more information from the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) about the post-partum period and birth control here: https://www.pregnancyinfo.ca/postpartum/postpartum/contraception/