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Smear test

Check that your cervical smear tests are up to date before conceiving. If you need treatment for an abnormal smear, this should, ideally, be carried out before you get pregnant.

If you use an intrauterine contraceptive device, or ‘coil’, for contraception then this must be removed before you try to conceive. It is probably best to delay conception until at least the next cycle as the coil may have disturbed the lining of the womb. So, after the doctor has removed the coil, you should use another technique, such as barrier contraception, until you are ready to conceive.

If you use the oral contraceptive pill or an injectable contraceptive, your normal menstrual cycle and ovulation is disrupted. The time from stopping the pill to ovulating is extremely variable. Estimates of the time of ovulation are based on the date when the next natural (not pill-induced) period is expected, so it is impossible to estimate when ovulation will occur after stopping the pill.

If you wish to get pregnant, it is best to stop taking the pill or injectable contraceptive and wait until your normal menstrual cycle resumes before trying to conceive. As this may take about three normal menstrual periods, you might want to use a technique such as barrier contraception until your cycle has stabilized. If you become pregnant before the regular rhythm of your periods has become established, this can make it difficult to predict your delivery date based on your last period. However, a reliable estimate of the stage of the pregnancy can be obtained with an ultrasound scan to measure the size of the developing baby.