You can begin to measure the day after stopping most hormonal contraception. Please note that it may take some time for your first ovulation or period to occur again, as irregular cycles are common after using hormonal contraception.
If you are discontinuing hormonal contraception/birth control, you may first experience a withdrawal bleed. If you bleed right after quitting your hormonal contraception, meaning within one or two weeks – please log this as 'spotting' in the app as it's not the equivalent to your period, and the two should not be confused.
Until your first ovulation is detected, expect many red days as an NC° Birth Control user and many brown days as an NC° Plan Pregnancy user.
Please note that if you are still using a copper IUD, you may continue to ovulate. You can use Natural Cycles at the same time to detect ovulation and to know when your next period is coming (if applicable). If you are planning to remove your copper IUD, it can be beneficial to start using Natural Cycles in parallel a few months before so that the algorithm has time to get to know your cycle, and consequently giving you fewer red days once the IUD is removed.
IMPORTANT: Do not measure while still using hormonal contraception, as the hormones affect your temperature and cycles. In general, the hormones work to inhibit ovulation and affect your body temperature, making it impossible to combine with Natural Cycles.
Here is some information regarding quitting a few different methods of hormonal birth control and what to expect:
After the pill (combined or mini)
Complete all active pills and start with Natural Cycles the day after stopping.
After the vaginal ring
You can start with Natural Cycles the day after removing the ring.
After hormonal IUD
You can start with Natural Cycles the day after having your IUD removed.
After the contraceptive injection
The depo shot usually is active between 8-13 weeks, depending on which injection you have had. Once the 13 weeks have passed, you can start using Natural Cycles when the effect of the injection has worn off.
After the implant
You can start with Natural Cycles the day after the implant has been removed.
After the patch
You can start using Natural Cycles the day after it has been removed.
Note: a copper IUD does not contain hormones and therefore does not inhibit ovulation. You can use Natural Cycles alongside a copper IUD to get a greater understanding of your body and menstrual cycle without using a barrier method on red days.