Dear An: I would concur with your assessment, this is not likely to be ovulatory spotting. This kind of erratic spotting can suggest that regular ovulations have not yet resumed, despite the fact that the birth control hormones should be out of your system.
Fortunately there have been studies looking at both time to resuming periods and time to conception conception after stopping birth control pills (BCPs). Conceptions are easier to document than the exact time when ovulations resume.
Among 187 women using continuous BPCs (Lybrel) for one year, periods resumed most frequently only 32 days after the last BCP was taken. The incidence of spontaneous periods and/or pregnancy was 98.9% within three months of stopping BCPs.
Lybrel is a very low dose BCP. If one is using a higher dose BCP the return of periods MIGHT take longer. Your Microgynon has 30 micrograms of synthetic estrogen; Lybrel has only 20. It can also take longer if you have had a history of missed or irregular periods before starting to use BCPs—although some women with previously normal periods can have a delay in restarting as well. The incidence of no periods for six months after stopping BCPs ("post Pill amenorrhea") is probably less than 1%. Also, delay in return of menses does not seem to be linked to length of usage nor brand of BCP (Huggins, 1990)
Generally, if a woman has not resumed natural flows by six months after stopping BCPs it is time to get follow up with a GYN.
Within 12 months of stopping BCPs, conception rates are the same as untreated women.In women using a very low dose, continuous BCP (Lybrel), the rates of conception were followed after they stopped their Lybrel. It took 57% three months to conceive, 81% twelve months to conceive, and by thirteen months 86% had conceived. (Barnhart, 2009).
This compares favorably to pregnancy rates among the general population where 57% have conceived within three months of trying. By twelve months of unprotected sex 85% of women will have conceived.
Hopefully your spotting will level out and you will resume your prior, normal-for-you pattern of flows. If this does not occur return to your GYN or clinic. Bear in mind that it is also possible to conceive even before your next "real period" arrives if you happen to have intercourse near your first actual ovulation. Best wishes in conceiving when you wish to,
Yours,
Jane