Number : Because Of An Abnormal Balance Of Hormones Like Pcos
You may have heard of a condition called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome . This is when the body makes more androgen hormones than it needs, which can cause fluid-filled sacs called cysts to form in the ovaries. These sacs of fluid interfere with ovulation – pretty much they keep the egg from releasing. Women or girls who have PCOS either do not get their period for months on end or have irregular periods.
PCOS is a common reproductive health disorder that affects adolescent girls, and pediatricians often consider it first if they have irregular periods.
Another cause for an abnormal balance of hormones is a thyroid disorder. Your thyroid is a small gland in the shape of a butterfly that sits at the base of the neck. The thyroid produces hormones that can affect menstruation, and if it’s overactive or underactive, that can cause you to miss periods. As you can see, it’s all about those hormone levels.
Can Contraceptive Pills Stop Periods
In order for us to effectively answer this question, there are some things you should know about the pill. There are two types of birth control pills: the combination pill and the progestin-only pill.
As its name implies, the combination pill contains a mix of estrogen and progestin. It primarily works by stopping ovulation from occurring. In other words, it stops your ovaries from releasing an egg. Without an egg for sperm to fertilize, a pregnancy cannot take place.
Most combination pills require you to take three weeks worth of pills containing hormones. The fourth week is typically your placebo week.
The progestin-only pill, as youve likely gathered by now, only contains one hormoneprogestin. Its often called the mini-pill because of its low hormonal dose.
With this in mind, the combination-pill would be your go-to for stopping your period. However, it also comes down to the type of pill youre taking.
If you werent already aware, not all combination pills are the same. There are multiphasic and monophasic pills.
According to Bedsider, multiphasic pills have a mix of hormones which changes from week after week. On the other hand, monophasic pills contain the same mix of hormones each week.
Its possible to control the timing of your period with both a monophasic pill and a multiphasic one. However, skipping periods with multiphasic pills is not as well studied and, according to Refinery 29, may be a little more difficult to use .
The Need For A Balanced Accurate Discussion Of What’s Normal And What’s Healthy
The National Women’s Health Network supports the availability of menstrual suppression products as an option for women. Our concerns about this method lie with the way these products are being marketed to women by manufacturers and health care providers.
Below are some examples of problematic marketing:
- One doctor brought to a media briefing by the makers of Seasonale asserted that using Seasonale could improve high school girls’ test scores because, she said, girls score lower on the SATs when they are menstruating, although she provided no evidence for this claim.
- Several physicians have referred to the experience of women in earlier eras who menstruated less than women today due to more frequent pregnancies and longer periods of amenorrhea associated with breastfeeding to support the claim that women weren’t intended to menstruate as much as they do today. One gynecologist who conducted research on menstrual suppression said “It’s having seven or 10 kids that are natural,” explaining that menstrual suppression “gets women to a more natural state.” It is accurate to say that women menstruate more today than they have at other times, but the assertion that monthly menstruation is unnatural is unfounded.
The NWHN calls for young women to have accurate, comprehensive information about menstrual health.
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When Will My Periods Return After I Stop Taking The Pill
It takes a while for your periods to come back after you stop taking the pill. Most women will have a period around two to four weeks after stopping the pill, but this depends on you and what your cycle is normally like.
Weight, health, stress, exercise and conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome can all influence your cycle of periods.
Your periods may be irregular when you first come off the pill, and you should allow up to three months for your natural menstrual cycle to re-establish itself fully.
This is because the pill contains the hormones that stop ovulation each month.
The first period after stopping the pill is known as a “withdrawal bleed”. The next period after this withdrawal bleed is your first natural period.
It’s unlikely that how long you have been on the pill will cause fertility problems. Some women conceive immediately after they stop taking the pill.
However, while the pill doesn’t cause fertility problems, it can mask underlying problems you may already have, such as irregular periods.
You can get pregnant as soon as you come off the pill, so it’s important to use another form of contraception, such as condoms, straight away.
Find out more about getting pregnant
Hormone Test For The Menopause
There is no test that can absolutely define when the menopause has occurred. Your doctor can arrange a test to measure your levels of a hormone called follicle stimulating hormone . This blood test should be taken on the last day of the pill-free interval.
However, the test is usually only used in women over 50 who are using the progestogen-only pill. It is not a reliable indicator that ovulation has stopped in women using the combined contraceptive pill.
If you are taking the combined contraceptive pill, it does not change the time of your menopause, but you will continue to have period-type bleeds during the seven-day pill-free intervals for as long as you take the pill.
The combined pill can be taken until the menopause if you are healthy and a non-smoker. However, it shouldn’t be taken if you are 35 or over and smoke.
The progestogen-only pill can be taken until the menopause if you are a smoker. As the progestogen-only pill does not contain oestrogen, it will not control or mask any menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes.
Read Also: Do You Still Have A Period With Iud
Difficulty Identifying Accidental Pregnancy
Using birth control to skip or stop periods makes no difference to fertility. You will be protected from pregnancy in the same way as you would be if you had a period on birth control. It is safe and will still protect you from pregnancy.
However, skipping periods may make it difficult to notice if you do happen to become pregnant. If you notice symptoms such as breast tenderness or nausea, take a home pregnancy or consult your healthcare provider.
Can I Stop My Period Early With Birth Control
It is okay to skip your withdrawal bleed on the pill, as long as you do so in a safe manner. However, since there are so many different doses of birth control pills, it is always best to discuss the option of skipping your period with your healthcare provider first to ensure that it is a safe and healthy option.
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What Can I Do Myself
If heavy periods become such a problem that they interfere with your everyday life, then you can try taking things a little easier on those days. Some women find that relaxation techniques or yoga help them feel more relaxed and reduce stress. Getting a lot of exercise can also help.
Women with heavy periods are often advised to change their diet: For instance, certain fatty acids, vitamins or fibers are claimed to help. But making changes to your diet hasnt been proven to reduce heavy menstrual bleeding or the related problems. This is also true for sports, homeopathic products and .
Foods that are rich in iron can help to prevent anemia. Examples include meat, legumes, green leafy vegetables and wholegrain bread.
Reasons Why You May Have A Missed Period On Birth Control
- Reviewed By: Shannon DeVita DNP, FNP-BC, CPNP-PC, Julie Lamonoff, CNM, OBGYN-NP
Is something wrong if you don’t get your period while taking birth control pills? Maybe, but more likely there’s a reasonable cause for it.
We know that it’ll take some convincing, though, because, let’s face it – you’re taking birth control to prevent pregnancy, and this is an important question.
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Number : What’s Normal For A Period On Birth Control
The UK National Health Service says that irregular bleeding, like bleeding between periods, is common when you first start to take hormonal contraception like birth control pills, the patch, or the shot (Depo-Proveraâ¢.
Here are some facts about bleeding irregularities when you take birth control pills:
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Overall, birth control pills should decrease how much you bleed.
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Irregular bleeding is a common side effect during the first 3 to 6 months of taking the pill. It’s so common that 30-50% of women experience it.
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The good news is that irregular bleeding will lessen or go away with time, usually after 3 months, when only 10-30% of women experience unscheduled bleeding.
It may be helpful to describe what bothersome bleeding can look like when you’re on birth control:
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Spotting
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Unscheduled bleeding when you’re bleeding between periods or while taking active pills
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Short periods
Can Other Forms Of Birth Control Shorten Your Period
Yes. In addition to the birth control pill, other forms of hormonal birth control can shorten or help you completely skip your period. These include:
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The hormonal IUD. About 16 percent of women who use the hormonal IUD as a form of birth control stop getting a period after one year, with most women experiencing a shorter and lighter period.
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The injection . Most women who use the Depo-Provera injection stop getting their period after six to 12 months. Just like the hormonal IUD, the injection isnt 100 percent effective at stopping you from getting your period.
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The birth control ring. Like the birth control pill, the hormonal birth control ring can be used to skip your period. Instead of taking your ring out completely, simply replace it with a new ring immediately after removal to delay your period.
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The birth control patch. Skipping your period with the birth control patch is a simple process. Instead of having a patch-free week, simply start your new pack of patches a week early to avoid your period.
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What Happens When You Stop Taking Birth Control
When you go off hormonal birth control, you might feel or notice some changes in your body but those arent side effects as we typically think of them. Rather, your body and reproductive system are transitioning back to their pre-birth control state.
Dr. Jane van Dis, MD, FACOG, OB-GYN and member of our medical advisory board, explains: “If you’re going off birth control, expect that some of those experiences and side effects you had before you went on will come back.” Some of these changes like weight gain or weight loss while on birth control can especially affect your menstrual cycle after stopping.
The post-BC changes youll experience vary from person to person, but heres some of what you might expect after stopping birth control:
1.The adjustment period: For most people who quit taking birth control with estrogen and progestin , your ovaries and menstrual cycle will return to normal within 90 days whatever that looked like for you before starting birth control.
The length of time youve spent on birth control will not affect this 90-day time frame, Dr. van Dis explains, since most of the medications clear from your system in 48 hours.
Finally, you don’t need to do a cleanse after stopping birth control.
5. Mood swings and depression: Since birth control pills can be associated with changes in mood for some people, stopping BC can result in mood swings, and increased or decreased feelings of depression.
How To Delay Or Skip Your Period Using Birth Control
Medically reviewed by
Modern birth control pills dont just prevent you from becoming pregnant they also give you a new level of control over your menstrual cycle.
If you frequently have a heavy, uncomfortable period, using the birth control pill to delay or skip your period can help you avoid discomfort and improve your quality of life.
Below, weve explained the basics of how birth control affects your menstrual cycle, as well as how you can use the birth control pill to delay your period, skip your period or reduce the total number of menstrual cycles you have every year.
Also Check: How To Know You Missed Your Period
How Can Hormones Help
Painkillers like ibuprofen and diclofenac both of which are non-steroidal are often used for the relief of menstrual pain and cramps, and also for heavy periods. In addition to relieving the pain, they may also help to lower the amount of blood lost. Acetylsalicylic acid is not suitable for heavy periods because it has an anti-clotting effect so it can increase the amount of blood lost during menstruation.
The most common side effects of NSAIDs are stomach problems, nausea, vomiting, headaches and drowsiness. The women who took NSAIDs for heavy periods in studies didn’t experience many more side effects than women who took a placebo for comparison.
Another medication that can help in the treatment of heavy periods is tranexamic acid. It affects blood clotting and reduces the tendency to bleed. Studies have shown it to be more effective than NSAIDs. Tranexamic acid may cause headaches, tiredness and muscle cramps. But these side effects are not more common than with NSAIDs.
There is no good-quality research on whether herbal products can relieve heavy periods.
If excessive loss of blood is causing extreme tiredness, iron deficiency anemia is probably the reason. It is normally treated by taking iron tablets. Iron supplements may have side effects such as stomach ache and constipation, and can cause your stool to turn black.
How To Stop Taking Birth Control Pills After Long
Currently, there is no prescribed method on how to stop taking birth control pills after long-term use. You can choose to quit all of a sudden or finish the pack youre currently on.
If you finish the pack, even though it may take a while, your period will occur around the same time it did before. So if youd prefer to return to a more regular period schedule, its best to finish the pack.
After you stop taking birth control, your body needs time to adjust to the new balance of hormones, similarly to when you started taking the pill in the first place. Possible side effects include slight bleeding or spotting, abdominal cramps, and irregular periods for the first few months. Gradually, these symptoms should disappear on their own.
The most important thing to remember once you stop taking birth control is that pregnancy can occur at any time if you remain sexually active. Consider switching to a barrier method of contraception like condoms to prevent unwanted pregnancy.
Track my period
Next, Flo offers an in-depth look at a few of the side effects of going off the birth control pill.
Irregular periods
Unpredictable menstruation is a perfectly normal occurrence after going off the pill because your body requires some time to adjust to hormonal shifts. Such irregularities usually last for a few months but may stick around for up to a full year if you were receiving the birth control shot.
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