Birth Control Pill Associated With Depression
A recent study of over 1 million women showed us that there is an 80% increased relative risk of depression in women who use hormonal birth control, a symptom many women have been suspicious of since the pill was introduced to the public.
There has yet to be an extensive study on the long term effects of continuous birth control use and depression.
If You Just Cant With Your Period Anymore Talk To Your Doctor About The Options At Your Disposal
Dont wait until youre looking to stop your period for a specific window of time, like for a wedding or vacation. Try to give yourself some lead timeif you can give yourself three months, thats better than the month before, Dr. Shirazian says. The longer youre trying methods to stop your period, the more likely they are to give you no bleeding.
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When Should I See My Doctor About Irregular Bleeding
Since every womans body reacts differently to these birth control methods, it can be hard to know when irregular bleeding is abnormal. You should see your doctor if you experience abnormal bleeding:
- And are pregnant
- And have a lot of pain during your period
- After intercourse
- And you have been using the same method of birth control for more than three months
- That is unexpected
- And you are younger than 8 years old or have no other signs of puberty and have vaginal bleeding
You should also see your doctor if you are taking a combined contraceptive pill and your periods have stopped completely during the week of placebo pills, although in many cases this can be normal.
There are treatments available for irregular bleeding that can help, or your doctor may recommend changes to your birth control method.
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What If I Forget To Take One Or More Birth Control Pills
- If you miss 1 active Pill:
- Take the pill as soon as you remember and then continue taking your pills at the usual time each day.
- You may take 2 pills on the same day or even 2 at the same time.
- If you miss 2 or more active pills in a row:
- Take the most recently missed Pill as soon as possible.
- Throw away the other missed pills.
- Continue taking the rest of your pills at the usual time each day.
- You may take 2 pills on the same day .
- If you missed the active pills in the third week or row , throw the inactive pills away and finish taking the active hormone pills.
- Then start a new pack right away.
- If you are sexually active and missed 2 pills, dont have sex or if you do have sex use condoms every time until youve taken active pills for 7 days in a row.
- Talk to your health care provider about whether you should use emergency contraception , especially if you missed pills the first week of your pill pack, or had unprotected sex the past 5 days.
How To Delay Or Skip Your Period Using Birth Control
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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.
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Birth Control Pill Is Nutrient Depleting
Many patients are not informed of the numerous studies showing the nutrient depleting effects of oral contraceptives.
In 2013, the European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Studies called for all women to be on a multivitamin while taking oral contraceptives due to the known nutrient depletions, most notably magnesium, zinc, selenium, folic acid, vitamins B2, B6, B12, vitamin C and E.
Birth control depletes the body of folic acid, which is vital in many metabolic processes and is absolutely essential should you become pregnant. Folic acid is necessary to prevent neural tube defects in a developing fetus. Unfortunately, the critical window for folic acid in development occurs before the majority of women know they are pregnant in just those first few weeks.
Now imagine if you do become pregnant while suppressing your period youve depleted your nutrients, are oblivious to the early signs of pregnancy, and the damage has taken place before you ever realized you were pregnant.
And yes, pregnancy does occur while taking birth control pill.
It is the doctor’s responsibility to provide a true informed consent and guide women in understanding the pros and cons of the medical decision they are faced with. This is the only way in which women can make the best decision for their body and it is their right to know that while the pill may help relieve symptoms, it may also have unwanted side effects with long term consequences.
Other Ways To Skip Your Period
Taking birth control pills arent the only way to skip your period. Other options include the progestin-releasing intrauterine device , progestin injection , progestin implant , and the combination NuvaRing or contraceptive patches.
The Mirena IUD works even better than pills to reduce overall bleeding, Dabney says. Many women on the Mirena IUD either get very light periods or no periods at all.
If you arent sure about the pill, speak with your doctor about your other options. Make sure you speak with your doctor before using a birth control patch to skip your period. Compared to birth controls pills, the patch has a slightly increased risk for blood clotting. However, the patch is the same general formulation as combination pills.
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So Does Birth Control Stop Your Period
When it comes to stopping your period, pregnancy and menopause are two pretty surefire ways to make it happen. But if growing a human is not in your immediate future or youre decades away from hot flashes and mood swings, you might be wondering: Does birth control stop your period?
Well, we have some good and not-so-good news for you. The good news is some forms of birth control, like the hormonal IUD, combo pill, shot, vaginal ring, or implant, might be able to decrease or even stop your period. The less good news is that nothing is ever guaranteed, especially when it comes to reproductive health.
Yes, some birth control methods are more likely to give you a nonexistent or barely-there period over time, but regardless of the birth control type, some people will continue to get their period, no matter what.
Although there is no one form of hormonal contraception that uniformly stops all uterine bleeding for all people, there are several forms of contraception that often cause secondary amenorrhea, when you typically get a monthly period and then stop getting it for at least three months, Allison Walsh, MD, FACOG, an ob-gyn at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis, tells SELF.
With that in mind, SELF asked experts to answer common questions about all of the ways birth control might affect your period.
Your Period Makes You Really Sick
Unfortunately, some women suffer from severe symptoms before and during their periods that render them incapacitated for a number of days each month. Heavy periods that are accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are actually quite common. This is one reason a doctor may prescribe hormonal birth control, which often helps to minimize symptoms.
Your doctor may recommend taking a few packs back-to-back so that youre only getting our period 4-5 times a year.
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Birth Control Pills: General Information
Posted under Health Guides. Updated 8 June 2020.
- There are many different kinds of birth control pills .
- Most types of birth control pills contain two hormones: estrogen and progestin . These are called combined birth control pills.
- Birth control pills are also called oral contraceptive pills , hormone pills, or the Pill.
Birth control pills
Birth control pills are a type of female hormonal birth control method and are very effective at preventing pregnancy. The Pills are small tablets that you swallow each day. Most pills contain two types of synthetic female hormones: estrogen and progestin. These are similar to the estrogen and progesterone normally made by the ovaries. These pills are called combination oral contraceptives, and there are many different kinds.
The hormones in the pills prevent pregnancy by suppressing the pituitary gland, which stops the development and release of the egg in the ovary . The progestin also helps to prevent the sperm from reaching the egg and changes the lining of the uterus.
Another type of pill contains only one hormone and is called either the progestin-only pill, or the mini-Pill. It works by stopping ovulation and by helping to prevent the males sperm from reaching the egg.
Which birth control pill should I take?
First, talk with your health care provider about whether the Pill is right for you. If it is, discuss which pill and what dosage is best for you.
How effective is the Pill at preventing pregnancy?
Does It Mean Im Pregnant If I Dont Get My Menstrual Period While Im On The Pill
Not usually. At times, you may not get your menstrual period while using birth control pills. This can be normal. If you miss one menstrual period and you have not missed any pills, everything is probably fine. Just start a new pack of pills at the usual time. But if you are concerned, or skip 2 periods in a row, youre still probably fine, but check with your health care provider and get a pregnancy test. If you miss any pills and miss your period, keep taking your pills, but see your health care provider for a pregnancy test.
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What Are No Period Birth Control Pills
Combination birth control pills are often the most common way to stop periods.
Thats because the schedule you use to take them can result in fewer periods or no periods at all.
For example, you may continually take a pill containing estrogen and progestin every day until you decide not to.
Or you might take so-called active pills for a few months straight before having a break. During your break, you might take inactive pills that contain no hormones for a week.
Other forms of birth control can have no period effects but theres often less of a guarantee.
Types Of Birth Control Pills
The most common birth control pills are combination pills, which have a mix of estrogen and progestin hormones. Generally, combination pills come in 28-day, 21-day, 90-day, or 365-day packs.
Most pills in a pack are active, which means they contain hormones. Some packs also have inactive pills, which dont contain hormones. These non-hormonal birth control pills are also called placebo pills. Taking the placebo pills will result in withdrawal bleeding .
Today, we can choose between different options, including regimens that are all active pills or a mix of active pills and placebo or non-hormonal birth control pills.
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How To Take Birth Control Pills: A Step
Lets take a more detailed look at how birth control pills work, the different types of pills, and their effectiveness.
Oral contraceptives commonly known as birth control pills or just “the pill” began to be produced in the mid-1900s. Over the last decades, they have revolutionized our sexual health.
Today, people around the world take different birth control pills to prevent pregnancy. These pills can be up to 99.7 percent effective when taken correctly. Thanks to the wide range of contraceptives available today, everyone can choose the type that best fits their lifestyle and budget.
If you’re new to the pill, heres a quick overview of what they can do.
How Do I Take My Pill Continuously
There are a few different ways you can take your Combined Oral Contraceptive pill, depending on your lifestyle and what works best for your body.
Usually, when you take the pill, you take 21 hormone pills, and then 7 inactive non-hormone pills which causes you to get your period.
When you take your pill continuously however, you only take the hormone pills, and you skip the inactive pills, meaning you also skip your period. You can continue to take the hormone pills for as long as you like.
Some people like to take the hormone pills for a few months at a time, and then take the inactive pills to get a period, before going back to the hormone pills.
Its up to you to decide how you want to take your pill.
These videos can help explain how to continuously take your pill.
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Should I Avoid Certain Medications While Taking The Pill
You should always check with your healthcare provider before taking any new medications or herbal supplements. Certain drugs can make the pill less effective and increase your chances of getting pregnant. These products include:
- Antiseizure medications.
- Herbal supplements, such as St. Johns wort.
- Medications used to treat HIV.
What Do I Do If I Missed A Birth Control Pill
The pill works best if you take it every day on schedule, but almost everyone on the pill forgets to take it sometimes. Knowing what to do when you miss a birth control pill is important.
Heres a handy tool to help you figure out what to do if you miss a pill. Youll need to know the brand name of the pill youre on in order to use this tool. You can find the name on your pill pack or by calling your doctor or the drugstore where you got it.
If you cant find out the name of your pill, use a condom anytime you have vaginal sex until you can talk with your nurse or doctor. If youve already had sex in the last 5 days since making a pill mistake, you may want to use emergency contraception.
If youre on Slynd and you miss 1 white hormone pill, take your missed pill as soon as possible, and then take your next pill when you were normally supposed to that might mean taking 2 pills in 1 day. If you miss 2 or more white pills, take the most recent pill you missed as soon as possible, and keep taking 1 pill a day until you finish the pack . If you miss 2 or more white pills and have penis-in-vagina sex within the next 7 days, use a backup method of birth control . If you miss 1 or more green reminder pills, just throw away the green pills you missed and keep taking 1 pill a day until you finish the pack.
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