Does Menstrual Suppression Cause Infertility
The short and complete answer is: No.
Assuming birth control and period suppression can cause infertility over time is a common misconception, Prager says.
With almost all contraception theres a relatively immediate return to fertility once someone stops using the contraception. It depends on someones baseline fertility level, she explains.
That means that if you struggled with infertility prior to taking birth control, youll still have the same amount of difficulty after you stop taking it. If you havent struggled with infertility, birth control and stopping your period wont change that.
Some birth control methods, such as the Depo-Provera shot, may cause a delay in returning to fertility that people may need to factor into their baby planning.
That doesnt mean it is decreasing future fertility, it just takes a longer time for it to leave the system. With Depo-Provera, I recommend someone stop six months before they want to try to conceive, Prager says.
How To Keep Your Menstrual Cycle On Track
If you miss your period while on the pill and you havent missed any doses, pregnancy isnt likely. Instead, the hormones in the pill are likely the cause. If you miss a second period and havent missed any doses, pregnancy is still unlikely. At this point though, if youre sexually active, its still worth taking a pregnancy test or calling your doctor.
Your doctor can help you address any other factors that may be at play. After youve pinpointed the cause, you should be able to get your period back on a regular cycle. You may be able to do this in a number of ways:
- Make sure you take time to relieve stress. Try breathing techniques, yoga, restorative walks, and even journaling to get at the root of your stress.
- Eat a healthy diet and work to keep your weight in a normal range. If you suspect you have an eating disorder, tell a friend or your doctor so they can point you to the resources you need to get help.
- Keep up with regular exercise. Your activity level may seem manageable to you, but see if stepping back a bit helps your regular bleeding resume.
So Then Whats The True Identity Of A Period On Birth Control
Get ready for this:
Your period on birth control is kind of fake. Itâs called a âwithdrawal period,â not because your body is shedding the uterine lining but because your body is going through hormone withdrawal. Essentially, the lab-derived hormones that the pill delivers are there to call the shots, and when you take the placebo pills, the active hormones start to exit the premises. The change in hormone levels triggers your body to build up or shed that lining, which results in bleeding or spotting.
Your period on birth control is a withdrawal period meant to mimic your natural one. It is not biologically necessary.
So there you have it. Thatâs why your period on birth control looks and acts so different.
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How Soon Will Your Period Stop Once You Start Using Birth Control
With each kind of birth control comes a different timeline as to when you should expect to see changes in your period. But it all comes down to the individual and whether or not they’re using their birth control correctly, says Dr. Shepherd.
If you use the shot, you may stop after one year. If you use the patch or take the pill, you could technically opt to continue taking birth control and skip your placebo pills or keep applying the patches to stop your period within that month. However, if you have an IUD or take the shot, that could take more time.
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If you’re skipping your period, you’re also not likely to experience monthly PMS symptoms. “Many birth control methods help with these already, so if youre not having your period, they may go away completely,” explains Dr. Shepherd.
Benefits Of Starting Birth Control When Cycle Begins
Traditionally, medical experts recommended starting your birth control at the start of your menstrual cycle. Thats because starting birth control when your period begins, or close to it, has the following benefits:
- Immediate pregnancy protection in most cases.
- Reduced risk of irregular bleeding and breast tenderness, since you are keeping your cycle regular and consistent.
- Confidence you are not already pregnant.
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Are You Looking To Have Periods Less Frequently
If you are looking to limit the number of periods you have during the year, you can get birth control pill prescriptions online. Doing this will save you some time.
The first step in completing the process of getting an online prescription is to consult with a local Alpharetta gynecology clinic, like Roswell OB/GYN or physicians office. During the consultation with an Alpharetta gynecology physician at Roswell OB/GYN, you will want to evaluate your current health and preferences for birth control methods. Once this is complete, you will then be able to get a prescription for a birth control pill brand that works best for you. Women can get birth control pills without having a copay with their health insurance policy.
Some services let you get a birth control pill subscription for only $15 per month. Once you have received your prescription, you will get the pills delivered right to your home for free, so you dont have to visit a pharmacy.
Side Effects Of Hormonal Birth Control
You may experience side effects when using any type of hormonal birth control. These vary a little depending on which type of birth control you are using. Tell your doctor about any side effects that are bothering you.
Although it is rare, hormonal birth control methods, especially those that contain estrogen, increase your risk of developing a blood clot in your leg . Seek medical help immediately if you have trouble breathing, which can happen if a clot moves into your lung . A pulmonary embolism is a medical emergency.
For more information on contraception options, including their advantages and disadvantages, .
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It Can Happen With Any Type Of Hormonal Birth Control
All these methods work by delivering hormones that prevent pregnancy. These methods include
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birth control pills
-
the birth control implant, a small plastic rod thats placed under the skin of the upper arm
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the birth control shot given by a health care professional
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the vaginal ring that women can place and remove on their own
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the skin patch that contains hormones
Does Starting On Birth Control During Your Period Stop Your Flow Immediately
One question experts get asked a lot is: If I start birth control on my period, will it stop? If taken correctly, there isnt one birth control method that is guaranteed to stop your period at all, let alone immediately. There are some cases where birth control can stop heavy bleeding, though, Lucky Sekhon, MD, ob-gyn and endocrinologist at RMA of New York, Flo Medical Expert, and assistant clinical professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, tells SELF, but it must be done under the direction of a doctor.
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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.
Is It Safe To Stop My Period
There isnt really anyone who couldnt safely have menstrual suppression, Prager says.
Naturally not having a period can sometimes be an indicator of a health issue such as in people who have eating disorders, for example but if you intentionally and safely stop your period, it isnt risky, Prager says.
Pragers logic is this: 200 years ago, for example, women tended to have more children and so spent much more of their life pregnant or breastfeeding .
Modern people with uteruses have many more periods than people did then, she explains.
In some cases, using an IUD, shot or other form of birth control may be safer for someone than using birth control pills. While rare, birth control pills can increase stroke risk in some people who smoke and are over age 35, have high blood pressure, get migraines with aura, or have a history of stroke or heart disease.
While menstrual suppression isnt dangerous, initiating hormonal birth control can be uncomfortable at first, depending on how your body reacts to the type of birth control youre using. Some people experience mood changes like anxiety and depression, nausea, breast tenderness, migraines, weight fluctuations or other unpleasant symptoms.
For many people, these symptoms will go away within a few months. But some people may need to try a different form of birth control if their symptoms are too bothersome.
On the plus side, there are also benefits to taking birth control and stopping your period, Prager says.
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What Exactly Is Happening My Body Do I Ovulate On The Contraceptive Pill
No. If you take your pill consistently and correctly, you shouldnât ovulate. This is the primary way the pill prevents pregnancy. In a usual cycle, the bodyâs natural reproductive hormones fluctuate up and down, taking your body through a process of preparing an egg for release, releasing that egg, and preparing your uterus to accept a potentially fertilized egg.
The hormones in the contraceptive pill stop and prevent your ovaries from preparing and releasing eggs. They stop the usual hormonal âcyclingâ, including ovulation, the typical growth of the endometrium, and the natural period.
How Long Does It Last
Breakthrough bleeding related to most types of hormonal birth control usually stops within 3 to 6 months of starting it.
Episodes of bleeding can last longer if youre taking a continuous birth control pill or if you often forget to take your pill.
With the implant, the bleeding pattern you experience in the first 3 months is often a sign of how itll be moving forward.
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Starting After The 5th Day Of Your Cycle
You will not be protected from pregnancy straight away and will need additional contraception until you have taken the pill for 7 days.
If you start the pill after the 5th day of your cycle, make sure you have not put yourself at risk of pregnancy since your last period. If you’re worried you’re pregnant when you start the pill, take a pregnancy test 3 weeks after the last time you had unprotected sex.
Managing Menstruation With Hormonal Contraceptives
Menstruation is a normal part of every young womans life. But as their bodies learn to regulate the hormones that control menstruation, adolescents commonly experience irregular periods, heavy bleeding and painful cramps. It can take several years after a girl’s first period for her body to settle into a pattern of regular menstrual cycles.
Some adolescents miss school or sit out from sports and other activities because of painful periods. While its important to have a doctor check for underlying medical causes, many menstrual difficulties can be managed with hormonal medications that are commonly also used for preventing pregnancy, such as birth control pills, patches and intrauterine devices. These medications and devices regulate the menstrual cycle by introducing hormones into the body at a steady pace.
Hormonal birth control can alleviate a lot of symptoms of PMS and irregular periods,” says Diane Rubin, clinical research coordinator for the PolicyLab at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia . “Many, many young people use birth control for non-contraceptive benefits.
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Do You Need To Seek Treatment
If you continue to experience breakthrough bleeding, speak with your doctor about other ways to stop it. Switching to a lower-dose pill or trying a new method of contraception altogether may help.
Breakthrough bleeding is more likely to occur if you:
- take a continuous dose of hormones to skip your period
- take emergency contraception pills
How Do I Change To A Different Pill
If you want advice about changing your contraceptive pill, you can visit a GP, contraceptive nurse , or sexual health clinic.
You should not have a break between different packs, so you will usually be advised to start the new pill immediately or wait until the day after you take the last of your old pills.
You may also be advised to use alternative methods of contraception during the changeover, as the new pill may take a short time to take effect.
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What To Do If You Take The Combination Pill
Your pack may have seven pills at the end of it that are a different color from the others. These are hormone-free pills that help you stick to the habit of taking a pill every day. The days you take those are when you have your period. You donât need to do anything if you miss these pills, and your risk of getting pregnant wonât go up.
Hereâs what to do if you miss pills with hormones in them.
If youâre late to take a pill or forgot one dayâs pill, take it as soon as you can. Then take the rest of your pills like normal. You may end up taking two pills in one day to stay on schedule. You should use another type of birth control for the next 7 days if you missed a pill during the first week of a new pack.
If you forgot to take two or more pills in a row, take the pill you most recently missed immediately. You should get rid of the other pills you forgot to take. Then you take the rest of your pills like normal. Again, you might take two pills in one day. You need to use another form of birth control until youâve taken your pill every day for 7 days.
If you still have questions about when to take your pill, ask your doctor.
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Quick Read No You Dont Need A Period Period
- Stopping your period is safe having a period isnt necessary for good health.
- Hormonal shots and intrauterine devices are the most effective methods.
- The most common side effect is breakthrough, irregular bleeding or spotting.
- Period suppression does not put someone at risk for infertility, if they want to have kids.
- It also lowers the risk for uterine fibroids and endometrial polyps or cancer.
Most people who have periods can agree: They arent exactly fun.
Research has shown that heavy, painful and otherwise disruptive periods also can have a significant impact on someones life, such as missing more days of work.
The good news? If you have a uterus, you dont need to have a period. There are safe, effective ways to stop getting a period for a little while or a long time. Heres what you need to know.
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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.
What Birth Control Works Best To Suppress My Period
While many types of hormonal birth control could theoretically be used for menstrual suppression, some are more common or reliable than others. Birth control pills and IUDs are some of the most common methods, whereas IUDs and birth control shots are some of the most reliable.
There are several types of birth control pills: combination pills, which include both estrogen and progestin, and progestin-only pills. Among combination pills there are also monophasic and multiphasic. Monophasic means the amount of hormones in each pill is the same, whereas with multiphasic pills, the dose changes throughout the month.
Combination, monophasic pills are the easiest and most effective to use to stop your period. Most pill packets contain three weeks of active pills that have hormones and one week of inactive pills that dont contain hormones. This is designed to mimic someones natural menstrual cycle. If you want to stop your period, you simply dont take the inactive pills and instead go straight to the next set of pills that contain hormones.
Some brands, such as Amethyst, are designed to let you skip your period for a year or more. Others, such as Seasonique, are designed to give you a period only every three months.
Additionally, the contraceptive vaginal ring and transdermal contraceptive patches can both be used to reduce or eliminate periods with about the same effectiveness as pills.
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