Submitted Question: Is it okay to skip my period with birth control?
Unless if you have any underlying medical conditions, it is generally safe to skip your period with birth control. Plus it is not likely for your doctor to prescribe hormonal birth control if you do have underlying medical conditions.
Most people who skip their periods tend to use birth control pills but you’re also able to do so with the birth control patch and the birth control ring. While some people choose to skip their period with the patch or ring, these birth control options are not FDA approved to be used in this manner.
It’s also important to point out that while you’re on hormonal birth control you’re not actually getting your period. The bleeding that you experience is called “withdrawal bleeding”. This is your body’s response to not absorbing the hormones anymore. Withdrawal bleeding is not necessary, making it safe to skip your placebo pills and start a new pack right away (or use a new patch/ring without waiting a week). Most doctors will recommend that you only skip your period for three to four months and then allow for withdrawal bleeding to take place before skipping it again.
The only risk with skipping or delaying your period is that you may take longer to notice if you end up getting pregnant. There is also the chance of spotting or breakthrough bleeding but this usually only happens in the first three months.
Ways to skip your period:
Birth Control Pills
There are two types of birth control pills: combined pills and progestin-only pills. Combined pills can be used to skip or delay periods (they contain estrogen and progestin – hence “combined”). Progestin-only pills cannot be used to skip or delay periods but people using them tend to have lighter periods and sometimes they stop getting their periods.
Combined pills usually come in a pack of 28: the first 3 weeks are active pills (contain hormones) and the 4th week is placebo pills (do not contain hormones – withdrawal bleeding occurs during this week). If you wish to skip your period after finishing your active pills at the end of the third week, then you can simply start taking the active pills from a new pack of birth control and discard the placebo pills from the previous pack.
Birth Control Patch:
As mentioned previously, the birth control patch is not FDA approved for skipping periods but people still use it in this manner. If you wish to use the patch to skip/delay your period then you can simply apply a new patch after the third week instead of going patch-free. Keep in mind that a patch must be changed every week, so if you’re not going patch-free then you’ll be using four patches in one month. An important thing to note about using the patch to skip or delay periods is that it is recommended to take a one-week break after three months (due to it containing a higher dose of estrogen than the combined pill).
Birth Control Ring:
Like with the patch, the birth control ring is not FDA approved for skipping periods but people still use it in this manner. The NuvaRing has enough hormones to last up to five weeks but your doctor may prescribe to change it after three or four weeks. If you would like to skip your period with the ring, reinsert a new one right after taking the old one out.
Important Note:
Please consult with your birth control prescriber before skipping your periods.
Image by Monika Kozub from Unsplash.
