What happens if you skip your period on the pill

This is very similar to a period, but it's typically a bit shorter and lighter because the hormones used in birth control could stop your uterine lining from building up to the same level. Withdrawal bleeding could still cause discomfort or inconvenience, however, and some may choose to skip it. Whether it's avoiding the physical experience of painful periods, menstrual migraines, or simply avoiding it for an event or vacation. Whatever the reason, know there are ways to skip your withdrawal period altogether.

You also don't need to get a withdrawal period to know if you're pregnant. The most common side effect of skipping your period using combination birth control is breakthrough bleeding. Breakthrough bleeding is spotting that occurs in between your period and is normal for the first 1 to 3 months.

For others, breakthrough bleeding might occur for up to a year. Although breakthrough bleeding is expected, this does not necessarily mean your next period will be heavier, or you will be "backed up.

There are no studies that show skipping your period using birth control means a heavier flow or that you might feel bloated. Bloating may be a side effect of birth control , not missing your period.

Note : Hormonal contraceptives that don't allow you to skip typically reduce your chances of getting a period overall. If you are using the combined pill , aka oral contraceptives you will skip the placebo pills, which you would normally take for your inactive days. When are the placebo pills? For day packs 21 active pills, 7 placebo pills , this is the last 7 days. For day 24 active pills, 4 placebo pills packs, this is the last 4 days.

You'll then start your next pack right away. If you decide to skip your period and use your next pill pack, you may experience breakthrough bleeding, which is normal. What is continuous birth control? If you are regularly looking to skip your period, you may want to get medical advice on extended-cycle birth control also known as continuous use birth control meaning you get a period every 3 months. If you are using a vaginal ring as your birth control method, take a look at whether you are using NuvaRing or Annovera.

With NuvaRing you can switch the old ring out and replace it with a new one. Remember to change your ring on the same day of the week every time. Changing your Annorvera ring works similarly, but ask your health care provider about skipping periods, as it's possible, but not explicitly outlined by Annovera. With the patch , skipping your period is simple.

You will simply skip the patch-free week and put a new one on right away. This means you'll always wear the patch. As mentioned above, if you are on the mini-pill, aka progestin-only, pill it is not possible to skip your period. However only about 1 out of every 2 women taking the mini-pill ovulate and menstrual bleeding could reduce or even stop with the mini-pill.

Although you cannot skip your period with the birth control shot, every 1 out of 2 women that use birth control shots don't have their period.

Unfortunately you can't control your period with a hormonal IUD. However, most women get fewer periods with changes to their menstrual cycle. According to the manufacturers of Mirena , a popular hormonal IUD, about 2 out of 10 women using Mirena stop having their periods after a year. To delay your period, miss out and throw away the dummy pills, and start the active pills in a new packet straight away. You need to take these pills in the correct order to have effective contraception.

Ask your pharmacist, community contraception clinic or GP for more information. Avoid taking more than 2 packs without a break, unless your GP says you can. There's a risk you could experience side effects, such as: feeling sick being sick diarrhoea unexpected vaginal bleeding Progestogen-only contraceptive pill If you're taking a progestogen-only contraceptive pill , you cannot delay your period by taking 2 packets back-to-back.

If you do not take a contraceptive pill See your GP for advice if you want to delay your period and you're not taking the combined contraceptive pill. They might be able to prescribe medication called norethisterone to delay your period.

Your GP will advise you when to take norethisterone and for how long. Your period should arrive 2 to 3 days after you stop taking the medication. You'll need to use another type of contraceptive, such as a condom. How well it works in delaying periods also varies between women. Some women taking norethisterone have reported side effects, such as: breast tenderness nausea headache disturbances in mood and sex drive Switching to, or starting, the combined contraceptive pill If you currently use another type of contraception , switching to the combined contraceptive pill will allow you to delay your period.

You may also be able to start taking the combined pill if you do not already use contraception. Start tracking today.

If you choose to skip your "period" continually, side effects can include breakthrough bleeding. Make sure you know which kind of pill you have—monophasic or multiphasic—before skipping. Skipping your period withdrawal bleeding may also improve other menstruation-associated symptoms, including menstrual headaches , genital irritation, tiredness, and bloating 4.

This withdrawal bleeding is caused by the decline in reproductive hormones in your body during days when you are not receiving any hormones from your pill, patch, or ring 1,2.

Are you using Clue to track your bleeding patterns? Download the app and start today. Medical studies have reported no significant negative health effects when you skip your period on the combined hormonal birth control pill 4. The main side effect of having long bleeding-free stretches is an increase in unpredictable breakthrough bleeding unpredictable mid-cycle bleeding 3,4.

The good news is that the frequency of breakthrough bleeding may decreases over time 4,7, A. Other than increased rates of breakthrough bleeding, taking your birth control pill consecutively, as opposed to having monthly pill-periods, does cause any additional side effects 4,8. If you skip a cycle, the continuous exposure of synthetic hormones will maintain your endometrium at the same suppressed level There are many different combined hormonal birth control pills containing different types of synthetic hormones and doses.

Some pills are monophasic —meaning they have the same dose of hormones in each pill. Other pills are multiphasic —meaning that the number of hormones in the pills changes throughout your pack. Your birth control package will indicate which kind of pill you have. If you are taking a monophasic combined hormonal birth control pill. Once you reach your placebo pills hormone free pills at the end of your pack— these are normally indicated on the package , then simply skip over those and start your new pack the next day as Day 1.