Most women use birth control pills at some point in their lives. Many uses to suppress their menstrual cycle and the accompanying secretion of female hormone from the reproductive system. As most women agree to the fact that, getting monthly bleeding during certain situations is very inconvenient. Whether it be due to special wedding function, tropical vacation, or an athletic event, many ladies wish they could skip getting their menses for a month. Using certain birth control pills, to delay monthly bleeding can make this desire a reality. Contraceptive pills are safe and an easy way to miss your monthly period, but you should always seek a doctor’s advice first before using a hormonal birth control pill.
Find out how to use pregnancy pills to shift the date of your menstrual cycle and have a better control over it.
How does it work?
Traditional contraceptive pills contain mainly two hormones, estrogen, and progesterone which regulate the menstrual cycle naturally in a woman’s body. These pills release the two hormones into your body. On sensing that the level of these two hormones is just fine in your body, your brain doesn’t stimulate their release. This prevents the release of an egg, thereby, preventing all possible chances of pregnancy. Pregnancy pills make your vaginal secretions thicker which disable sperms to flow through them, strengthening your chances of not getting pregnant. This way pregnancy pills mimic natural menstrual cycle. A typical pill pack comprises of 28 pills out of which only 21 are active (containing estrogen and progesterone). The other seven pills are inactive. The bleeding that occurs during the week you take the inactive pills is withdrawal bleeding, which only looks like a regular period. If you skip the inactive pills and start a new pack of active pills right away, you won’t have this withdrawal bleeding.
Using Contraceptive Pills to Move the Menstrual Period to a More Convenient Date
Basically, two types of contraceptive pills are available, they are monophasic and multiphasic. Monophasic pills consist of all active pills in a month’s pack while multiphasic pills contain pills with hormonal doses differing by the week. In general, it’s easier and more effective to skip a period when using monophasic pills.
Monophasic pregnancy pills come in two forms:
- 28-day oral contraceptives (OC): If you plan to change your date of period by using these pills then you have to take the active hormonal pills in a pack that is, the first 21 or 24 pills, one pill each day, and when you the reach the end of the procedure then, instead of taking the inactive (placebo pills) from the previous package, begin the next set of active pills.
- 21-day OC pack: These packs come with 21 active hormonal pills. For those who prefer to use them, it is recommended to skip going through the pill-free week and start the next pack of active pills the day after finishing an active pack.
When to take multiphasic birth control pills: When you reach the end of the three weeks of active hormonal pills, take the next month’s third week of pills immediately. Skipping a period using multiphasic contraceptive pills may be more complicated and it may also lead to break-through-bleeding.
Also Read: HEPATITIS: THINK AGAIN
What are the benefits of shifting the date of your period?
Controlling your period can treat or prevent various menstrual symptoms. It might be worth considering if you have:
- A physical or mental disability that makes the use of sanitary napkins or tampons difficult for you
- A condition worsened by menstruation, such as anemia, endometriosis, asthma, epilepsy or migraines
- Bloating, breast tenderness or mood swings a few days prior to your period
- Heavy, painful, frequent, or prolonged periods
Also Read: What do we really know about Contraception?: Unleashing 7 Surprising Facts and Myths.
Is it safe for all women to shift the date of menstruation?
Before starting the use of pregnancy pills for shifting the date of your period, you must consult with your doctor. If you get a green signal then go ahead. However, not all doctors think it’s a good idea to delay menstruation. Even those who support the option may not mention it unless you bring up the topic. If you want to try delaying your period, you may have to take the lead.
Conclusion: Many of you may wish to delay or prepone your periods for many reasons. Try using contraceptive pills to change the length or date of commencement of your menstrual cycle. Many forms of birth control pills use estrogen or progestin hormone for the prevention of ovulation or implantation. These hormones do reduce your menstrual bleeding by affecting the uterine lining which can sometimes lead to some spots.
