You don't have to deal with a period if you don't want to — how to safely stop your period with birth control
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- Stopping your period with birth control is safe — in fact, you don't ever have a true period on the pill.
- One of the most effective ways to do this is to skip the placebo pills in your birth control pack.
Do you feel like your period is getting in the way of you living your best life? Maybe you have extremely painful periods, debilitating PMS, or a disability that makes it hard for you to deal with menstruating. Or, maybe you're simply just annoyed by the inconvenience of monthly bleeding. =
Regardless, you don't have to let your period hold you back. It's possible to live a period-free life using birth control to stop your periods. Not to mention, doctors say that this method is safe.
Here are five different birth control methods that can be used for stopping your period.
1. Birth control pills
Combination birth control pills contain both estrogen and progestin (a form of progesterone).
These pills are typically packaged in 28-day packs, where there are three weeks of hormones and then a week of pills that contain no active ingredients. When you're on these placebo pills, you get a period — mimicking the cycle that would occur if someone is naturally ovulating, says Dr. Jonathan Schaffir, an OB-GYN and clinical professor of OB-GYN at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.
However, just because the pills are packaged this way, it doesn't mean you need to use them in this fashion. Schaffir says if you want to stop your period, you can skip the last row of pills and move on to start a new pack right away so there's no break in hormones. By keeping these hormones stable, you prevent bleeding.
There are a few things to keep in mind if you opt for this method:
- It's best to use combination birth control pills instead of a progestin-only pills, since progestin-only pills don't stabilize the lining of the uterus enough to reliably stop periods, says Dr. Kate White, an OB-GYN and associate professor of OB-GYN at Boston University School of Medicine and author of Your Sexual Health.
- It's better to use monophasic pills, which means there is the same dose of hormone in each pill, as opposed to triphasic pills which have three different levels of hormones throughout the pack, says white. Check with your doctor to make sure you're using a monophasic pack.
Additionally, White says there are some forms of birth control pills that are specifically made for continuous dosing, with 84 active pills. After the 84 pills, there is a week of placebo pills. You can choose to take the placebo pills and have a period once every three months, or skip the placebo pills and go straight into the next pack of 84, says White.
Examples of this type of pill are:
- Seasonale
- Seasonique
- Rivelsa
There is also one pill that is truly meant to be taken all year long without breaks, called Amethyst. This birth control does not include any placebo pills.
Pros of birth control pills:
- 91% effective against preventing pregnancy, 99% effective if perfectly used
- Easy to use
- Many options of specific types of pill
- You can discontinue them yourself
Cons of birth control pills:
- You have to remember to take it everyday at the same time
- Not as effective as longer term birth control forms due to human error
- May not be suitable for smokers over the age of 35
- May not be suitable for people with a history of:
- Migraines with aura
- Blood clots
- Stroke
- Heart attack
- Breast cancer
- High blood pressure
- Liver disease
- Diabetes
- May (in rare cases) lead to complications such as:
- Blood clots
- Heart attack
- Liver tumors
- Stroke
2. The birth control ring
The NuvaRing is a type of contraception that's inserted into your vagina. Similar to the combination pill, the ring contains estrogen and progestin, except instead of ingesting orally, the hormones are absorbed into your body through your vaginal walls.
With the traditional use of the NuvaRing, you keep it inserted for three weeks before taking it out for a week-long break, which acts like the placebo row of birth control pills. However, if you want to skip your period with the ring, White says you can take it out after three weeks and then immediately insert a new one without taking a break.
Annovera is a different, newer type of ring which is used yearly instead of monthly. This means you don't have to throw it out every month, but you do still have to take it out once a month and clean it. However, White says there hasn't been as much research surrounding using this ring continuously to skip periods, so it's important to talk to your doctor about how to use it in this way.
Pros of the birth control ring:
- 93% effective at preventing pregnancy
- Easy to use
- You can discontinue it yourself
Cons of the birth control ring:
- Not as effective as longer term birth control forms due to human error
- May cause side effects such as:
- Irregular bleeding or spotting
- Increased vaginal lubrication
- Sore breasts
- Headaches
- Nausea
- May not be suitable for people over the age of 35
- May not be suitable for people with a history of:
- Migraines with aura
- Blood clots
- Stroke
- Heart attack
- Breast cancer
- High blood pressure
- Liver disease
- Diabetes
- May (in rare cases) lead to complications such as:
- Blood clots
- Heart attack
- Liver tumors
- Stroke
3. Hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs)
If you have an IUD, there's a chance that your period will stop, but it isn't guaranteed, Schaffir says. An IUD is a small device that your doctor inserts into your uterus. It contains levonorgestrel, a form of progesterone, which acts locally within the uterus.
Depending on the specific type of IUD, it can be inserted and left in the uterus for three to seven years. The four types of hormonal IUDs are:
- Mirena
- Liletta
- Kyleena
- Skyla
Of these, Mirena and Liletta contain a higher dose of levonorgestrel, which means that they're more likely to stop your period. If you opt for one of these IUDs, you have a 20% chance of having no period after one year of insertion, and a 30%-50% chance of having no period after two years of insertion. If you use Kyleena, you have a 12% chance of having no period after a year, and with Sykla, you have a 6.25% chance after a year.
Pros of IUDs:
- Can last from three to seven years, depending on the type
- Over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy
Cons of IUDs:
- Insertion can be painful
- Must be removed by your doctor
- May cause side effects such as:
- Irregular bleeding
- Acne
- Nausea
- Mood changes
- Weight changes
- May not be suitable for people who:
- Currently have an infection
- Have cervical or uterine cancer
- Have recently had a pelvic infection
- Comes along with small risk of rare complications including:
- The IUD falling out of the uterus
- The IUD migrating through the uterus wall
4. The birth control implant
The birth control implant Nexplanon contains a form of progestin called etonogestrel and is inserted under the skin of your arm, where it can stay for up to three years. The etonogestrel is stored in the implant and is slowly and steadily released over the course of time that it's inserted.
Schaffir says peoples' experiences will vary with the implant, and while some people may stop having periods, many will have irregular breakthrough bleeding. It's estimated that one out of three people with the implant will stop having a period after one year.
Pros of the birth control implant:
- Lasts for up to three years
- Over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy
- Initial insertion is quick and easy
Cons of the birth control implant:
- May cause side effects such as:
- Irregular bleeding
- Acne
- Headaches
- Hair loss
- Nausea
- Loss of libido
- Weight changes
- May not be suitable for people with a history of:
- Blood clots
- Liver disease or tumors
- Undiagnosed irregular bleeding
- Must be removed by your doctor
5. The birth control shot
The birth control shot, Depo-Provera, is another type of progestin-only contraceptive that may or may not stop your periods, depending on the individual, says Schaffir. The shot needs to be administered by a medical professional once every 12 to 14 weeks to keep the hormone levels steady and consistent.
After one year of the birth control shot, you have a 50% to 75% chance of having no periods, and the longer you use the shot, the more likely you are to not have periods anymore.
Pros of the birth control shot:
- 99% effective at preventing pregnancy
- Only four doses necessary a year
Cons of the birth control shot:
- You need to go into your doctor's office to receive the dose
- May cause a delay to fertility after stopping the shot
- May cause side effects such as:
- Bloating
- Headaches
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Weight gain
- Irregular menstrual bleeding
- May not be suitable for people with medical conditions such as:
- Breast cancer
- Liver disease
- History of heart attack or stroke
- Fragile bones
- Hypothalamic amenorrhea
Is stopping your period with birth control safe?
Skipping your periods with birth control is completely safe, says White. In fact, the period that you experience on birth control isn't even a "real" period to begin with.
Using hormonal birth control like the pill in a traditional way will result in what's known as a "withdrawal bleed." This is your uterus bleeding in response to the sudden decrease in hormones during your week of placebo pills, White says.
When you continuously take birth control and hormonal shifts are evened out, you don't ovulate, the lining of the uterus isn't stimulated, and thus no bleeding takes place. "It's not that the blood 'backs up' in your system, or that you're destined to have a mega-period at some point. The uterine lining never builds up, so it's just not there to bleed and have a period," says White.
Keep in mind that with any of these methods, it may take several months or more to experience a stop to your periods while your body adjusts, says Schaffir. Particularly in the beginning, you're likely to experience breakthrough bleeding or spotting, but stick it out for the best results.
These changes to your cycle are reversible once you stop taking birth control, and you will be able to have a normal period in the future if you choose.
Insider's takeaway
Stopping your period with birth control is generally considered to be safe. Methods for stopping your period include birth control pills, the birth control ring, an IUD, the birth control implant, and the birth control shot.
Each method comes along with its own pros and cons, so discuss your choices with your OB-GYN to determine which is right for you.