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. = Show 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 pillsCombination 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:
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:
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:
Cons of birth control pills:
2. The birth control ringThe 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:
Cons of the birth control ring:
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:
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:
Cons of IUDs:
4. The birth control implantThe 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:
Cons of the birth control implant:
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:
Cons of the birth control shot:
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 takeawayStopping 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.
Ashley Laderer is a freelance writer from New York who specializes in health and wellness. Follow her on Twitter @ashladerer Read more Read less Can I take one birth control pill to stop my period?But it's possible to prevent your period with continuous use of monophasic birth control pills — pills with the same hormone dose in the three weeks of active pills. To prevent your period with these pills, don't take the inactive pills and start right away on a new pack.
Will taking 2 birth control pills stop my period?Will taking two birth control pills in one day stop your period? Taking more than the prescribed number of pills in one day is not going to stop your period right away. Depending on how many you take, it may cause you to feel sick, but it's not going to magically make your period disappear.
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