Does the Pill Stop Your Period?

The pill can prevent pregnancy by using synthetic hormones called oestrogen and progesterone. Both hormones are contained in the combined pill, while only progestogen is in the mini pill. These hormones affect your natural hormones and menstrual cycle in the following ways:

Preventing ovulation

The main way that the pill affects your cycle is by stopping ovulation, the part of the cycle when an egg is released, which is necessary for periods (menstruation) to happen.

A rise in the level of a hormone called the ‘luteinising hormone’ (LH) during a normal menstrual cycle is what triggers the release of an egg. The pill stops this surge of LH so therefore no egg is released to be fertilised and cause pregnancy.

Causing withdrawal bleeds

On the combined pill, the withdrawal bleed or ‘period’ during your 7-day break or dummy pill week is not a real period. It’s caused by a drop in hormones as you take a break from the active pills for a week. Ovulation is still prevented during this time, meaning that there is no natural menstrual cycle and no egg has been released.

Yes, the pill can stop your period and affect your menstrual cycle. This is because the pill prevents ovulation, the part of the cycle when an egg is released, which is necessary for a period to happen. Whether or not you will bleed or have periods on the pill depends on factors like your natural hormone levels and which type of pill you take.

The combined pill

On the combined pill, you will normally take your pill (active pills) for 21 days, then have a 7-day break where you don't take a pill or you take ‘dummy pills’ (hormone-free pills). During this break, you should experience bleeding like a menstrual period or what is called a ‘withdrawal bleed’. Some people will not experience any bleeding during their pill break.

The mini pill

The mini pill is taken continuously without a break, so it usually stops you having periods at all, however, some people do experience light bleeding, spotting, or irregular periods on the mini pill.

Does no bleeding mean I’m pregnant?

Not necessarily. Not having a period or any bleeding or spotting on the pill is normal, especially with the mini pill. Both the combined pill and the mini pill are known to reduce or stop bleeding. Also, not everyone will experience period-like bleeding during the 7-day break and missing a ‘period’ or withdrawal bleed on the pill is not usually a reason to be concerned about pregnancy.

Periods, which are actually ' withdrawal bleeds’ on the combined pill during your 7-day break, can be late, irregular, or delayed on purpose. Mini pills can stop or lighten your period, and there is a chance they could delay it.

Withdrawal bleeds on the combined pill is not a true period, instead, it’s caused by the drop in hormones when you don’t take active pills. A late period (withdrawal bleed) may be caused by certain factors, including:

• starting a new pill, especially in the first few months, you may experience delayed periods because your body is still adjusting to the medication
• stress or illness, which may change your bleeding patterns on the pill
• missing an active contraceptive pill, which can sometimes cause breakthrough spotting or bleeding during the month, or it can delay your period during your pill break
• deliberately delaying or skipping your withdrawal bleeds with continuous pill-taking or taking a period delay tablet can delay your bleeds or mean that you don’t bleed

Delaying your period

Some people use the combined pill specifically to delay the ‘withdrawal bleed’ that happens when your hormone levels drop during a break from the active pill. You can use the combined pill to delay this bleed by not taking a 7-day break. This is called continuous pill taking, and you’ll take pill packets back-to-back for as long as you want to delay the bleed, or for as long as you use the pill if you always want to skip the bleed.

Please be aware that we only offer the contraceptive pill to prevent pregnancy and not to delay periods. Instead, you can get period delay treatment, which we can prescribe online.

Yes, both the combined pill and the mini pill can help with heavy or painful periods. One way they do this is by preventing or inhibiting the growth of the womb’s lining. When you have your period, it’s caused by the womb lining shedding, as there is no fertilised egg implanted. As the pill can thin this lining, there’ll be less bleeding, which may also reduce pain, fatigue, and other symptoms.

The pill can also stop your period or make it happen less often. This does not happen for everyone who takes it, but some women find that taking the hormones in the pill continuously stops their periods. Mini pills are more popular for stopping periods in some people and causing irregular but lighter periods in others. Combined pills are popular for helping to regulate periods and make them lighter.

Yes, the pill can stop or help with symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), including:

• bloating
• headaches
• mood swings
• irritability
• feeling sad or anxious
• breast tenderness

These symptoms are caused by changes in your body’s hormones before your period. Contraceptive pills stop ovulation, so you don’t have natural periods on them and, as a result, pills can relieve some of the difficult symptoms caused by periods and PMS.

Yes, it’s possible to take the pill to stop your period. If you are on a combined pill, you can do this by skipping a pill break or by taking a continuous pill where you never have a pill-free break. The mini pill can stop your period, but it doesn’t work for everyone. If you’re not on any kind of pill, it’s possible to stop and delay your period short-term by taking a period delay tablet.

Delaying your period with your regular pill

If you take the combined pill and follow a pill-taking schedule of 21 days of active pills followed by a 7-day break, then it’s safe to miss a period (withdrawal bleed) by skipping the pill break and starting your next packet of active pills straight away. This can be helpful if you have a holiday or special occasion planned and you would prefer not to bleed during it.

If you plan to miss a withdrawal bleed more than twice in a row, or if you haven't been taking your pill for very long, then you should consult your doctor first for further advice. It may be worth asking about switching to a continuous pill-taking schedule, which we discuss in more detail in the following section.

The mini pill is already taken continuously, so you do not have a withdrawal bleed, but you may still have periods or they may stop altogether. The mini pill is not usually used to delay a period, as it would be hard to predict how it would work for you.

Taking the combined pill continuously

Continuous pill taking means taking the combined pill every day, without a 7-day break. You’ll skip the withdrawal bleed each month, which may prevent any bleeding on the pill for you. Some people, no matter whether they take the pill continuously or with a 7-day break, may experience breakthrough bleeding as a side effect. You can take the pill continuously for as long as you want.

A continuous contraceptive pill regimen is safe and effective for most women, with many preferring it. Research shows a higher satisfaction rate with continuous combined contraceptives and also suggests that it may be more effective at improving medical issues associated with menstruation.

If you want your pill to stop you from bleeding as much as possible, then continuous pills may be a good option for you. The progesterone-only pill also stops bleeding altogether for many women.

Period delay tablets

If you are not on any hormonal contraceptive pills but you want to delay or stop your period short-term, perhaps for an event or holiday, then period delay pills may be available to you. We offer:

• generic norethisterone
• Utovlan
• Provera

All of these medications work in a similar way. They contain a synthetic form of the human hormone progesterone, which causes menstruation (periods) to happen each month when levels of the hormone decrease during the cycle. If you keep your progesterone levels high, it’s possible to postpone your period for up to 30 days on one of these medications.

However, these medications may not be right for everyone so a doctor will ask you some questions to check that they would be safe for you to take. They are generally considered to be safe for short-term use in healthy individuals, but they might not be appropriate for everyone, especially those who:

• have a medical history or a high risk of blood clots
• may be pregnant
• have had a heart attack

If you think period delay tablets may be appropriate for you, you can request them from ZAVA quickly and easily. All you need to do is fill in a short health questionnaire for one of our doctors to review.

Yes, there are some alternative contraceptive options to pills that can stop or affect your periods. Contraceptive treatments to stop or suppress menstruation include:

Contraceptive injections

Injections like Depo-Provera are an option for those wanting to avoid bleeding because, with long-term use, these injections have high success rates of stopping menstruation.

Intrauterine devices (IUDs)

IUDs are a popular contraceptive method for those wanting to avoid menstruation. They contain the female hormone levonorgestrel, and they work by releasing it slowly in the womb, which thins the uterine lining. They can be inserted for 3 to 8 years and are effective at stopping periods throughout this timeframe.

Contraceptive implants

The implant is a small rod that is placed under the skin and releases progesterone over 3 to 5 years. It can cause periods (menstruation) to stop but rates are not as high as other options, especially in the first few months. It can also cause irregular bleeding, breakthrough bleeding, and spotting.

The contraceptive patch

The contraceptive patch stops periods, and it can be used continuously to avoid periods (without breaks and withdrawal bleeds) like some combined pills. While it can cause periods to stop in some who use it, breakthrough bleeding and spotting can also occur.

Intravaginal ring

The intravaginal ring can also be used continuously, like some combined pills and the patch. It can stop periods in some individuals. However, it may also cause breakthrough bleeding, and its use is commonly discontinued because of this.