Skipping your period using birth control pills: safety and how to do it
Updated on July 15, 2019
Top things to know:
It’s fine to skip your "period" on the combined hormonal birth control pill
If you choose to skip your "period" continually, side effects can include breakthrough bleeding
Your uterus won’t get “backed up”
Make sure you know which kind of pill you have—monophasic or multiphasic—before skipping
Some people who choose to skip their “periods” using the birth control pill experience a decrease in menstrual cramps and premenstrual symptoms (3). Skipping your period (withdrawal bleeding) may also improve other menstruation-associated symptoms, including menstrual headaches, genital irritation, tiredness, and bloating (4). Also, people who are negatively impacted by monthly blood loss, such as people with anemia or who have bleeding tendency disorders, might also benefit from fewer “periods” (5).
If you are already taking combined hormonal birth control