I've been using regular birth control pills (orthotricyclin) and have been skipping the white (inactive) pills for over 3 months. I've been getting breakthrough bleeding and it hasn't been decreasing. Just this month it has lasted about 2 weeks and the bleeding is not heavy. I've decided to start taking inactive pills again to help regulate the bleeding. Will this put me at risk for pregnancy?
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Delaying periods on bith control pills and controlling breakthrough bleeding
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1 UpVoted this answer
I can understand your desire to delay or reduce the frequency of periods. And your method of skipping active pills has been used in the past, there is even a formulation on the market which is designed to help women have only four periods per year.
Unfortunately, as you have experienced, one common side effect of this method is breakthrough bleeding.
Returning to taking your birth control pills as directed will not put you at increased risk for pregnancy. But of course you will have monthly menstrual cycles again.
The good news is there are other methods that can reduce your bleeding frequency or the amount of bleeding. The iprogesterone-based intrauterine device (IUD) as well as depo provera injectable contraception have both been shown to induce either absence of periods or lighter flow. There are, however, side effects that you should discuss with your gynecologist before deciding on a birth control method.
I wish you the best.
Unfortunately, as you have experienced, one common side effect of this method is breakthrough bleeding.
Returning to taking your birth control pills as directed will not put you at increased risk for pregnancy. But of course you will have monthly menstrual cycles again.
The good news is there are other methods that can reduce your bleeding frequency or the amount of bleeding. The iprogesterone-based intrauterine device (IUD) as well as depo provera injectable contraception have both been shown to induce either absence of periods or lighter flow. There are, however, side effects that you should discuss with your gynecologist before deciding on a birth control method.
I wish you the best.
1 UpVoted this answer
Avoiding periods by skipping the inactive pills usually works for 2-3 months, after that, most patients experience breakthrough bleeding. It does not increase the risk of pregnancy. To correct the cycle, return to taking the pill in the normal way and the periods will recycle in 1-2 months.
No this will not increase your risk for pregnancy. I would like to make a suggestion however. In an effort to avoid breakthrough bleeding by taking continuous OCPs you really should switch to a "monophasic" pill eg OrthCyclen instead of OrthoTricyclen. Additionally when you start out taking continuous OCPs it would probably be better if you started out doing two packs in a row then have a period and gradually work up to three packs in a row, Despite this advice there are some women who will always have breakthrough bleeding when they try to avoid a period. Good luck.