How to safely use birth control to stop periods

Let’s be honest: Menstrual cycles (aka your period) can be tough to go through. The cramps, mood swings, and bleeding can be a lot to deal with for one week out of the month. To avoid these symptoms,, many people choose to skip or stop their periods by using birth control. 

‍

While it might seem scary to intentionally mess with your menstrual cycle, the good news is that skipping your period is completely safe, as there’s no medical need to have a monthly period when you’re on hormonal birth control. This means you can ditch your period if you don’t want to experience it during vacation or a special occasion, or if you simply don’t want to deal with the symptoms. It’s all up to you! (Note that if you are not having periods on a regular basis and are not on hormonal birth control, please reach out to a health care provider to be evaluated.)

‍

If you’re looking for a birth control option to help manage your periods, Hey Jane offers over 100 options, including different types of the pill, patch, ring, and shot, to help you stop your period. Schedule a quick, virtual consultation with one of our expert and compassionate providers to get started. 

‍

Why do people skip their period?

Before we get into how to get rid of your period, let’s discuss why people use birth control to skip their periods.

‍

People may reduce or stop their monthly bleeds for the following reasons:

‍

Which types of birth control can stop your period?

So, can birth control stop your period? Usually! But you want to make sure you pick the right contraceptive option for you to get the job done. Fortunately, several options are designed to reduce or eliminate your periods:

‍

Birth control pills

Birth control pills are a popular choice for stopping periods. These oral contraceptives contain the synthetic hormone progestin and/or estrogen to prevent your ovaries from releasing an egg or attaching to the lining of your uterus. 

‍

There are pills designed to skip your period, or you can simply skip the placebo (sugar pill) week and start a new pack. Below are popular pills designed to skip your period. They usually come in a set of 3 to get you through 3 cycles with 91 tablets. You can choose to start a fresh set to skip your period for another 3 months, or you take the sugar pills for a week and get your period.

‍Jolessa (generic version of Seasonale)

With this medication, you’ll take active pills for 84 days (or 12 weeks) continuously, followed by one week of placebo (sugar) pills. Your period will come during week 13, so you can expect it once every three months.

‍

Amethia, Camrese, and Simpesse (generic versions of Seasonique)

These birth control pills are similar to Jolessa, as you’ll take active pills for 84 days, followed by one week of pills that contain a very low dose of estrogen. By taking low-dose estrogen pills, you can reduce side effects like bleeding and bloating that commonly occur with placebo (sugar) pills.

‍

Each pill has the same dose of progestin (a synthetic form of progesterone), but the estrogen gradually increases—starting with 20 micrograms (mcg), then 25 mcg, and stopping at 30 mcg—at three different times during your monthly treatment timeline.

‍

You’ll take one week of pills containing a low dose of estrogen, and your period will visit during week 13, which is about once every three months.

‍

Amethyst  

This birth control pill contains low doses of progestin and estrogen and is designed to be taken continuously for an entire year. There are no hormone-free interval weeks of inactive or placebo pills—meaning you won’t ever get your period on this birth control. 

‍

Vaginal ring (NuvaRing)

Like birth control pills, using a NuvaRing allows you to skip your period by using it continuously without the hormone-free week. It’s a great long-term birth control option without the daily reminder to take a pill.

‍

Get your birth control delivered fast with Hey Jane. Schedule a free consultation with one of our clinicians to confirm eligibility and start treatment ASAP.

‍

Hormonal IUD (Mirena, Liletta, Kyleena, others)

A hormonal intrauterine device (IUD) is a small, T-shaped birth control device that a health care provider inserts into your uterus. It releases a small dose of progestin, which thins your uterine lining and reduces menstrual bleeding. 

‍

While IUDs are available in various doses, a higher dose of birth control (52 milligrams of levonorgestrel) seems to be more effective at stopping periods altogether. In fact, a study found that one year after the insertion of a high-dose IUD, 20 percent reported having no periods. By year two, 30 to 50 percent of people in the study reported having no periods.

‍

Impact on future pregnancy

If you're worried that skipping your periods will impact your menstrual cycle in the future (including your fertility), don't fret. Using birth control that skips periods doesn't stop the rest of your menstrual cycle, and it doesn't make it harder to get pregnant once you get off these methods of birth control. While it may take a few months for your period to get back on track, birth control doesn’t cause permanent fertility problems. 

‍

Alternative ways to stop your period

Want some other options to stop your period? Check out the ones below:

• Contraceptive patches: The patch—which is available through Hey Jane—is a small, sticky patch you apply directly to your stomach, buttocks, upper back, or upper arm. If you use it without a break between patches (similar to the ring), it can stop your period.
• Depo-Provera injection (aka “the shot”): This shot—which is administered every three months—is another long-term birth control that can help you skip your periods.
• Nexplanon implant: The implant is a low-maintenance way to reduce or stop periods.

‍

Other reasons people take birth controlBirth control has many other uses beyond just stopping periods, such as:

• Relieving premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms: Birth control can help manage period cramps, headaches, and mood swings during your cycle.
• Regulating irregular periods: If your periods are unpredictable, taking birth control can get them on a schedule.
• Acne control: Some birth control can provide skin care benefits by reducing acne breakouts from hormonal imbalances.

‍

Chat with a licensed providerBirth control can be a super helpful tool for stopping or skipping your period. With that being said, we highly recommend consulting with your health care provider to discuss the best options for your health. They can help you pick a contraceptive that addresses your symptoms and lifestyle needs.