How to Skip a Period
Ask a gynecologist., Plan ahead., Choose a birth control method., Arrange to fill your prescription early., Understand the drawbacks.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Ask a gynecologist.
Taking birth control is the safest and most effective way to skip a period, and you should never begin a birth control regimen without first consulting a licensed physician.
Tell your gynecologist that you want to skip your period, and ask him or her to recommend the best method for you.
Remember: using birth control does not necessarily mean that you are sexually active.
There are many reasons that you might want to skip a period! -
Step 2: Plan ahead.
Be aware that if you aren't already on a hormonal birth control plan, it may take as long as two to three months for your body to adjust to the new cycle.
You may not be able to skip your cycle for those first few months.
Start your contraceptive regimen at least three months in advance if you want to be absolutely sure that you'll be able to skip your period., You need a hormonal form of birth control – no implants or injections.
A traditional IUD does not release hormones, but one that contains hormones (like Mirena) does.The two standard methods are monophasic birth control pills and the NuvaRing.
Monophasic pills:
The active pills contain the same mix of hormones each week.
Monophasic pills are steady and stable, with less spotting than multiphasic pills, making them better-suited to skipping periods.
To skip a period: simply start a new packet of pills as soon as you finish the last active pill, and skip the seven-day placebo phase.Multiphasic pills:
The mix of hormones in the active pills changes from week to week to account for the various phases of your cycle.
This variability means that you must take the pills in the right order to effectively protect yourself.
Ask your gynecologist about which pills are okay to skip.
NuvaRing:
This is a small, bendable ring that you insert into your vagina for three weeks at a time.
Usually, you remove the ring for one week each month – but you can leave the ring in for this extra fourth week in order to skip your period.
If you put in a new ring immediately at the end of the four weeks, then you can continue to offset your period., Skipping a period with birth control entails continuing to take regular dose of active birth control pills through the usual week-long placebo pill period.
In order to do this, you'll need the next month's batch of pills by the end of the third week of your "birth control cycle," Contact your medical insurance provider to make sure that you can refill your prescription at least a week early.
If your insurance provider won't authorize an early prescription, ask your gynecologist to prescribe your contraceptives in 90-day batches to ensure that you'll always have enough. , Birth control pills are convenient, but they must be taken at the same time every day to be truly effective.
There is a small risk that the NuvaRing will fall out of your vagina, in which case you must rinse it with sanitary water before re-inserting it.Any kind of hormonal birth control may trigger related hormonal fluctuations that affect other aspects of your health.
Remember: you are essentially convincing your body that it is pregnant.There are some birth control pills (continuous birth control, or CBC) that are designed for a period once every four months.Approximately 20 percent of men whose partners use a vaginal ring say that they can feel the ring during sex.
This may be a low risk – but it is something to consider nonetheless.If you decide to use the Nuvaring, keep in mind that you can remove the ring to have sex and then replace it after sex.
Nuvaring remains effective as long as it is not out for more than 48 hours. -
Step 3: Choose a birth control method.
-
Step 4: Arrange to fill your prescription early.
-
Step 5: Understand the drawbacks.
Detailed Guide
Taking birth control is the safest and most effective way to skip a period, and you should never begin a birth control regimen without first consulting a licensed physician.
Tell your gynecologist that you want to skip your period, and ask him or her to recommend the best method for you.
Remember: using birth control does not necessarily mean that you are sexually active.
There are many reasons that you might want to skip a period!
Be aware that if you aren't already on a hormonal birth control plan, it may take as long as two to three months for your body to adjust to the new cycle.
You may not be able to skip your cycle for those first few months.
Start your contraceptive regimen at least three months in advance if you want to be absolutely sure that you'll be able to skip your period., You need a hormonal form of birth control – no implants or injections.
A traditional IUD does not release hormones, but one that contains hormones (like Mirena) does.The two standard methods are monophasic birth control pills and the NuvaRing.
Monophasic pills:
The active pills contain the same mix of hormones each week.
Monophasic pills are steady and stable, with less spotting than multiphasic pills, making them better-suited to skipping periods.
To skip a period: simply start a new packet of pills as soon as you finish the last active pill, and skip the seven-day placebo phase.Multiphasic pills:
The mix of hormones in the active pills changes from week to week to account for the various phases of your cycle.
This variability means that you must take the pills in the right order to effectively protect yourself.
Ask your gynecologist about which pills are okay to skip.
NuvaRing:
This is a small, bendable ring that you insert into your vagina for three weeks at a time.
Usually, you remove the ring for one week each month – but you can leave the ring in for this extra fourth week in order to skip your period.
If you put in a new ring immediately at the end of the four weeks, then you can continue to offset your period., Skipping a period with birth control entails continuing to take regular dose of active birth control pills through the usual week-long placebo pill period.
In order to do this, you'll need the next month's batch of pills by the end of the third week of your "birth control cycle," Contact your medical insurance provider to make sure that you can refill your prescription at least a week early.
If your insurance provider won't authorize an early prescription, ask your gynecologist to prescribe your contraceptives in 90-day batches to ensure that you'll always have enough. , Birth control pills are convenient, but they must be taken at the same time every day to be truly effective.
There is a small risk that the NuvaRing will fall out of your vagina, in which case you must rinse it with sanitary water before re-inserting it.Any kind of hormonal birth control may trigger related hormonal fluctuations that affect other aspects of your health.
Remember: you are essentially convincing your body that it is pregnant.There are some birth control pills (continuous birth control, or CBC) that are designed for a period once every four months.Approximately 20 percent of men whose partners use a vaginal ring say that they can feel the ring during sex.
This may be a low risk – but it is something to consider nonetheless.If you decide to use the Nuvaring, keep in mind that you can remove the ring to have sex and then replace it after sex.
Nuvaring remains effective as long as it is not out for more than 48 hours.
About the Author
Janice Hart
Committed to making lifestyle accessible and understandable for everyone.
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