Does birth control change your period cycle?

Ah, the joys of womanhood. We bleed every month like a stuck pig (fun fact: pigs actually don’t have periods), clutch our heating pads, and pop painkillers like candy – all in the name of procreation. But what if I told you there was a way to mess around with your period cycle using birth control? Sounds tempting, doesn’t it? Let’s dive into this hormonal rabbit hole.

What is birth control?

Before we delve into whether or not birth control changes your period cycle, let’s talk about what exactly birth control is. Ladies and gentlemen (yes, men can use condoms as a form of contraception too), please welcome our guest speaker – Merriam Webster!

According to good ol’ Merriam-Webster, “birth control” means:

Voluntary regulation of the number and spacing of offspring through various actions such as contraception

Basically, anything that prevents unwanted pregnancies falls under the umbrella term “birth control”. This includes but is not limited to pills (progestin-only or combined estrogen/progestin pills), patches (transdermal contraceptives for those who hate pill-popping), injections (Depo-Provera aka ‘the shot’), vaginal rings (not jewelry for down-there bling-blings – think NuvaRing). Oh yeah, we also have diaphragms (tiny discs inserted vaginally before sex) and intrauterine devices (‘IUDs’ that are T-shaped plastic/metallic thingies placed inside your uterus). Phew.

How does it work?

Okay okay okay… so we understand what types of contraception exist out there. But how do these tiny/huge/bizarre contraptions impact our menstrual cycles? Don’t worry friends; Mama Bear’s gotchu covered.

In order to answer this question effectively without getting bogged down in scientific jargon, let’s keep it simple. In non-period speak, hormonal birth control (i.e., the ones that contain synthetic hormones) work by doing one or more of the following:

  • Thickening cervical mucus so sperm can’t reach the egg (sorry little fellas)
  • Preventing ovulation altogether (aka, no eggs to fertilize)
  • Thinning the lining of your uterus to make it less hospitable for any potential fertilized eggs

Shew! That was a lot, but hopefully we’re all on the same page now.

Wait… does this mean I can avoid periods completely?

Newsflash – taking hormone-based birth control is like being part of a secret society where women have access to “period manipulation”. Sign me up!

To answer your question with blunt force though, yes and no. Here are some key factors:

Long-term contraception options

Certain types of hormonal contraceptives – like Depo-Provera or Mirena/ParaGard IUDs – don’t guarantee you’ll stop having periods permanently since they work differently than other forms. However, many people choose these methods because they tend to result in lighter or fewer menstrual cycles over time (although QTY warning: long-lasting post-menopause may lead to issues during intercourse)

Short-term contraception options

Short-term contraception (#onelinerprobs), such as pills/rings/patches do not ensure complete elimination either and require regular upkeep (3 weeks ‘on’, 1 week placebo etc.). Although certain pills are available which are designed specifically for skipping periods entirely – hey presto!

Any side effects?

Nothing ever comes without consequences right? Luckily most side effects can be easily addressed via diet medication or counselling(dependent upon severity). So aside from mood swings and potential weight gain that happens if you forget your gym membership exists what else should you be aware of?

Skipping ovulation

This may affect fertility and can cause a disruption to natural hormonal balancing (it’s not recommended if you are trying for ‘that thing women do with their ovaries’).

Hormonal fluctuations

Good news: Lessening the length of your period is possible via most long-term contraceptives. The bad news? You could experience unpredictable bleeding, increased spotting or similar negative effects when experimenting with different products-types/brands.

Does it change my cycle completely though?

Let’s say you’re already taking birth control – which would mean you already know what time/day to take them etc. Do they change/update/humanify/reboot/significantly alter how my regular menstrual cycle works? Finally… I’m getting there… This depends on various factors:

Type of contraception used

As mentioned earlier, all methods aren’t created equal. A pregnancy-intended injection maker wouldn’t work in such an enjoyable way if merely thinner cream was prescribed. So depending on the type, through consistent useage over-time some types may increase or decrease menstrual symptoms.

Genetics & past cycles

Your medical history will influence any changes caused by beginning medication however – since everyone’s bodies differently interpret synthetic hormone levels versus naturally occurring amounts.Also obviously regularity in usage comes into play here as well)

OKAY I GIVE UP JUST TELL ME HOW IT CHANGES THINGS

Phew! Fine then –finally! Yes; Even after everything we’ve covered thus far, whether/how birth control actually changes menstrual cycles varies so much from person to person that conclusive explanations don’t exist except for very general theories.

For instance –

  • Your pill might make me gain weight but do nothing at all for Sally.
  • The shot could help regulate Emily’s notoriously irregular periods while making Anna bleed constantly.
  • Yet starting/stopping usage has been said by some doctors as potentially equally impactful to the guts and feelings.

Basically, each person’s body is unique and therefore will react differently to hormonal contraceptives. There may be laws of statistics at work, but in reality finding answers that relate directly to you as an individual comes down a lot more on experimenting through types/brands consistently than anything truly conclusive within this realm – some medicines fit better than others just like clothing brands or diets.

Conclusion

So there we have it folks; birth control can “change your period cycle” in ways both vast & subtle without any consistent way despite commonalities (like experiencing actual changes) due realistically simply most likely being too broad of categorizing — yet still worth considering whether one wishes for lessened menstrual symptoms throughout one’s life. Remember: (since books don’t get talked about as much-)Birth Control isn’t foolproof contraception so keep practicing safe sex by wrapping ‘it’ up with a latex barrier for added protection!

Random Posts