How long breakthrough bleeding on the pill

Reducing the number of periods may be recommended if you have heavy or painful periods, or symptoms such as seizures, dizziness, asthma, headaches or mood disturbances that worsen with your menstrual cycle. Skipping periods may also be an option for people with an intellectual or physical disability who find it difficult to manage their periods.

The Pill, also known as the oral contraceptive pill OCP , combined oral contraceptive pill COC or birth-control pill, is a daily medication that contains hormones to change the menstrual pattern and to prevent pregnancy. Most pill packets have 21 hormone pills active pills , and seven sugar pills hormone-free pills. Some newer types of the Pill have 24 hormone pills and four sugar pills. A menstrual period sometimes called a withdrawal bleed if you are on the Pill usually starts a couple of days after taking the sugar pills.

This is a result of the fall in hormone levels. Sugar pills have no active ingredients; they are simply included to help you stay in the habit of taking one pill every day. The Pill is usually taken so that a menstrual period happens every month, copying the pattern of a normal menstrual cycle.

This is called cyclical pill use. Continuous use of the Pill is when the sugar pills in the packet are skipped. This means that your period will also be skipped. If you are not already taking the Pill, it is usually best to start the first month by taking all the pills in the first packet, including the sugar pills. You can expect to get a period this time around.

Following this period, only take the hormone pills and skip the sugar pills. Move straight onto the next packet after you have taken the last hormone pill in a packet. If you are already taking the Pill in the normal cyclical way, you can change to continuous usage by simply skipping the sugar pills when you get to them and moving straight to the hormone pills in the next packet. Sometimes breakthrough bleeding can occur, even though you are taking the Pill continuously. If the light bleeding continues for more than three or four days, or is more like a moderate or heavy period that lasts for more than a day, a four-day break from the Pill is recommended.

This involves taking no pill or taking sugar pills for four days. During this time, you should experience a proper period. Start taking the active pills again after four days. Do not use this technique more than once in any four-week cycle. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.

This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. See more conditions. Request Appointment. Healthy Lifestyle Birth control. Products and services. Is breakthrough bleeding more common with extended-cycle birth control pills, such as Seasonale and others?

Answer From Tatnai Burnett, M. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information. Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Edelman A, et al. Evaluation and management of unscheduled bleeding in women using contraception. This information is designed as an educational aid for the public.

It offers current information and opinions related to women's health. It is not intended as a statement of the standard of care.

It does not explain all of the proper treatments or methods of care. It is not a substitute for the advice of a physician. French is an obstetrician—gynecologist who specializes in family planning. She is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Expert View. Valerie French. It can happen with any type of hormonal birth control.

All these methods work by delivering hormones that prevent pregnancy. Some women are more likely to experience it. Some women can improve breakthrough bleeding on their own.