Bloody discharge while taking birth control pills

The complex mechanism of the effect of oral contraception on a woman’s hormonal background not only makes changes during the menstrual cycle, but also modifies the usual discharge when taking birth control pills. Starting to take OCs is a responsible step, so women should understand what natural changes to expect.

The principle of the effect of OK on the body

One of the first signs of regulation of a healthy reproductive system is considered to be the characteristics of secretion. Understanding what should happen to discharge under the influence of oral contraceptives will help every woman control what is happening and seek medical help in time if something goes wrong.

Contraceptive pills are divided into 2 types:

• combined oral contraceptives (COCs);
• progesterone contraceptives.

The action of COCs is based on the interaction of synthetic analogues of the two main sex hormones - estrogen and progesterone. The purpose of these drugs is to prevent ovulation. To do this, it is necessary to suppress the production of follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormones by the pituitary gland, as well as reduce the release of releasing hormones by the hypothalamus, aimed at stimulating the secretion of pituitary hormones. As a result of this complex process, the maturation of the follicles is inhibited and the release of the egg from the ovary is prevented. This means that ovulation does not occur.

The second type of contraceptives is more gentle in relation to hormonal levels. Progesterone preparations contain only one type of hormone - gestagen (a synthetic version of progesterone). Contraceptives loosen the endometrial layer and affect the consistency of cervical mucus, making it very thick and viscous, which prevents the penetration of sperm. But due to the weak hormonal effect, ovulation sometimes occurs when using gestagen OCs.

Any contraceptives affect the viscosity of cervical mucus, which provokes the appearance of thick spotting when taking hormonal contraceptives. Their color varies from transparent to white, with a slight yellow tint possible. The color and visual characteristics of the discharge can also be affected by the dose and ratio of estrogen and progesterone in COCs.

The appearance of unusual bloody or brown leucorrhoea also occurs when starting to take medications, when stopping OCs, and also if menstruation continues.

Effect of contraception

Why does my period get delayed after stopping birth control pills?
Medicines help women prevent unwanted pregnancy, so they must be taken strictly on schedule. If you miss even one dose, various problems may arise in the body. This could be an unexpected pregnancy or menstrual irregularity. The drugs include levonorgestrel, which is considered a synthetic analogue of the estrogen hormone. It can disrupt the body's hormonal levels and cause unwanted changes in it. One of these disorders is considered to have a negative impact on a stable menstrual cycle.

When choosing drugs, you need to pay attention to their composition. In the absence or presence of synthetic hormones in them, the following consequences can occur:

• change in the schedule of menstruation: they begin later and are accompanied by heavy discharge;
• sudden change in weight;
• lack of sexual desire.

When the drug is chosen correctly, the female body adapts to it in the first months. After this, the bleeding returns to normal and the 28-day cycle begins.

There are 2 types of effects of contraceptives on the female reproductive system:

• continuous impact on hormonal levels, which prevents the onset of ovulation or causes its delay;
• conditions in the vagina change, making embryo implantation impossible.

Since contraceptives cause a huge number of adverse reactions, you cannot take them at your own discretion or on the advice of a friend. They should not be taken by people with excessive blood clotting, as well as those who have problems with the excretory system. In such cases, you should refuse to take oral contraceptives, and give preference to local methods of protection, such as condoms, ointments and caps.

Let's look at the principle of action of birth control pills in more detail. Their main component is artificially synthesized estrogen hormone in varying dosages. It is this hormone that controls the first phase of the menstrual cycle, when follicle-stimulating substances are released. These substances activate the work of one ovary, as a result of which a follicle is formed on its surface, inside which a ready-made egg is contained.

When the cycle reaches the middle of its period, estrogen is replaced by luteinizing hormone, causing rupture of the follicle and the release of a mature egg, that is, the onset of ovulation. When using oral contraceptives, the concentration of your own estrogen increases, which interferes with the production of follicle-stimulating substance. Under such conditions, ovulation does not occur and the woman cannot become pregnant.

Oral contraception is available in the form of tablets, most often in quantities of 21 pieces. You need to take 1 tablet a day at the same time. When the package runs out, you need to take a week break. At this time, bleeding should begin. You should start drinking the next pack of the drug exactly after 7 days, regardless of whether the critical days are still lasting or not. When the body adapts to the new hormonal background, the cycle length should become exactly 28 days.

Contraception can not only cancel and shift ovulation, but also change the quality of cervical mucus, which can change its properties throughout the menstrual cycle. Its volume increases greatly before ovulation, and at this time it becomes transparent and more viscous, which ensures better transportation of sperm through the cervix into its cavity.

The concentration of the active substance in birth control pills also plays an important role. If the dosage is excessive, a woman may experience side effects such as dizziness, weight gain and mood swings. In order not to harm the body, contraceptives should be prescribed by a doctor, based on existing contraindications and the general health of the woman. Also, you cannot change the prescription yourself, since a delay in menstruation is possible after stopping birth control pills.

To cause less damage to the body and not cause irreparable disruption of the cycle, uncontrolled weight gain or lack of desire, preference should be given to contraceptives with a low content of synthetic hormones. These could be drugs Janine, Yarina, etc. You should take this type of birth control pill according to the plan for 3 weeks, then take a week break.

Emergency contraception is used to immediately influence hormonal levels. An example of such tablets is Postinor. This drug should not be used more than once per menstrual cycle. It is also contraindicated for girls under 16 years of age. Since Postinor contains potent components, it can only be used in the most emergency situations.

Dosage and phases of taking OK

Since birth control is based on hormones and can influence the nature of cervical mucus, it is logical to conclude that the degree of change will depend on two main factors - the dosage and regimen of the drug.

Progestin-only contraceptives (mini-pills) are produced only with microdoses of progesterone. This is why the changes occur smoothly and the nature of the discharge gradually takes on a thicker and mucous appearance.

COC dosages are divided based on the estrogen content of the tablets:

• high-dose (containing 50 mcg of estrogen);
• low-dose (30 mcg estrogen);
• microdosed (from 15 to 20 mcg of hormone).

Methods of taking COCs are divided into 2 main types:

• monophasic - with an equal ratio of estrogen and progesterone;
• multiphase - with two or three combinations of hormones.

Depending on the dosage and concentration of hormones in the tablets, contraceptives have different effects on the body.

When taken monophasically, there is a more dramatic interference in a woman’s hormonal system, causing the body to experience more stress. Multiphasic application mimics the natural fluctuations in hormones that occur throughout the menstrual cycle.

The dosage must also be adjusted during concurrent treatment with certain types of antibiotics, antiepileptic drugs and barbiturates. The listed drugs can cause bleeding when taking birth control pills.

How menstruation can behave

Even if your periods were clockwork before you started using contraception, it may take several months for your period to even out after you stop taking the pill. And if irregular periods were the norm for you in the past, this problem is likely to return. The reliable schedule you enjoyed was only the result of hormone pills.

If your periods stop altogether, it may take several months for them to return. Gynecologists recommend allowing the body to recover on its own for 3 months after stopping birth control pills. If your periods are absent or remain irregular after this period, consult your doctor to find out the cause.

Many women think it takes a long time to conceive after they stop taking the pill, but studies show they are about as likely to get pregnant almost immediately as women who used barrier methods (such as condoms). Up to 96% of women taking birth control pills become pregnant within a year. If a delay in menstruation causes concern and suspicion in a woman, it is recommended:

• take a blood test for hCG in the clinic (determines pregnancy already on the 6-8th day after fertilization of the egg);
• take a home pregnancy test (it will help detect pregnancy only at 3-4 weeks).

Unidox for acne

Ovarian inflammation symptoms

Long-term use of contraceptives teaches a woman’s body to exist according to an artificial scheme. In it, the reproductive function is in a sleepy state, and the ovaries are not able to produce the required amount of hormones. In such a situation, you should not be surprised by the delay. The body will need some time to fully recover.

And for some women, after taking contraceptives, the delay continues for more than a year. In advanced cases, hormonal imbalance becomes chronic, and only a doctor can prescribe adequate treatment. Most often, you have to return to hormonal therapy, and the gynecologist can artificially induce menstruation. In such a situation, a woman needs to prepare for quite a long treatment to restore reproductive function.

Contraceptive drugs in any case cause a delay in menstruation. Whether it is a slight delay in monthly bleeding or a long period of absence, women are advised to listen to their feelings and adhere to the rules of discontinuation of contraceptives. This will help prevent the development of complications in the future, and not blame yourself for futile attempts to get pregnant.

Women who first start using birth control pills as contraception are immediately interested in the question of how many days later their periods will begin and how long they will last. As practice shows, women who started taking daily contraceptive medications in the first 3-6 months, when the body gets used to it, may have a delay or absence of menstruation, and may also experience intermenstrual spotting.

With this method of contraception, as soon as the package of pills ends, your period comes; normally, it should begin after 21 days. If scanty periods occur earlier, it means that the estrogen content in the drug is insufficient, and it should be replaced with a stronger one.

After discontinuation of OCs, the female body also adapts to changes in a new way. It may take several months for the cycle to fully recover, but your periods may be delayed or they may become heavier and last longer than usual. If you have not had your period for a very long time, the cause may be excessive suppression of the hormonal function of the ovaries.

When taking OCs, menstruation may occur earlier than expected; such discharge is breakthrough bleeding, which is caused by incorrect selection of the dosage of the drug.

If, after stopping the OC, critical days do not begin for six months, this can be considered a variant of the norm, but if this period has passed and they are all gone, you should seek help from a doctor. There are several reasons for a prolonged absence of menstruation after abrupt discontinuation of OCs, and all of them require mandatory medical care:

• decreased thyroid function;
• insufficient ovarian function;
• systemic diseases;
• age over 40 years.

If a year has passed since stopping the OC, and your periods have not yet begun, the cause may also be improper use of drugs:

• continuous use of the drug for more than 2 years;
• frequent changes of medications for no apparent reason and self-prescription of OCs;
• violation of instructions for use.

In order to avoid long delays in menstruation after stopping OCs and to quickly restore the cycle, doctors recommend taking three-month breaks in taking contraceptives every 2 years. This tactic will preserve the natural functions of the ovaries and prevent the development of amenorrhea.

Postinor

Postinor is an emergency first aid after unplanned sex without the use of other barrier or hormonal contraceptives. This drug, when used in the first half of the menstrual cycle, prevents the onset of ovulation. And in the second half of the cycle, it affects the structure of the internal mucous membrane of the uterus, making it looser and incapable of egg implantation.

For the drug to show maximum effectiveness, it should be taken as soon as possible after unprotected sexual intercourse. The more time passes after sex, the more likely it is that emergency contraception will not work. You need to take 1 tablet immediately after purchase and 1 12 hours after taking the first one. If you take the drug an hour after sex, its effectiveness will be 95%; on the third day it decreases to 58%.

Since the drug contains a huge dose of artificial hormones, one should not be very surprised by the normal phenomenon of no menstruation after taking Postinor. The delay in period after using emergency contraception can be up to a week. It is also quite natural that the intensity of discharge changes; it may become longer or, conversely, too scanty.

Yarina and Janine

Yarina's hormonal contraceptive has a combined effect on a woman's body: firstly, it slows down ovulation, and secondly, it makes cervical mucus thicker. During the period of adaptation to a new hormonal background, a completely natural situation is a delay in menstruation after Yarina, a decrease in the duration of critical days, as well as a complete absence of pain during this time.

Combination drugs allow a woman to independently regulate the onset of menstruation. In order to postpone menstrual flow to a later date, you can avoid taking a week’s break between taking two packs of the drug. But with such amateur activity, the next menstruation does not end for quite a long time, and in rare cases it can turn into breakthrough bleeding.

When the body has adapted to the Yarin contraceptive, it will be extremely rare to observe a delay in menstruation; usually they will occur within a 7-day interval between taking 2 packs of the drug. This contraceptive has a very high effectiveness rate, reaching 99%. But it should be borne in mind that the effectiveness may be reduced by antibiotics and medications aimed at treating diseases of the digestive system.

The principle of action of the drug Janine is similar to the previous contraceptive; it also delays ovulation and thickens cervical mucus. But when using these pills, there may often be a delay in menstruation or their complete absence, and the discharge becomes more scanty. But the situation when critical days do not stop for a long time when using Janine is extremely rare and is a sign of serious disorders in the body.

Critical days with OK

If you follow all the rules for taking contraceptives, your periods will not stop normally.

Regular OK packaging is designed for 28 days. Each tablet has a serial number or alternately indicates the days of the week. 21 tablets per package contain hormones, and the remaining 7 are just placebos. After this, the woman begins to take a new package of contraceptives.

At the end of the package, bleeding similar to menstruation usually occurs. This is called withdrawal bleeding. The main difference between the monthly appearance of blood when taking contraceptives and menstruation is the absence in the middle of the cycle of ovulation and the release of an egg from the ovary. Hormonal contraception methods are often used to regulate menstrual periods.

Systematically taking the pills is useful because the woman knows exactly when menstrual blood will appear.

Discharge during menstrual-like bleeding is more scanty, and the overall period of its appearance is much shorter than during menstruation. But the appearance of brown spotting and a slight delay may indicate that the rules for taking the contraceptive were violated and conception occurred.

It is also quite common practice for women to deliberately slow down the onset of menstruation with the help of medications. This becomes possible if, instead of the last 7 “empty” tablets, you immediately start the next pack with active hormones. However, such manipulations are not recommended for more than three cycles in a row and without consultation with a gynecologist.

Discharge in the first months of taking OK

Normally, the adaptation period lasts up to 3 months after a woman starts taking birth control pills. Often, in the first days of taking OK, there is a little bleeding or a brown spot.

A small amount of intermenstrual blood or brown discharge when taking OCs during the period of addiction to hormones appears in the middle of the cycle or shortly before menstruation. This phenomenon is normally caused by a change in the structure of the endometrium in order to make it unsuitable for implantation of the fertilized egg. The uterine mucosa, undergoing changes, may bleed a little, causing the whites to appear pinkish or brownish.

The appearance of small amounts of blood should not exceed 5 days, more active bleeding for 2 days. However, if there is too much blood, you feel nausea, loss of energy and dizziness, you should consult a doctor immediately.

While taking contraceptives, side effects and incompatibility with other drugs indicate the need to change the method of contraception.

Among the most popular contraceptives, bleeding in the middle of the first cycles is observed when taking Janine, Dimia and Jess. Significantly less side effects are noted in comments and reviews with Silhouette and Median.

Signs of pathological menstruation

Minor bleeding begins a few days after stopping taking the OC and lasts about seven, maximum fourteen days. Such changes in the body are called withdrawal syndrome.

The reason for a visit to the gynecologist should be heavy discharge during this period, accompanied by pronounced pain and weakness.

Scanty or excessively heavy discharge during the period of stabilization of the cycle is considered normal, but if after several months the situation does not change, you need to be examined by a gynecologist. Such abnormalities may indicate serious health problems.

The absence of menstruation after stopping OC is considered normal. The duration of the recovery process can be up to three months. If the cycle does not stabilize after six months, you need to conduct a full examination and identify the problem.

In many ways, the timing at which menstruation should begin depends on factors such as:

• type of oral contraceptives and duration of their use;
• age;
• body condition and history of gynecological diseases.

The cycle is restored faster in young girls, but in women approaching menopause, it may not stabilize at all. In case of suppressed immunity, it will take about six months to normalize the functions of the ovaries.

After one, and sometimes two months, the first menstruation appears after OK. Due to the fact that while taking the drug, the discharge was scanty, during this period it can become abundant. This is due to hormonal imbalance.

Excessively heavy periods can lead to anemia, as the amount of blood lost increases significantly. In this case, there is a deterioration in the general condition, weakness and dizziness. During this period, it is recommended to start taking medications that contain iron.

In cases where the appearance of heavy bleeding was preceded by a delay, there is no cause for concern. In a short time the cycle stabilizes. You should consult a gynecologist only when such menstruation bothers you for a long time. There is a risk of bleeding.

In most cases, after completing the use of OK, the cycle becomes stable. Violations are observed only in those women who have previously had irregular, scanty menstrual flow.

In addition, the cause of scanty discharge may be:

• pregnancy;
• prolonged absence of menstruation;
• genitourinary system infections;
• polycystic disease;
• cancerous formations.

To exclude the development of pathologies, it is recommended to undergo examination by a gynecologist.

The first period after birth control often lasts more than a week. This process should not cause concern in women and is considered normal, but only if the discharge is scanty and not accompanied by severe pain.

If you find clots in your menstrual blood or your general condition worsens, you should go to a gynecologist to prevent bleeding.

What to do: no periods after stopping birth control? Sometimes, after stopping taking the pills, the discharge becomes scanty or is not observed at all. This situation may occur over several months. The main cause is considered to be suppression of ovarian function, which was observed due to the use of contraceptives. Now it will take them some time to resume their work.

The time it takes to restore the cyclicity of menstruation will depend on the following factors:

• type of drug - high-hormonal or low-hormonal;
• woman's age;
• duration of drug use;
• general condition of the body.

Some women who stop taking hormonal medications do not return to menstruation even after 6 months. Therefore, they need to contact their doctor; perhaps there is a malfunction in the body.

Only one girl in 10 cannot get pregnant within a year after taking contraceptives. Others can conceive a child within six months after this.

When there is no period after stopping birth control pills, girls should not despair. In many cases, menstruation returns to normal levels in the near future.

We have found that while using oral contraceptives, menstruation may begin in the middle of the cycle. If a woman followed all the instructions of the doctor who prescribed her birth control pills, the nature of the bleeding should not change.

Having scanty periods while taking birth control pills is not uncommon. There is no reason to panic if the amount of blood discharge does not exceed 40 ml initially.

If, when using oral pills for the purpose of contraception, scanty menstruation ends prematurely, there is no need to worry. This is a normal phenomenon, which is associated with the influence of contraceptives on hormonal levels.

Thus, normal periods with oral contraception are not characterized by specific features. But if the chemicals in their composition provoke hormonal changes, menstruation will be scanty and short-lived.

Bloody discharge when taking OCs

Ideally, three months after starting to take OK, the cycle should be completely normalized, and blood in the discharge should appear only during menstruation. However, there are cases when pink and scarlet impurities in leucorrhoea bother a woman for a longer time. Typically, a similar effect from tablets occurs for two main reasons:

Synthetic estrogen

The development and production of contraceptives is focused on reducing the dose of estrogen in the tablets. However, due to individual characteristics, for some women, a low dosage may not be sufficient to restore endometrial cells. When there is not enough estrogen, the lining of the uterus becomes thinner. Such endometrial atrophy leads to regular and prolonged bleeding. The volume of this cut is quite meager, so you can notice it by the presence of a pink tint to the leucorrhoea or the appearance of brown leucorrhoea.

Analogue progesterone

More profuse bleeding in the middle of the cycle with long-term use of contraceptives occurs due to the effect of gestagen on the endometrium. Under the influence of this hormone, the endometrioid layer takes on the structure of the mucosa. Accumulating in the body, high levels of progesterone can make the endometrium more fragile, causing its vessels to become damaged and bleed profusely.

Both types of bloody discharge are usually considered abnormal. The solution to the problem in such a situation is quite simple - visit a gynecologist and, with his help, find out why the unusual discharge appeared. Sometimes you only need to stop taking the drug for a short time or replace it with one in which the dose of hormones is more suitable.

Also, the reason for the appearance of scanty blood or brown discharge can be a missed pill and, as a consequence, the onset of conception. In this case, a pregnancy test will help determine the cause.

Cancellation of contraceptives

Ideally, hormonal contraception is prescribed for no more than a year, at the end of which the woman should visit a doctor and discuss whether to continue or stop using the drug. However, in practice, OCs are taken for 2–3 years at a time and women do not consult a doctor during this time. As a result, the motivation to discontinue OCs is planning a pregnancy or developing amenorrhea (absence of menstruation).

What kind of discharge should I expect after stopping the drug? The body goes through a period of reverse adaptation. Over the course of several cycles, you will experience unstable menstruation, periodic intermenstrual bleeding, and brown discharge in the middle of the cycle if you stop taking birth control pills. Temporary instability of ovulation can also be considered normal. These processes affect the usual regulation of secretion, which is why the amount of leucorrhoea can noticeably decrease or increase, and the color of the secretion can vary from white to colorless.

If more than 3 cycles have passed since you stopped taking OK, and the cycle has still not stabilized, you need to visit a doctor.

You need to stop taking contraceptives only after finishing the next pack; you cannot stop taking OK in the middle of the cycle. Like the start of use, discontinuation of drugs should also be carried out under the supervision of a specialist.

You need to know this

Before using contraceptives, you must undergo a gynecological examination. You cannot prescribe the drug yourself. Only a doctor should prescribe OCs, otherwise serious complications related to reproductive health may occur.

It is prohibited to take contraceptives earlier than the period specified by the specialist.

Menstruation when taking OCs often changes color and consistency, which is associated with the hormonal imbalance that was caused by their use. Blood discharge that occurs monthly may become scanty after using such contraceptives. This phenomenon occurs due to the action of sex hormones, which provoke a cycle shift. If your period starts earlier after taking these pills, this should not be a reason to panic.

During puberty, changes in the female body occur rapidly. Young sexually mature girls are advised to ask their gynecologist how contraception works.

The action of hormonal contraceptives is aimed at blocking the functioning of the reproductive system. Therefore, after taking them, ovulation usually does not occur. The reason is the lack of regular maturation of the follicle during the period of such contraception.

Side effects of birth control pills should completely disappear by the 3rd cycle. If this does not happen, you should urgently replace them with another means of contraception.

Menstruation after discontinuation of OCs also becomes unusual, so we recommend that you familiarize yourself with detailed information on this issue.

Pathological discharge with OK

Copious discharge with a non-standard color often occurs as a result of the presence of an inflammatory process. Unusual, namely yellow, gray and green leucorrhoea usually begins under the influence of various infections:

1. Yellow and gray leucorrhoea with a fishy odor is produced by bacterial vaginosis.
2. Dairy products with a yellowish tint and sour milk aroma accompany candidiasis.
3. Gray and green discharge with a liquid or foamy structure is observed with STDs.

Infectious infection often has specific symptoms - itching of the genitals, burning during urination, pain during sexual intercourse.

The regular appearance of blood or brown discharge when taking birth control pills can also be a symptom of pathologies. Often such manifestations are associated with endometrial diseases:

• endometritis (infectious inflammation of the uterine mucosa);
• endometriosis (abnormal growth of endometrial cells outside the uterus);
• endometrial hyperplasia (pathological increase in the endometrioid layer).

In addition to intermenstrual blood, symptoms of endometrial pathologies include pain in the lower abdomen and lower back, discomfort during sexual intercourse, and mild malaise.

The hormonal method of contraception is one of the most popular and no less effective ways to prevent unwanted pregnancy and stabilize the female cycle. Despite the rather colorful prospect, many women are frightened by a large number of myths associated with a lack of understanding of the nuances of using hormonal drugs and the consequences of their effect on the body. Understanding the hormonal and physiological consequences of using OCs will help you get rid of fears and approach the issue of contraception responsibly.