Birth Control Pills: Missed or Skipped Periods
Topic Overview
It is not unusual for women who are taking hormone pills
for
birth control to have very light periods or no
bleeding at all.
If you have not missed any pills, skip 1 period, yet have no other signs of early pregnancy, it is very
unlikely that you are pregnant. Signs of early pregnancy include fatigue,
breast tenderness or enlargement, nausea or vomiting, and increased urination.
Call your health professional if you are worried. Start your next package of
pills at the regular time.
If you miss 2 periods in a row, regardless of whether you have missed any pills, take a home
pregnancy test. Call your health professional for advice about the test
results. If you have not missed any pills, it is unlikely that you are
pregnant. Do not stop taking your pills and risk a pregnancy unless instructed
to do so by your health professional.
If you forget 1 or more pills and you miss a period, take a home pregnancy test
as soon as possible. If the test is positive, stop taking your pills. Call your
health professional for advice about the test results. If the test is negative,
talk to your doctor about what to do about missed or skipped birth control pills.
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
|---|
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine |
|---|
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Brian D. O'Brien, MD - Internal Medicine |
|---|
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Kirtly Jones, MD, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology |
|---|
| Last Revised | July 6, 2010 |
|---|
Last Revised:
July 6, 2010
