Using birth control methods to skip periods is nothing new. For years women have been suppressing their menstrual periods for their honeymoons or other special occasions. Menstrual suppression is also used for women with the medical condition endometriosis. Now it seems that skipping a period has become widely acceptable in the eyes of the medical community and is developing into a way of life for more and more women.
Seasonale and Seasonique
These are pill methods for menstrual suppression. Both pill packs have 3 months of active pills and are designed to allow women only 4 periods per year. The difference between the two is that while Seasonale has a week of placebo or “sugar pills” after the active pills, Seasonique has a week of low-dose estrogen pills to be taken after the active pills. Barr Pharmaceuticals spokeswoman Carol Cox says, in Miranda Hitti’s article for WebMD entitled “FDA Oks New Birth Control Pill,” that the week of low-dose estrogen pills in Seasonique may provide benefits, including less breakthrough bleeding. As far as risks, benefits, and type of period, both pills are similar to traditional birth control pills.
Lybrel aka Anya
Another pill method for menstrual suppression, provides women with the option of no period at all. These low dose combination pills are taken every day without any placebo pills in between. Lybrel prevents pregnancy by inhibiting the uterus from building up in preparation for a fertilized egg. All risks and benefits, with the exception of not having a period, are the same as traditional birth control pills.
Depo Provera
This birth control and menstrual suppression method is given in the form of a shot every 11 to 13 weeks during the first five days of a woman’s period. It not only prevents ovulation, but also keeps the uterus from building a lining-which can keep a woman from having a period. One huge side effect from Depo Provera is the possibility of loss of calcium stored in the bones, which can lead to osteoporosis. Weight gain was also reported by some women.
Implanon
Norplant was a 6 capsule birth control method that was inserted into the underside of a woman’s upper arm. It is however, no longer available and has been replaced by Implanon. Implanon is a matchstick size, flexible, plastic rod that is placed right under the skin in the same area as Norplant and it provides 3 years of birth control protection. Though some women do not have periods while using this estrogen free drug, it is not a reliable means of achieving menstrual suppression because it is not known exactly how it works on the uterus to prevent pregnancy.
Mirena
Placed in the uterus by a healthcare provider during a woman’s period, this intrauterine device (IUD) delivers small amounts of hormones directly to the uterus. Like Implanon, it is estrogen free and an unreliable means of achieving menstrual suppression. Only 20 percent of women in the clinical trials completely stopped having a period.
Other Side Effects
One common side effect to any menstrual suppression drug is spotting or breakthrough bleeding. However, this is a temporary problem that usually goes away after long term use. Also, if a woman doesn’t have a period it may be hard for her to detect whether or not she is pregnant.
The Future of Menstrual Suppression
Even though every product’s website says that not having a period is not a detriment to women’s health, the future of menstrual suppression remains to be seen. Until women are skipping periods for a number of years, the true effect, if any, that menstrual suppression has on their health and reproductive systems will be unknown.
Sources: All information on each drug came from their respective websites.
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