About the pill

[BeautifulMadness]

i was just watching dr phil ( yes i know lol) and appearently that when ur on the pill u dotn get ur period....i seriously didnt know that. its appearently just bleeding i cant remember what it was called.

weird

[Sterla]

Really? That is so strange. I know that when you're on the pill you can skip your period by not taking the sugar pills. That's interesting... I want to look into that more now.

[PinkPalace]

You dont ovulate is what it means - so technically not a period

What happens if your uterus builds the lining up against the walls to support the egg that is too be released. But your body doesnt release an egg (due ot the hormones in the pill preventing this). and then when you stop the hormones (sugar pills)... the uterus expells this lining..

It is called a withdrawl bleed not a period.

[Sterla]

Here, I found this:

When a woman takes the Pill her normal menstrual cycle is interrupted. In effect, the Pill tricks the body into believing it is pregnant. When the Pill was being developed, however, it was felt that women would find the lack of a normal menstrual cycle disconcerting. Many women, for example, rely on their regular menstrual period for reassurance of not being pregnant. Consequently, it was decided to have the Pill consist of 21 days of active pills (pills containing the hormones), followed by a pill-free interval of seven days (either no pills or sugar pills). The rapid decline in the artificial hormones which occurs in the pill-free interval results in a 'withdrawal bleed', which somewhat resembles a menstrual period and is often still referred to as a 'period' for simplicity. It is important, however, for women to understand that when they take the Pill the bleeding which occurs during the pill free interval is not a menstrual period.

The Pill: Myths and Misconceptions - Women's Health Queensland Wide

[BeautifulMadness]

thats what its called withdrawl bleed lol thank you...prego brain moment

i then gotto thinking how do women on the pill get preg?

[Indadhanu]

The pill doesn't always stop ovulation... as well as that woman can ovulate if they forget any of the active pills.

[Sterla]

The Pill: Myths and Misconceptions - Women's Health Queensland Wide

Similarly, women should be aware the current packaging of the Pill (21 active pills, seven day pill free interval) was developed primarily for acceptability reasons and not because of any physiological reason. Indeed, contraception expert John Guillebaud explains "When you think about it we have here a bizarre contraceptive: one that we providers actually instruct the users not to use - for 25% of the time" (4). As Guillebaud suggests, the pill free interval is the 'Achilles heel' of the Pill's efficacy as it can contribute to pill failure. To stop ovulation from occurring a woman needs to take seven consecutive active pills. In addition, if more than seven days are missed a woman risks ovulation and, if unprotected intercourse occurs, pregnancy. The lengthening of the pill free interval is one of the most common causes of pill failure and is often associated with a woman starting her new Pill packet late. It is very easy to start a pill packet late with women either simply forgetting or not having their new packet with them.

Similarly, if some of the active pills near the end of the previous packet or active pills near the start of the new packet are either missed or not absorbed properly (due to vomiting, diarrhoea, use of antibiotics) this can also mean that there has not been enough pills taken overall to prevent ovulation. Women who miss pills towards the end of their packet often mistakenly believe it does not matter because they are having their 'period' soon. They do not realise that missing pills near the pill free interval may mean they have not taken enough pills to prevent ovulation in the next month. The most dangerous time to miss a pill is at the end or beginning of a packet (because it lengthens the pill free interval beyond seven days).

...I'm finding out so much new stuff.

[Aimz]

That's weird - I'm on the pill and I know that I am ovulating. I get ovulation pains mid cycle and I also get pimply skin around the same time.

Are all pills like this?

Maybe I'm wrong but all this time I've thought I can pick when I'm ovulating. I do forget to take my pill quite often - perhaps that's the reason?

[Kitt3n]

i then gotto thinking how do women on the pill get preg?

I have had 3 pregnancies ON the pill.

[mbear]

then gotto thinking how do women on the pill get preg?

...i fell pregnant with DD#3 whilst on mini pill. I guess i was in the 1-2% (98% effective....).....although i think the mini pill is 96%.......