What is meant by contraceptive methods and do they have any relation to the health and regularity of your menstrual cycle?
Don't miss reading the following and learn in detail how contraceptives affect the menstrual cycle.
Contraceptives
Contraceptive methods are what women resort to if they do not wish to have children or want to postpone it for a period of time. There are different and varied types of these methods, some are taken orally and others are implanted. The most common methods of contraception are generally divided into:
- The capsule is under the skin.
- birth control pills
- adhesive
- IUD
- injections
All of these methods affect your menstrual cycle in one way or another as a result of their interaction within your body. Therefore, you should not take or use any type without consulting a doctor and discussing your medical history and what happened to you in previous months, in order to find out the most suitable type for you without experiencing any complications.
The effect of contraceptives on the menstrual cycle
We will discuss below how each type affects the other:
1 - Birth control pills
There are two types of these pills: the "combined pill," which contains both estrogen and progestin, and the "mini-pill," which contains only progestin and is therefore also called the single-hormone pill.
Each of them works to prevent pregnancy in a different way, as follows:
- The vehicle works by preventing the release of the egg and its movement inside the fallopian tube, thus preventing sperm from reaching the egg, i.e., it prevents the completion of the ovulation process.
- The small pill focuses primarily on slowing down the movement of the egg, which also fights the arrival of sperm and prevents ovulation.
Based on the above, these pills disrupt the hormonal balance within the body, leading to a complete disruption of the menstrual cycle. Therefore, some doctors prescribe them to prevent or delay menstruation. The effect of these pills on the menstrual cycle is as follows:
- Spotting between periods, meaning spotting of blood at different times during the month.
- She arrived later than usual.
- Reduce the number of cycles.
2 - IUD
It is a T-shaped device that is implanted inside the uterus for a number of years, and there are two types:
- hormonal IUD
It works by releasing a type of progestin hormone, which fights ovulation by thinning the uterine lining, thickening cervical mucus, and preventing sperm from reaching the egg.
- copper screw
It is characterized by the presence of a copper wire wrapped around the base, which triggers an inflammatory reaction that is lethal to sperm and egg.
IUDs affect the regularity of the menstrual cycle after they are inserted and until the body gets used to their presence, as they are a foreign object that the body needs several months to accept, and in most cases it takes about 6 months.
3 - Injections
There are contraceptive injections that a woman takes every three months. These injections contain the hormone progesterone and work to prevent ovulation. Sometimes, when used, they may cause the menstrual cycle to stop or become very light.
4 - The capsule
One of the methods that some women may resort to is a flexible rod about the size of a matchstick, which is placed under the skin of the arm, specifically at the top of the arm.
This method works by releasing steady doses of low-level progesterone, which thickens cervical mucus, thins the uterine lining, and disrupts ovulation. Therefore, menstrual irregularities and even the complete absence of menstruation are among its side effects.
5 - Adhesive
They are small, square, sticky patches that are placed on the arm, back, or lower abdomen, and are similar to birth control pills in that they work by gradually releasing hormones into the body.
These patches contain the hormones estrogen and progestin, and they have a specific method of use, where one patch is placed for 7 days or a week and then replaced with a new one. This is repeated for three weeks, and the fourth week is a break during which no patch is placed, and it is the week during which menstruation occurs.
Due to its contents and hormonal effects, menstrual cycle disturbances are a common side effect.
In conclusion
The effects of contraceptives are not limited to the menstrual cycle. Sometimes they may cause disturbances, symptoms, or illnesses, God forbid. Therefore, we emphasize again the importance of not resorting to them without first consulting a doctor and then following up with him during the period of their use. If any unusual symptoms appear, an immediate medical examination is necessary.