Most monthly courses of hormonal birth control involve receiving the medication for 3 weeks, or 21 days, then receiving none for 1 week. During this break, a person typically experiences withdrawal bleeding. The bleeding may resemble the menstruation that would occur if the person were not using birth control. Also, a person is likely to experience withdrawal bleeding if they stop using hormonal birth control or switch from one method to another. It can take several months for a person’s period to become regular again after discontinuing the medication. The duration of withdrawal bleeding varies from person to person. However, if a person is taking the medication as directed, the bleeding should only last for a few days. Withdrawal bleeding is typically lighter and shorter than a period. This is because the synthetic hormones in the contraceptive stop the uterine lining from building up significantly during the menstrual cycle. For some people, monthly withdrawal bleeding helps reassure them that they are not pregnant. If a person does not have withdrawal bleeding when expected, it could indicate pregnancy due to a failure of the contraceptive. Because monthly withdrawal bleeding is not medically necessary, some types of birth control pill offer less frequent episodes of bleeding, such as once every 3 months.
(Credits: www.medicalnewstoday.com)
