Change In Cycle?

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-24-2003
Change In Cycle?
1
Tue, 08-03-2004 - 4:50pm
I posted on the wrong board earlier:

I'm currently using Orthonovum and have experienced no problems so far. Except that this month, my period arrived a week early. Normally my period arrives the same week that I begin the placebo pills, this time my period arrived the week before. Does this effect my ovulation? Can I get pregnant if I don't use backup contraception? (I'm still continuing to use the pills)

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
In reply to: perezjt
Wed, 08-04-2004 - 8:09am
Probably not! The mechanisms that suppress ovulation and control bleeding are different, so bleeding is not necessarily an indication that you'll start ovulating or are in danger of becoming pregnant.

Sometimes when women start bleeding early, it's because of insufficient progestin--they need more progestin to maintain the lining of the uterus and keep it stable as its needs increase the longer you take active pills. Our own hormones do change and how we metabolize the pill can also change with time, and when the mix of natural and synthetic hormones changes, that can cause bleeding.

Keep taking your pills as scheduled, but call your doctor and let him/her know that this is happening. Sometimes they'll switch you to a different pill right away, and sometimes they'll want to wait another month and see if it happens again (sometimes it's a one-time thing). But try not to worry--this is pretty common!

Good luck,

Judie
Co-cl for Birth Control
Judie Cl for Birth Control