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What Causes Spotting In The Middle Of Menstrual Cycle?
Question: my girlfriend has been taking birth control for 2 and half months now. the first month she started she had bleedin every other day to bleeding every 3 days. the second month everything seemed to level out with the bleeding and we began having sex. she had 2 periods the second month, one in the second week of the month then the next a week and a half to 2 weeks later. she did not have her period on the reminder pills and we had unprotected sex during that week. is she still protected during that week? also she is on her 3rd pack and it has been 32 days since her last period and has not started yet. should we be worried? she has never missed a pill except for being 2 hours late one day.
what are your thoughts? is it common to have a missed or irregular period within the first 3 months? she is having breast tenderness and cramping but i have read that those are normal side effects of birth control.
Brief Answer:
midcycle spotting common. wait for period.
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for writing to healthcare magic.
Irregular bleeding or spotting in the middle of cycle is common with low dose ocpills which have minimum estrogen to prevent side effects.
This usually settles by 2 nd or 3rd cycle. As long as your partner has taken the pills of each cycle as recommended then she is protected despite the spotting or bleeding.
So to answer your query she was protected from unwanted pregnancy as she has been regular on the pills.
If she has missed her period I.e 32 days since last period , she can expect period within a week of the last pill of that cycle.after stopping period will usually occur in a week.
If no period after a week you can consider a pregnancy test though the chances are remote.
Hope I have answered your query.
Thanks,
Dr Bhagyashree
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
so after stopping this next cycle of pills (the third cycle of pills) she will be expecting her period?
She did not have her period during the time she was supposed to have it though? thats what im saying, during the reminder pills or the no hormone pills we had unprotected sex. and then once the non hormone pills were done she started the next pack and is now in the middle of that pack. so do we wait for her period to start after this pack?what about her breast tenderness? and cramping? and also is late or irregular period common with the Gildess birth control pill?
Brief Answer:
period will happen during nonhormone pill days
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXXXXX XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing back.
The pill is to be taken every day from 1st day of cycle . During the no hormone pill days usually around day 4 or 5 the period are expected. After the no hormonepills are completed a new pack is started immediately.
Protection from unwanted pregnancy is there even during the no hormone pill days. So if unprotected intercourse has happened during the no hormonepills days there is no need to worry if all pills were taken regularly as recommended
now as yourpartner is taking the third pack she should continue till all tablets are over. During the nohormonepills of this pack she will get her period.
If still she doesn't get her cycle a new pack should not be started as she should get herself examined by a doctor for the same
.
Irregular period due to spotting in midcycle is very common in birthcontrol pills.
This usually resolves by 2-3 cycles.
Similarly breast tenderness, bloated sensation lower abdominal cramps may occur during the pill usage . Patients usually get used to this by 2-3 cycles.
I hop this resolves your query.
Thanks
Dr Bhagyashree
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Ok thank you very very much.
I have one last thing!!
She has had 2 occasions on this 3rd cycle of pills where she feels like she is definitely about to start her period but does not. Is that because her body is adjusting and is getting ready to have her period after this 3rd package is finished with the white pills?
Now she still has not had her period since the second cycle of pills but had her period the week before the non hormone pill week then did not have her period on the non hormone pill week. And it has been since then that we are waiting for her period on the 3rd cycle. She is having signs and symptoms of her period but has not had it.
Brief Answer:
complete this cycle. wait for period.
Detailed Answer:
Dear XXXX,
Thanks for writing.
The symptoms she is experiencing are due to the homones. She will get used to it gradually. If not request your doctor to change to another brand.
Ideally she should have had her period in the non hormone pill last cycle but as you mentioned that there was irregular bleeding the week before the nonhormone pill we can wait till this cycle is completed.
The only other cause of delayed period is
Pregnancy but if you are sure that no pill was missed then you can continue this pack and wait for period.
If still no period then a pregnancy test had to be done.
Thanks
Dr XXXXXXX
Note: Revert back with your gynae reports to get a clear medical analysis by our expert Gynecologic Oncologist. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
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