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What Is The Correct Time To Switch From Contraceptive Injection To Pills After Childbirth ?
hi, had my baby 3 months ago, and from then have been on the contraceptive injection, up until recently when i had to switch to oral contraceptive, trigestrel. i am a first time user and not sure which pill to take first. i dont have my period at the moment, can i start taking it?
Sat, 1 Mar 2014
Hello
Thanks for writing to us with your health concern.
You would be having amenorrhoea because of the contraceptive injection
The depo shot often leads to residual amenorrhoea.
It can take upto 3 - 6 months for normal cycles to resume.
For starting the pill, it is recommended to start it on day 2 or day 3 of the period.
If you are amenorrhoeic right now, it is best to induce your period first.
This can be done by progesterone withdrawal bleed.
Take progesterone preparations ( Meprate, Deviry , Norlute N, Primolut N etc ) twice or thrice a day for 5 days.
After stopping the drug, wait for one week.
Maximum within a week, you would have withdrawal bleeding.
You can start the oral contraceptive from the second or third day of that artificial period.
Also, for the first month of pill use, please use a backup method like condoms.
This is because it takes one month for the hormones to start acting and provide maximum effect.
So please use a backup to be safe.
Also, amenorrhoea could be due to the recent childbirth and the lactation, in case you are breastfeeding.
Even in that case, progesterone withdrawal will produce a period.
Contraception is a must though as even in the absence of periods, you might ovulate.
All the best
Take care.
Thanks for writing to us with your health concern.
You would be having amenorrhoea because of the contraceptive injection
The depo shot often leads to residual amenorrhoea.
It can take upto 3 - 6 months for normal cycles to resume.
For starting the pill, it is recommended to start it on day 2 or day 3 of the period.
If you are amenorrhoeic right now, it is best to induce your period first.
This can be done by progesterone withdrawal bleed.
Take progesterone preparations ( Meprate, Deviry , Norlute N, Primolut N etc ) twice or thrice a day for 5 days.
After stopping the drug, wait for one week.
Maximum within a week, you would have withdrawal bleeding.
You can start the oral contraceptive from the second or third day of that artificial period.
Also, for the first month of pill use, please use a backup method like condoms.
This is because it takes one month for the hormones to start acting and provide maximum effect.
So please use a backup to be safe.
Also, amenorrhoea could be due to the recent childbirth and the lactation, in case you are breastfeeding.
Even in that case, progesterone withdrawal will produce a period.
Contraception is a must though as even in the absence of periods, you might ovulate.
All the best
Take care.
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