The woman can amend two contraceptive cards, with no health risk. However, those who want to end menstruation should change the pill to a continuous use, which needs no break, and there is no menstruation.
There is no consensus among gynecologists about how many contraceptive cards one can amend, but everyone agrees that one should not amend a pill frequently because at some point the uterus will begin to release small bleeds, which is the only risk of splicing .
Learn about other ways to stop menstruation.
These bleeds happen because the tissue that lines the uterus internally continues to increase even with the pill and is its output that we know as 'menstruation'. By splicing the cards, this tissue continues to form, but at some point the body will need to release it, and since there is no menstruation, these small bleeds of escape may arise.
Why we must respect the contraceptive pause
The contraceptive pill pause should be respected to allow the uterus to be cleaned, because although the ovaries are not maturing, the uterus continues to prepare itself monthly for possible pregnancy, becoming thicker due to the endometrium.
Thus, the bleeding that occurs during the break is not a true menstruation, since it contains no ovules, and only exists to allow the uterus to be cleaned and to imitate the natural cycle of the woman, making it easier to identify possible cases of pregnancy, when menstruation does not descends, for example.
There is no risk to health if the pause is not made, because the hormones released by the pill only prevent the operation of the ovaries, which can stand for a long time without harming the woman. The only risk that can happen is the spontaneous release of the uterine tissue, which causes small irregular bleeds until all the tissue has been eliminated.
How to Pause Correctly
The time of pause between pills varies depending on the type of contraceptive pill being taken. Like this:
- 21-day pills, such as Yasmin, Selene or Diane 35: the break is usually 7 days, and in those days, the woman should not take pills. The new card must be started on the 8th day of the break;
- 24-day pills, such as Yaz or Mirelle: the break is 4 days without contraception, and the new pack should be started on the 5th day. Some cards have, besides the 24 pills, 4 tablets of another color, that do not have hormones and that function like pause. In these cases, the new carton should be started as soon as the next day ends and the last colored tablet in the carton.
- 28-day pills, such as Cerazette: do not need a break because they are in continuous use. In this type of pill there is no menstruation but small bleeding can appear on any day of the month.
By forgetting to take the first tablet of the new cartouche after pause, the ovaries can return to normal functioning and mature an egg, which can increase the chances of becoming pregnant, especially if you had some sexual intercourse without walking during the break period. Know what to do if you forget to take the contraceptive.
In some cases, the pause time may also vary according to the brand of the pill and therefore it is very important to read the package leaflet and clarify any doubts with the gynecologist before starting to use the birth control pills.
