Irregular Bleeding While on Birth Control: What to Know

Question
I take the birth control pill. I purposely skipped my period for the first time and skipped the "period week pills" and just took the beginning of the next weeks pills. However, I still had a very light flow that week. The next week everything was normal again. But this week, I am starting to flow again. I take my pill as directed every morning and have never missed one. Is this normal? Could it just be my body's response to skipping the "period week pills" and starting the next weeks pill?

Answer
When women take the pill continuously to try to skip periods, not infrequently they will get some breakthrough bleeding at some point.  For some women on some pills, they don't bleed as long as they keep taking the pill, but for many women they'll have some bleeding while taking the pill.  If the bleeding is too bothersome, you can usually resolve it by stopping the pill for 4-7 days and letting a period come.  The pill is still preventing pregnancy, in spite of the bleeding.