Understanding Extended Cycle Birth Control Pills: Benefits & Considerations

Question
QUESTION: Hello,
Can you explain to me why there is a controversy over the bc pills that eliminate a period for 3 months or a year -when women don't get a real period with any bc pills anyway.
Thanks!

ANSWER: Hi Lauren,
The only controversy is that it is abnormal to have menstruation every three months. Not to have them at all is less of a shock to the hormonal system and allows easier reset when periods are resumed.

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QUESTION: Oh, is it a real period that people would have on the 3 month or year pills?  And it's a fake period that people have on the monthly pills?  Would that mean that one would have to go off the 3 month or year pills for awhile to allow the real period to occur?

Answer
Hi Lauren, There are no "fake" periods. It's just that the body is designed to menstruate monthly and asking it to do this every three months goes against the way we're programed.
Under normal circumstances, coming of either pill would allow a period. Periods are important for many reasons and one of the ones that most women don't appreciate is that it is a sort of "house cleaning". Not allowing that can cause build up of tissue in the uterine lining which isn't particularly healthy.