Managing Your Cycle for Travel: Considerations for Fertility & Periods

Question
I am a 35 year old woman with unexplained infertility x7 years. My husband and I have gone through 2 cycles of In Vitro, with one 'success', a miscarriage at 6 weeks. My husband subsequently left for Iraq, his own personal choice. We are to meet in Bali in mid- March 2005. My last period started on the 21st December, and though not exactly clock-work-regular, I am fairly close most of the time. I would like to NOT have my period in Bali, not only because you cannot enter the temples while menstruating, but mainly because I haven't seen my husband in 4.5 months! Here is the thing--I know that I could take the pill and not have my period, but we do not want to take any measures to prevent pregnancy, as unlikely as it may seem. What I would like to do is start taking the pill NOW (mid-cycle), and stop during the first week of Feb. I feel that this might alter the timing of my cycle enough to insure that I do not have my period when I am in Bali and also maybe protect my ovulation, just in case there is the slimmest chance we could conceive naturally (we have heard that a seperation sometimes helps up your chances...wives tale likely, but hey, we gotta try, right?).

Can you tell me:

1. if I can start the pill mid-cycle without harm,
2. can I stop taking the pill to start my period when I want to, and
3. is a half-cycle of the pill likely to keep me from ovulating in the subsequent month?

Thank you for your help in this matter.

Wendy

Answer
You certainly can start the pill at any time and continue taking it until you want your period. Then stop the pill and you will bleed a few days later. However, there is no way to know if you will, indeed, ovulate 2 weeks after you get that period. Remember, that bleeding is merely a "breakthrough bleeding" due to cesation of the pill. It will not do any harm to your cycle if you try it, so it is worth a try. However, you can't predict when you will ovulate, or if you will start bleeding again when you get to Bali. How, by the way, will they know if you are menstruating when you enter the temples?