Tag: no period 3 months after stopping the pill

Stopped the contraceptive pill but your period hasn’t returned yet? For most people, fertility returns quickly after stopping the pill and periods restart within a few weeks to a few months. If you have gone 3 months without a period, and pregnancy has been ruled out, it may be worth speaking to a healthcare professional. A short delay doesn’t necessarily mean anything is wrong – sometimes your natural cycle simply needs time to re-establish itself. However, stopping the pill can also reveal an underlying hormonal or reproductive health condition that was less obvious while you were taking it. Here’s what happens after you stop the pill, how long you can expect your period to take to return, and when a missing period is worth investigating. Quick facts: What happens when you stop the contraceptive pill? When you are on the pill, whether the combined pill or the progestogen-only pill (mini pill), synthetic hormones are keeping your natural hormonal cycle suppressed. This essentially puts the signals to the ovaries to trigger ovulation on pause. When you stop taking the pill, those synthetic hormones clear your system and your body has to restart its own hormone production. The brain begins releasing hormones again, which signals the production of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinising Hormone (LH), which in turn tells the ovaries to get back into action. That chain of communication takes time to re-establish and until ovulation actually happens, your period will not return. Your bleeding pattern can take a little longer to become predictable, particularly if your periods were irregular before you started contraception. Is it normal to have a late or irregular period after stopping the pill? Yes. Some change to your bleeding pattern after stopping the pill is common. Your first few periods may be: You may also simply notice the return of the menstrual pattern you had before starting contraception. For example, if you originally started the pill because you had heavy, painful or irregular periods, those symptoms may return after you stop it. This isn’t the pill making things worse – it may just mean the pill had been controlling symptoms that are now visible again. What is post-pill amenorrhoea? You may have come across the term post-pill amenorrhoea when searching for why your period has not returned after stopping the contraceptive pill. Amenorrhoea means not having periods. Primary amenorrhoea is when someone has not had their first period by around age 15. Secondary amenorrhoea is when someone who has had periods stops having them for at least 3 months.  Post-pill amenorrhoea describes a type of secondary amenorrhoea whereby a period does not return after stopping the pill. It is not thought to be a separate condition caused by the pill. For many people, the body simply needs time to restart its natural hormonal cycle. Periods usually return within a few months. However, a missing period can sometimes point to an underlying condition that the pill had been masking, such as PMOS (formerly PCOS), thyroid problems, raised prolactin, hypothalamic amenorrhoea or premature ovarian insufficiency. Importantly, there is no evidence that the pill itself causes long-term amenorrhoea or permanently stops your menstrual cycle.  How long does it take for your period to return after stopping the pill? Many people’s first natural period will usually return within a few weeks to a few months after stopping the pill. One important distinction is the difference between a withdrawal bleed and a natural menstrual period. You may experience bleeding within a few days of stopping the active tablets. This happens because the level of contraceptive hormones falls. Research has found that cycles in the first few months after stopping the pill can be slightly longer than average, one study found an average cycle length of 33.3 days in recent pill stoppers, compared to 29.6 days in non-pill users. So if your cycles feel long initially, this is expected. Factors like weight, physical health, stress levels, exercise and conditions such as PMOS can all influence your natural cycle. These might affect how quickly your period returns or how regular it is.  A natural period happens after your own hormonal cycle has resumed. Ovulation generally occurs first, followed by a period around two weeks later if pregnancy has not occurred. For some people this happens quickly. For others, the first few cycles may be longer or less predictable. If you have not had a natural period after 3 months, take a pregnancy test if there is any possibility of pregnancy and get it checked out. Why has my period not returned after stopping the pill? If you’re outside the expected window and still haven’t had a period, there are several possible causes. Pregnancy This is the first thing to rule out. You can ovulate before your first period after stopping the pill, which means you can become pregnant without having seen a natural period first. If you have had sex without contraception since stopping the pill and your period hasn’t arrived, take a pregnancy test. Your natural cycle is still re-establishing itself For some people, the first ovulation after stopping hormonal contraception takes a little longer. A short delay can therefore happen without there being an underlying medical problem. But if you have missed 3 periods, it is worth investigating it. PMOS PMOS is a common cause of irregular or absent periods. The pill can create a predictable bleeding pattern and reduce symptoms such as acne or excess hair growth, meaning the underlying condition may be less apparent while you are taking it. After stopping, irregular ovulation and other symptoms may become noticeable again. If you had irregular periods before starting the pill, or you now have irregular periods alongside acne, increased facial or body hair or other signs of androgen excess, PMOS may be worth investigating. Hypothalamic amenorrhoea Hypothalamic amenorrhoea (HA) is a condition where the brain suppresses the hormonal signals needed to trigger ovulation, usually in response to chronic stress, significant under-eating, or high exercise volumes without enough fueling. The […]