Can Microgynon stop or delay periods?

Microgynon 30 and Microgynon ED are popular combined contraceptive pill choices and are often one of the first brands you may try. Try our easy recommender tool to see if it’s the best contraception for you. Microgynon can be used to either completely stop or delay periods depending on how you take it.

How taking Microgynon can affect your period

Traditionally the Microgynon pill is taken for 21 days followed by a break of 7 days. (With Microgynon ED, the 7-day break is built within a 28-pill packet by including 7 ‘dummy’ pills at the end of the packet.) In this break, the change in the levels of hormones causes your body to shed the womb lining in a withdrawal bleed. We call this a withdrawal bleed rather than a period as the bleeding is due to a withdrawal from the hormones in the daily pill, rather than the normal menstrual cycle hormones which cause a natural period. 

However, you don’t actually need to bleed every month on the combined pill. Modern life has changed and we may want more control over when we have these withdrawal bleeds or if we even bleed at all. 

Using the Microgynon pill in different ways, such as continuous pill taking allows you to stop or delay bleeds as we explain below. This is as safe as taking the combined pill in the traditional way, can improve symptoms like headaches and mood changes associated with the pill free week, AND may even be more effective at preventing pregnancy.

Does Microgynon stop ovulation?

Yes, Microgynon stops ovulation by suppressing the natural hormonal fluctuations of our cycle.

To understand how Microgynon stops ovulation, we need to go back to the classroom and remind ourselves of the science behind the menstrual cycle.

During our menstrual cycle, two hormones called FSH and LH increase at different times to cause an egg to mature in the ovary and then be released. Microgynon stops ovulation as it contains hormones which stop the rise of FSH and LH. This means your body no longer has the hormonal triggers to ovulate (release an egg).

By stopping ovulation, Microgynon can help with menstrual symptoms including PMS, heavy or painful periods and conditions such as endometriosis.

Does Microgynon stop periods?

If you take the Microgynon pill correctly, the hormones found within it will prevent ovulation and the following hormonal changes which trigger a period (the shedding of the lining of the womb) if an egg isn’t fertilised.

The withdrawal bleeds that happen during a pill break are caused by a sudden drop in the oestrogen and progestogen you had been taking daily for at least 3 weeks. The oestrogen and progestogen stabilise the womb lining and stop any bleeding, when these hormones are removed from the body, the womb lining doesn’t have anything to keep it there so it is shed in a bleed.

So technically, Microgynon does stop periods, but you can still have regular withdrawal bleeds if you have the pill free break at the end of the packet. However, we can use this lovely knowledge of hormones to stop and control when and if we bleed….read on to find out more.

Can I take Microgynon while on my period?

You can start Microgynon at any time in your menstrual cycle. If you start it within the first 5 days of starting your period you’ll be protected from pregnancy straight away. At any other time you need to use condoms as well for the first 7 days of taking it.

Does Microgynon stop periods straight away?

If you start taking Microgynon during the first 5 days of your period, it will protect you against pregnancy immediately BUT won’t stop that period, you’re likely to still bleed until it would have naturally finished anyway. From then, you can take Microgynon in different ways to control or avoid bleeds in the future.

However, it’s important to know that some spotting or bleeding called breakthrough bleeding is common in the first 3 months of starting Microgynon. This is as your body gets used to the new levels of hormones and the womb lining gradually thins out and stabilises. Important note – if bleeding during a packet carries on after 3 months or stars up again in the future, make sure you see a healthcare professional to rule out other causes.

Is it normal to have no period during the pill break?

Yes, it is normal to have no bleeding during the pill-free break, although it is more common to have a bleed. Microgynon thins out the womb lining, and eventually, for some people, the womb lining becomes so thin that there is nothing left to shed….and so no bleeds! Again, this is perfectly safe. However, if you don’t bleed in the pill break, you might want to do a pregnancy test JUST in case. On the flip side, bleeding in the pill break should not be used as reassurance that you’re not pregnant (withdrawal bleeds have been reported by women who were pregnant using the combined pill). If you think you’ve not taken your pill correctly or there’s a chance you could be pregnant check a pregnancy test. You can buy 2 Clearblue tests from Amazon (affiliate link).

Can I take Microgynon to stop my period?

You can use Microgynon to stop withdrawal bleeds and this can be really convenient to time your bleeds around events like holidays, weddings, sexy weekends away or that big work interview. It’s completely safe to do and really easy.

If you use Microgynon 30, continue taking the pills nonstop without a break between packets. By doing this, you can prevent the bleeding from happening that would usually occur during your break. It’s quite popular to “tricycle” pill packets, which means taking 3 packets in a row without a break and then having a 4-7 day break for a bleed. (Remember that a 7-day break isn’t needed and you can reduce it to 4!). This has the bonus of only around 4 bleeds per year.

If you use Microgynon ED, you can still stop bleeds, just take the 21 yellow pills like normal, ignore the last 7 placebo pills which are white, and move straight onto another packet.

Can I take Microgynon without a break?

If you don’t want regular bleeds, you can even take the pill continuously without any scheduled breaks. However, this can lead to breakthrough bleeding or spotting after a while, although this varies between individuals – it could be 3 months, could be over a year! If you do start spotting or bleeding while taking the pill packets back to back, remember Dr Fran’s rule of 4 to make things simple. If you bleed for 4 days in a row, have a 4-day break to shed the womb lining then go straight back to continuous taking. If you spot for a couple of days, you can keep continuing but as soon as it reaches 4, allow your body to shed the womb lining during a 4-day break. This method is called a tailored regimen and although it is an unlicensed use, we know it is safe and can improve many contraceptive side effects. We’d like to thank Professor John Guillebaud, the first-ever professor in family planning, for revolutionising how we use the combined pill!

If you’re interested in Microgynon 30 or Microgynon ED, you can order the pill online. Through The Lowdown, you can subscribe to our easy pill delivery service to also make sure you have enough to stop those pesky periods!