When Your Contraceptive Causes Bleeding
Contraception is designed to prevent pregnancy, but along the way, disrupting ovulation can disrupt menstrual cycles.
If you have bleeding, check a urine pregnancy test to make sure you are not pregnant.
You may want to be screened for an STD if you have had a new partner.
Often the amount of bleeding when you have break through contraceptive bleeding is actually very little blood lost. It’s thus not necessarily a medical problem, but definitely annoying.
If the bleeding is heavy then you may need to be checked for anemia, but that is not common unless you also tend towards anemia or have dietary lack of iron.
Long acting contraceptive (LARC) methods are staying in the news, and should have the least amount of irregular bleeding, and best protection against pregnancy.
The CDC states that Nexplanon contraceptive is the best contraceptive with the fewest failures. The Nexplanon rod is a progesterone only method with a failure rate of 0.05%. It is used for three years and has etonogestrel as the hormone in the implanted rod.
However, one in 10 users of Long Acting Contraceptives, LARC, will have bothersome irregular bleeding. In a new study by Colorado researchers they have discovered that giving 2 weeks of oral contraceptives on top of the long acting method, can help stop the irregular bleeding. Other medications that show some positive effects on bleeding include mifepristone, estradiol, either given with or without also giving doxycycline. There are other side effects that may require management and see your gyno.
We suggest seeing your gyno for a reproductive life plan, and deciding what method is best for you to use depending upon your current plans for pregnancy and birth spacing. At Women’s Health Practice we are seeing new clients, call or email for a new appointment.
