Controlling Your Menstrual Cycle

Tuesday, December 09, 2003

ROCHESTER, Minn. — A different way of taking birth control pills means women are deciding when and how often they menstruate. Instead of about once a month, periods can be timed to occur just four times a year or even postponed indefinitely.

The option of less frequent periods is welcome news for many women. Some women have health problems — anemia, asthma, migraines or epilepsy — made worse by their periods. For others, menstruation is painful and debilitating. And, menstruating can be a major inconvenience during vacations, athletic events or on the job.

Controlling menstrual cycles is a choice that women of any age can consider, says Rosalina Abboud, M.D., a Mayo Clinic gynecologist, in the December issue of Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource. "Age isn't a limiting factor as long as the women are able to take oral contraceptives," she says.

Traditionally, women take oral contraceptives — a combination of estrogen and progesterone — for 21 days and then take a placebo for seven days. Menstrual bleeding occurs during the placebo week. Taking active pills longer postpones menstruation. Taking them continuously stops menstruation altogether.

Discuss your options with your doctor. For some women, oral contraceptives present risks, especially if you are older than 35 and smoke or have high blood pressure.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Carol Lammers
507-284-5005 (days)
507-284-2511(evenings)
email: newsbureau@mayo.edu

Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville
Erik Kaldor
904-953-2299
Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale
Anne Tewksbury
480-301-4368

Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource is published monthly to help women enjoy healthier, more productive lives. Revenue from subscriptions is used to support medical research at Mayo Clinic. To subscribe, please call 800-876-8633, extension 9PK1.

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