Can you take microgynon 30 back to back

For decades women have been taking the combined pill for 21 days at a time, with a seven-day pill break and withdrawal bleed in between. But is it safe to skip your period by taking two - or more - packs back to back?

The combined oral contraceptive pill is the most popular form of contraception in the UK, used by millions of women every year. It was first introduced on the NHS in and, while the formulations have changed over the years, the way the pill is prescribed and taken has stayed more or less unchanged for nearly six decades. Indeed, one of the pill's biggest advantages - particularly for women with irregular and unpredictable periods - is being able to pinpoint when Aunt Flo's going to put in an appearance.

Likewise, many women use the pill to skip the occasional inconvenient monthly bleed that's threatening to impinge on a holiday or first date. But there's long been a great deal of confusion around the safety of doing this. Need to delay your period? Talk to a local pharmacist today and see if norethisterone is right for you. So, is it actually safe to skip your period or, more accurately, withdrawal bleed - since menstruation is defined by the presence of ovulation, which the pill suppresses?

And, if so, how many packs in a row is it safe to take back-to-back? New guidelines from the FSRH will be published in the BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare journal which say that not only is it perfectly safe, there's actually no medical reason ever to take a break between pill packs. But, just as many women on the progestogen-only pill and other forms of hormonal contraception don't get a monthly bleed, it's absolutely fine not to have one on the combined pill. You don't need to have a bleed, or a break from the hormones, to be healthy.

The blood's not building up inside you. It's not going to affect your future fertility. That monthly withdrawal bleed doesn't tell you anything. It doesn't tell you that you're fertile, or not pregnant, or anything. This applies to any monophasic combined hormonal contraceptive , including virtually all types of combined pill used in the UK, as well as the patch or the ring.

Skipping the pill break may also help to reduce other PMS -like symptoms, such as headaches and mood changes. If you take a combined contraceptive pill , you can delay your period by taking 2 packets back-to-back.

Taking your contraceptive pills in the ways described above will not affect how they work as contraceptives. If you're not sure which pill you're on or which pills in the packet to miss out, speak to your pharmacist, community contraception clinic or GP.

If you're taking a progestogen-only contraceptive pill , you cannot delay your period by taking 2 packets back-to-back. But you may be able to switch to the combined contraceptive pill or take another medication to delay your period. If you're not sure which type of pill you're taking, speak to your pharmacist, community contraception clinic or GP for advice.

See your GP for advice if you want to delay your period and you're not taking the combined contraceptive pill. You'll usually be prescribed 3 norethisterone tablets a day, starting 3 to 4 days before you expect your period to begin. But norethisterone does not act as a contraceptive when used in this way, so you could still get pregnant. And norethisterone may not be suitable if you have a history of blood clots. If you currently use another type of contraception , switching to the combined contraceptive pill will allow you to delay your period.

But you may need to start taking this pill several weeks before the time when you want to delay your period, and it's not suitable for everyone. If you're switching to or starting the combined contraceptive pill, you might need to use additional contraception during the first few days of taking it. This delays the shedding of your womb lining, and therefore the onset of your period.

You can take up to three packets back to back. However some women do experience breakthrough bleeding or spotting and can feel bloated. Most combined contraceptive pills can be taken back-to-back to delay your period, including Microgynon , Rigevidon , Cilest and Yasmin.

Phasic pills, however, contain different quantities of hormones in each pill, and you should consult your doctor before taking more than one packet in succession. Women on the mini pill normally take one pill every day, with no seven-day break. It is therefore impossible to use the mini pill to delay your period. Norethisterone is a prescription-only medicine which can be used to delay your period by up to 17 days.

You can ask your GP to prescribe it for you, or order it through our online service. Some women are not suitable to take Norethisterone, and therefore if you choose to order it online you will be asked to complete a questionnaire about your personal and family medical history. This will be assessed by one of our doctors before they prescribe the period delay pill.

Norethisterone contains the hormone progesterone, which prevents your womb lining from shedding. You should start to take it three days before your period is due to start, and continue to take it three times a day for up to 17 days. You will get your period two to three days after you stop taking Norethisterone.