
When you’re used to having your period once a month as well as everything that comes along with it, like stomach cramps, bloating and feeling mostly uncomfortable, it can be hard to think of a life without them.
But many women who use the pill as contraception will know it has another benefit; the ability to skip your period or forgo having them altogether.
There’s no doubt the choice not to have your period can come in handy - like when you're going on holiday, and decide not to pack your period with you.
Watch: If your period was a person. Post continues below.
It might not even be an event in particular - it could just be as simple as not wanting to deal with mood swings or running to the office bathroom to change your pad or tampon that week.
Other forms of contraception aside from the pill can impact your period too. For example, Implanon is a contraceptive implant that is inserted under the skin in your upper arm. It can make your period less painful, and many who use it have little to no vaginal bleeding.
NuvaRing is another option that aids in the management of period pain. This small ring is inserted into the vagina and can stay in place for three weeks (21 days). At this point you can either remove it and have your period or you can insert a new ring to skip your period completely.
At the end of the day, choosing not to have your period is a decision most often made out of ease and comfort. It is clearly still vital that we destigmatise periods and continue to fight against period poverty, because it's a natural and normal bodily function.
However, as a woman who has been on the pill for 10 years, I still often find myself questioning whether skipping my period is somehow bad for my health. Each time I choose to do it, I feel a little bit of guilt. And most of the women I have talked to about this feel the same way.
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