Q:

I am nearly finished with my first month of Sprintec birth control. I had never taken oral birth control before. I am now on the fourth week and I am taking the sugar pills.  I have been taking the pills for four days now, but I still have not had my period. I have experienced cramping in the last four days as though I were going to start my period, but nothing happens! I took the pills perfectly for a month (except just one day I missed the pill by an hour and a half.  Although I was prescribed the pill that was apparently supposed to be highly forgiving for up to eight hours according to my doctor. My partner and I have always used a condom as a back-up, and I did not have sex with him for the first time until after I had been taking the pills for two weeks.  He is the only sexual partner I have ever had vaginal sex with. I think my chances of pregnancy are very low, but I am still nervous about not having a period. I am wondering if it is common for a woman to skip a peri  od altogether after her first month ever of taking birth control?

 

A:

It is not unusual for women to have a very light or no bleeding when they are taking birth control pills. Particularly on a moderate dose of estrogen, such as is in Sprintec.

You are cautious and this quite significantly reduces your risk of pregnancy (you waited until the pills were completely effective after 2 weeks, you are taking the pills punctually, and are using condoms as back up). No combination of methods can be 100% effective against pregnancy, but you are very close to 100% covered.

It is not terribly expensive to take home pregnancy tests (though most tests are not accurate for 10 days after conception), we charge $5 here for such a test in the clinic. You may occasionally choose to use such a test until you get in to a routine with your new pill.

If it is too anxiety provoking  for you to have no bleeding month after month, you may wish to discuss with your provider, a change in prescription to a different pill (less estrogen dosing). Usually we do not recommend a prescription change until after 3 cycles of a particular pill.

~The Doc