Let's face it--getting a period every month can be a nuisance. For many women willing to take hormonal birth control, the option of suppressing monthly menstruation is available. Although most experts agree that menstrual suppression is safe and monthly bleeding is not necessary, women interested in pursuing this option should discuss the advantages and disadvantages to decide which option is right for her.
Traditional Oral Contraceptives
Most doctors agree it is safe to use traditional oral contraceptive birth control pills to suppress menstrual periods, according to a 2003 survey conducted by the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. To do so, women simply continue taking the active pills of their birth control packages, which will keep their hormone levels steady and not cause the withdrawal bleeding that comes when taking the inactive pills.
Extended Cycle Oral Contraception
Birth control brands specifically designed for an extended menstrual cycle are also available. Instead of the traditional package of 21 days of active pills and seven days of inactive pills, many extended cycle oral contraceptive pill packages come with 84 active pills and seven inactive ones, explains the Mayo Clinic. This means women taking these types of birth control will experience a period only once every 84 days instead of once every 21 days. Some packages even come with 28 days of active pills to take on a regular basis, which eliminates the need for a period altogether.
Other Hormonal Contraception
Other hormonal contraceptive options also eliminate monthly bleeding for many women, according to the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals. The birth control shot, the birth control implant and a certain type of intrauterine device are options for women seeking to reduce the frequency of their periods. In addition, it may be possible to use the birth control patch and the birth control vaginal ring in a manner similar to continuous oral contraceptive to suppress periods, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved the use of these medications for this purpose yet.
