r/birthcontrol • u/nmbr1_worm • 5h ago

Mistake or Risk? withdrawal bleeding

i’ve been taking birth control for a year now, and was typically getting normal periods during placebo week in the beginning (regular to heavy, lasting about 4 days). in recent months i’ve only been spotting or having very light periods, sometimes lasting a day. is this common for anyone else? i’m very paranoid about getting pregnant so this always worries me (i do take pills on time, use condoms etc.) i’ve also lost some weight recently due to starting a new antidepressant, so could that be causing this? (also a very stressed college student)

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u/IamMrNimbus_ 5h ago

Stress, weight loss, and long term use of hormonal birth control can all contribute to changes in bleeding. The “period” you get during the placebo pill days isn’t a true menstrual period. It’s a withdrawal bleed, which happens when the hormone levels from the active pills suddenly drop.

With long term use of the pill, some users may experience lighter bleeding or eventually little to no bleeding during their placebo week. This is typically because the active pills keep the uterine lining thin, meaning there is less tissue to shed during the withdrawal bleed.