You mention that your friend is using the Pill to “regulate her cycle.” She should know that technically the birth control pill does not do this. It may give what appears to be a regular cycle, but it is actually causing her to have a “withdrawal bleed” rather than a regular menstruation.

Here’s how it works: You’ll notice in most packages of birth control pills that some of the pills are of a different color. These are called sugar, blank, or placebo pills. Unlike the other pills, they contain no hormones. When the hormones are withdrawn from a woman’s body, it begins to return to normal, and her period resumes. If she never took the sugar pills but instead continued with a new pack of pills, her period would not return. But the scientists who invented the birth control pill figured that women would be more likely to use it if they still felt as if they were having their monthly period.[1] So they threw in the empty pills. The woman on the Pill is not having a normal cycle. Her body thinks that it’s pregnant three weeks of the month. She returns to normal for a week and then resumes the chemical pregnancy for three more weeks.

Various forms of hormonal birth control are often prescribed to treat a variety of conditions, such as endometriosis, ovarian cysts, irregular cycles, and painful cramps. However, many doctors feel that the pill is being overprescribed to treat ailments that can be healed in other ways. One such physician is Dr. Thomas Hilgers, who can be reached through www.naprotechnology.com or by calling 1-402-390-6600. However, his practice is located in Nebraska. To find a doctor closer to you, call Dr. Hilgers and speak to his nurses about the options for you. If you are a teen, share this information with your parents, so that you can make an informed decision together with them about your health care choices.

If a woman is using the Pill for medical reasons, she should be fully informed of its side effects, risks, and potential alternatives. For more information on the birth control pill, click here.