Vaginal bleeding after taking birth control pills

Professional consultation article by Doctor Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

Emergency contraceptive pills or daily hormonal pills have side effects causing vaginal bleeding but it's painless and not cyclical. The next menstrual period will often also change due to the influence of hormones in the body.

Vaginal bleeding that is not due to menstruation is a phenomenon that almost all women experience at least once in their life. There are many causes of abnormal vaginal bleeding between cycles. However, below are the most common causes and are not considered too dangerous:
Pregnancy bleeding when the sperm meets the egg and implants Bleeding at the time of ovulation A little brown blood before menstruation Changes in hormone levels in the blood Stress and fatigue in life Effects of using contraceptive methods such as speculum, IUD... Effects of certain drugs (anticoagulants, oral contraceptives) ,...) Vaginal dryness Injury after violent sex. Besides the poor hormonal factors or minor damage mentioned above, bleeding between periods can also be a manifestation of some more worrisome reasons, such as:
Miscarriage Cervical ectropion Bowel , vaginitis Gynecological diseases .

2.1. Emergency contraception Using emergency contraception is a simple and quite effective method chosen by many people. Emergency contraceptive pills, if quality assurance, will be quite safe, but sometimes women will have vaginal bleeding after taking the pill.
Experts say that there are two good and bad reasons for bleeding after taking emergency contraception. The first is due to the side effects of the medication, which is not cause for concern. The second reason is the possibility of a woman having a miscarriage or having an ectopic pregnancy.
In a birth control pill will contain progestin or estrogen, these hormones work to thicken cervical mucus, thereby preventing egg and sperm from meeting to lead to fertilization. If you take a drug that contains both of these hormones, the effect is even greater. Emergency contraceptive pills often have some side effects but the duration does not last long, which can be listed as follows:
Abnormal bleeding between periods after taking the pill. Blood is brown or red. The amount and duration of bleeding depends on each case. Some women only show a little blood for 1-2 days, sometimes it's a lot and lasts a whole week. Nausea and dizziness Lower abdominal pain Diarrhea. Women do not need to be too worried when detecting vaginal bleeding as well as accompanying symptoms due to side effects of the drug. However, it should not be ignored if the abnormal manifestations appear more and more, the severity is gradually increasing and there is no sign of improvement after a few days. This case requires medical intervention, even emergency because it is quite dangerous.
2.2. Daily birth control pills

Applying a hormonal method of daily contraception is also very popular for most married women, including the following forms:
Daily oral tablet form Skin patch Implant form Injection form. Either way, the two main ingredients in hormonal birth control pills are estrogen and progesterone. In addition to effective contraception, hormonal contraception also causes some undesirable effects such as:
Weight gain, increased protein metabolism Blood clots blockage Change in liver function Vaginal bleeding but not pain. When using combined oral contraceptives in pill or patch form, it is possible for women to have irregular bleeding that occurs during the first 3 months. In the following months, vaginal bleeding will gradually stabilize and appear only during menstrual days.
For the injection form or the progesterone-only implant, there are usually bleeding disorders, bleeding that lasts longer than the menstrual cycle, or amenorrhea within the first 6 months of use. Therefore, before choosing a daily hormonal contraceptive, women must consult a specialist to minimize side effects when using long-term.

Vaginal bleeding after taking oral contraceptives is a condition that should not be too worried but should not be underestimated. Remember some of the following notes that will help you use birth control pills safely and rationally:
Do not abuse emergency contraceptive pills: If you take too much (more than 2 times a month), the drug will "stick" its effects. , causing unwanted pregnancy or long-term use will lead to infertility, infertility. Comply with the instructions for using the drug: Take the right dose at the right time and dose for each different drug to be effective. Vomiting after taking the drug: If vomiting occurs within 2 hours of taking the medicine, consult your doctor about taking an additional dose. Use another method of birth control: Emergency contraception does not last until the next time you have sex, so another method of contraception must be used to be safe. Pregnancy test: There is no such thing as a 100% effective birth control pill, to be sure, a girl should still take a pregnancy test when she detects signs of pregnancy or misses her period for a long time. Prevention of sexually transmitted diseases: Birth control pills will not help prevent gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis and genital herpes. Vaginal bleeding after taking emergency contraceptive pills is a common phenomenon and not too dangerous. You should consult your doctor about the right birth control pill for you before deciding to use it long-term. If abnormal vaginal bleeding is more severe and prolonged, it is necessary to immediately go to a gynecological clinic to find a solution in time.
Vinmec International General Hospital is highly appreciated in the field of obstetrics and gynecology thanks to the gathering of a team of leading specialists in the country, not only good in expertise but also rich in experience; system of equipment and modern facilities.
Especially at Vinmec, the security of customers' personal information is always focused, the hospital environment is civil and polite, helping women with difficult problems talking about obstetrics and gynecology when coming to Vinmec no longer feel feel apprehensive.