Some Women Say They Would 'Turn Off' Their Periods If They Could, But Is It Safe?

So, it begs the question: Is there a safe way to stop one’s menstruation? 

According to Dr. Alex Robles, board-certified OB-GYN and fertility blogger, turning off your period is not only safe but the easiest and safest way is the tried-and-true birth control pill. “If the pills are taken for 21 consecutive days with a seven-day placebo week, you will get your period at the end of the seven-day stretch, he says. "However, you can do an extended or continuous regimen in which you take an active pill for three months straight without using a placebo week. In this situation, you will not get your period aside from occasional spotting here and there.”

He continues, “In general, it is considered safe to delay your period for three months at a time—many birth control pills come as a three-month continuous supply. Long-term use may delay the time that it takes for your cycle and your endogenous hormones to get back to a normal pattern.”

Robles notes other more invasive methods that can also help “stop” menstruation. These methods include:

• Hormonal: Progestin intrauterine device (IUD)
• Implant: a small rod placed in your arm that secretes progesterone every day
• Depo-Provera shot: a one-time progesterone shot that can last up to three months

But what about the "cleansing" or purifying effect that menstruation has on our bodies? To that, Roble says, “As far as purifying, the medications are purposefully keeping your endometrium thin, so there isn’t a lining growing thicker in the uterus. As such, there isn’t much to shed, which is what naturally happens in a normal menstrual cycle.”

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