Since oral contraceptive methods appeared, they have attempted to reproduce a pattern of intakes identical to the average woman's menstrual cycle (28 days). After this period, a break in taking contraceptive pills has traditionally been recommended, with the belief that the uterus needed to be "cleaned" and that, therefore, it was advisable to menstruate once the cycle had finished. This deeply rooted cultural tradition is based on the conception of menstruation as synonymous with purification of the body, a thought without scientific basis but which laboratories wanted to take into account when determining the dosage of contraceptive pills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The fact that a woman does not have a period does not cause any kind of alteration in her body, either hormonally or fertilely. The problem lies in estrogen, the hormone that, together with progesterone, makes up the composition of contraceptive pills. In some women, estrogen can cause discomfort and increase the risk of thrombosis, a disease that causes a blood clot that in the worst case can break off and cause death. So is there an alternative to contraceptive pills that does not contain estrogen? Yes, intrauterine devices, also known as IUDs.<\/p>\n\n\n