I am going to visit my boyfriend over spring break and I’m suppose to have my period through the beginning of the week. I am on Mircette and wonder if it is possible to skip my period altogether by jumping to the next set of pills right away? I am afraid that I will get my period anyway, since this has happened to some girls I know and their period lasted longer than normal. I’ve been on the pill for 3-4 months, and it is not a “phasic” type. So should I be okay? Or is spotting/getting your period still probable/possible?

Although we have already had spring break, this question is asked by many students on birth control pills and merits a response. Whether you are going on a vacation, celebrating a special event, traveling to an exotic or remote place, or participating in an extended physical activity, sometimes having your period, or menstruating, can be very inconvenient. If you are using Mircette and wish to avoid having your period altogether you can skip the fourth week of pills and go right to the new pack and begin again. This will prevent the lining of the uterus from sloughing off and you will not get your period. This cannot be done with birth control pills that are not mono-phasic. Mircette claims that bleeding and spotting between periods is minimal when using that pill. Unlike other birth control pills, the fourth week of pills in the Mircette pack are not all placebos. The first two are inactive, but the last five have small amounts of estrogen. This estrogen helps to diminish any nausea one might experience upon restarting the pill and may diminish headaches when going off the pill. So, when taking all four weeks of Mircette be sure to take the fourth week, too. You should be aware however, that when beginning any birth control pill there is a possibility of bleeding and spotting within the first three-four months. After that your body should be adjusted to the pill and no spotting in between periods should occur. Taking vitamin C close to the time of taking the pill can interfere with effectiveness of the pill and spotting can occur. If you take vitamin C do so at least four hours before or after taking your pill. Remember to take your pill at the same time every day to minimize breakthrough bleeding and use a condom to prevent sexually transmitted infections.