Hey ladies! You know, that not-so-adorable monthly visitor we often refer to as Aunt Flo? Well, I have some groundbreaking news: you might not need her visits at all! My recent chat with a neurologist made me dive deep into my turbulent history with my period. From grade school Rorschach tests (read: unfortunate stain incidents) to backpacks crammed with maxi pads that could double as water skis, Aunt Flo and I have had quite the journey.
In my high school days, my period was like a high-drama reality TV show complete with back spasms, cold sweats, and cramps that hit harder than a Mariah Carey high note. Come to my mid-thirties, migraines became the newest cast member of my monthly reality show. Eventually, in a plot twist straight out of a medical drama, my neurologist suggested that I could eliminate my period altogether to possibly say goodbye to these migraines.
Period elimination or “menstrual suppression”, while it may sound like something out of a sci-fi flick, is very much a real and doable process. It involves stepping into the controversial sphere of hormonal birth control, specifically the Pill, patch, or ring. Here’s a quick Bio 101 lesson: these birth control methods give our bodies synthetic versions of progesterone and estrogen. Imagine these hormones as bouncers for the exclusive Club Uterus, making sure no fresh eggs are released and strengthening the uterine lining to stop any sneaky sperm from getting past the velvet ropes.
When an egg is left without fertilization, our hormonal bouncers clock out, causing a dip in progesterone and estrogen levels, leading to our dear Aunt Flo. The key to keeping her at bay is skipping this hormonal plunge through continuous birth control. This could be a game-changer for women battling various conditions like asthma, endometriosis, diabetes, depression, and more.
Now, if you’re not looking to hatch any eggs, why bleed, right? In the words of Dr. Sophia Yen, CEO and co-founder of Pandia Health, the regular menstruation that we experience is quite a modern construct. With the help of contraceptives, women today go through around 350 to 400 periods in their lifetime. Compare this to the colonial times when women had about eight children and spent long periods nursing.
As Dr. Yen says, “How many periods do you have when you’re pregnant? Zero. How many periods do you have when you’re exclusively breastfeeding? Zero.” Fun fact, our colonial ancestors probably only had around 100 periods throughout their fertile years. This means that in comparison, we’re practically menstruating champs!
Historical records aside, there’s also scientific evidence suggesting that less frequent menstruation could potentially reduce the risk of reproductive cancers. Ladies, we need to ask ourselves why we’re “building and sloughing” when it’s potentially causing harm and we’re not aiming for motherhood.
Interestingly, it seems that the placebo week in the birth control cycle was designed to reassure women that their menstrual cycle was normal. The creators of the modern birth control pill even argued that it could be used to emulate a woman’s natural cycle. So, in essence, we might be clinging to Aunt Flo for no real reason, and she might be doing us more harm than good.
Period elimination could also help women and girls overcome physical challenges that might hold them back. Dr. Yen raises the question, “Is your young person going to do better on finals bleeding or not bleeding? At soccer, bleeding or not bleeding? At her Olympic swim meet, bleeding or not bleeding?” Food for thought, isn’t it?
We’ve seen strides in the right direction with long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) like IUDs and implants that either eliminate or lighten periods. However, even though the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) endorses LARCs, many women who are perfect candidates are not offered this option. Ladies, let’s change that narrative!
Finally, your journey towards eliminating your period is a personal one. For me, it took a long list of unsuccessful attempts before my doctor suggested period elimination. It was another couple of years of trial and error with different birth control options before I could wave goodbye to Aunt Flo. Today, I can happily report that while I’m still on my quest to banish migraines completely, the biggest headache of my life – my period – is a thing of the past.
So, next time you find yourself drowning in a sea of maxi pads, remember, there’s a whole other avenue waiting to be explored. Let’s rethink our relationship with Aunt Flo and consider whether it’s high time we stopped her monthly visits.
