What Pill Do You Take If You Miss a Period
- Missed Period Pills are supposed to make your period start if your period is late. One of several reasons for a missed period could be pregnancy.
- Missed Period Pills contain the same ingredients as abortion pills: mifepristone and misoprostol. These would cause an abortion in case of a pregnancy.
- Because pregnancy is neither confirmed nor ruled out before being offered the Missed Period Pill, women don’t know whether they might have an ectopic pregnancy.
This article provides information regarding Missed Period Pills, how they work, their active ingredients, possible side effects, and more.
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What are Missed Period Pills?
What Are the Active Ingredients of Missed Period Pills?
How Does the Missed Period Pill Work?
What Are the Side Effects of the Missed Period Pill?
Other Medical Concerns
What Are the Emotional Concerns in Using the Missed Period Pill?
Common Reasons for a Missed Period
Where Do I Go from Here?
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What Are Missed Period Pills?
Maybe your period is late, and you wonder: How can I get my period back? Perhaps you fear that a pregnancy might be the reason for your late period. And now you are wondering whether you should get the Missed Period Pill.
Missed Period Pills are drugs that can be prescribed to women who have missed a period and fear they could be pregnant. A possible pregnancy is neither ruled out nor confirmed before taking the pills. Therefore, the Missed Period Pill can act as an abortion pill, causing all uterine contents, including the embryo, to be expelled. This onset of abortion bleeding can seem like one's normal menstrual period has resumed.
What Are the Active Ingredients of Missed Period Pills?
Missed Period Pills contain mifepristone and misoprostol. These are the same active ingredients found in the abortion pill. Mifepristone blocks the effects of the hormone progesterone, which is essential for maintaining a pregnancy. Misoprostol causes contractions accompanied by cramping and bleeding. This expels the contents of the uterus.
How Does the Missed Period Pill Work?
The term “Missed Period Pill” is misleading, giving the impression that the pill will simply trigger one's period to resume after a missed period. While this drug will cause period-like bleeding, this may not be menstrual bleeding. If a pregnancy is the reason for a missed period, the Missed Period Pill would trigger an abortion. The woman taking this drug would not be able to tell the difference.
What Are the Side Effects of the Missed Period Pill?
The Missed Period Pill contains hormone-disrupting drugs aimed at pregnancy termination. It is important to consider whether the exposure is worth the risks and side effects, especially when possibly not pregnant or not intending an abortion.
Side effects of the Missed Period Pill that may need medical attention include:
- Heavy vaginal bleeding
- Abdominal pain/cramps
- Dizziness, chills, or hot flashes
- Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
- Increased or reduced heart rate
- Infections
Heavy bleeding may necessitate a curettage or blood transfusion. For this reason, the Missed Period Pill should only be used under medical supervision and near an emergency room.
- For more information, go to Risks and Side Effects of a Medical Abortion
Other Medical Concerns
Using the Missed Period Pill while dealing with certain medical issues may have adverse effects. Please talk to your doctor if:
- you have an IUD. This would have to be removed before proceeding
- you are on medications that exacerbate bleeding, such as steroids or blood thinners (anticoagulants)
- you have heart, liver, or kidney concerns
- you have a history of hemorrhaging
- you are anemic
- you have a known allergy to mifepristone or misoprostol
- you have or suspect an ectopic pregnancy
Understanding what is happening in your body is vital for recognizing when medical intervention is needed. A home pregnancy test will help you gain certainty about a possible pregnancy.
Receiving an ultrasound before taking the Missed Period Pill would also confirm your pregnancy status and help you discern whether you are experiencing an ectopic pregnancy, i.e., a pregnancy outside the uterus. The cramping experienced while using the Missed Period Pill would mask the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy, delaying medical intervention.
What Are the Emotional Concerns in Using the Missed Period Pill?
A pregnancy cannot be terminated without the woman's informed consent. This is not the case with the Missed Period Pill since it is unclear whether the woman is pregnant. She is in the dark regarding what the pills are conducting in her body.
Waiving the need for informed consent may initially seem as if this relieves the woman from having to make a difficult decision. But this also removes her right to choose. Every woman is entitled to a free choice based on receiving adequate information. She deserves to be confident and informed in her pregnancy decisions.
Taking the Missed Period Pill is accompanied by a lack of closure as to whether an abortion has occurred. This unanswered question might afflict women later. Someone who has taken the Missed Period Pill may experience the complex emotions associated with pregnancy termination even without having been pregnant at the time.
Common Reasons for a Missed Period
The female body is a complex organism that can be easily affected by diet, health, environment, or mood changes. Even if your period tends to be regular, fluctuations are common and may account for your late period.
An appointment with your doctor can allow you to better understand your body, fertility, and menstrual cycle. Your medical provider can also help you discern underlying health issues that could cause your missed period. Longer menstrual cycles may be due to PCOS or endometriosis.
Maybe you are on birth control and have missed a period. This does not necessarily mean you are pregnant. You can read about other possible reasons by going to:
Where Do I Go from Here?
If you recently missed your period, it would be understandable for you to be overwhelmed by your current situation and the fear that you might be pregnant. Take a deep breath and choose not to rush. Time is in your favor. Should your period be late because of a surprise pregnancy, you probably still have many weeks before a decision needs to be made.
Perhaps you have been trying to block out any concerns associated with a possible pregnancy. Can you think of someone to confide in? Your lived experience matters because your life matters. Get the support and care you need to make an informed decision based on what you truly want.
We would love to walk this road with you. If your pregnancy is confirmed, allow us to be your sounding board as you discover the right path for you. You've got this!
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