Key points
- The oral contraceptive pill (the pill) is a daily tablet that contains hormones similar to what the body makes.
- There are two main types of contraceptive pills: the combined pill and the progestogen-only pill.
- Young people take the pill for many reasons, such as preventing pregnancy, making their periods lighter, and reducing period pain.
- The pill is safe for young people. It will not affect their future fertility.
- People can use the pill to skip (purposely miss) their period.
What is the oral contraceptive pill?
The oral contraceptive pill (the pill) is a daily tablet that contains hormones similar to what the body’s reproductive system makes.
There are many reasons why young people may take the pill, such as:
- Preventing pregnancy
- Making their periods lighter
- Reducing period pain'
- Clearing acne
- Regulating their periods.
How does the pill work?
The pill works by controlling the menstrual cycle.
There are two main types of oral contraceptive pills. People often call both types ‘the pill.’
- Combined pill: Contains the hormones oestrogen and progestogen.
- Progestogen-only pill: Contains only the hormone progestogen.
Most young people prescribed the pill take the combined pill.
Oestrogen and progestogen work to:
- Stop the ovaries from releasing eggs
- Thicken the cervical mucus (gel-like discharge)
- Thin the uterus lining.
Benefits of the pill
The pill is great at preventing pregnancy and making periods lighter, but it has many other health benefits.
Scientific evidence shows the pill reduces the risk of:
- ovarian cancer, bowel cancer, and endometrial cancer
- breast cysts and ovarian cysts
- iron deficiency and anaemia (low red blood cell count)
- getting fibroids (lumps of extra muscle on the uterus)
- endometriosis.
On top of this, the pill can help to:
- protect bone strength
- clear hormonal acne.
Facts about the pill
There is a lot of misinformation online about the pill and other types of hormonal contraception.
The truth is that:
- All the pills available today have low doses of hormones compared to those sold years ago.
- The pill will not ruin your young person’s natural hormone balance or affect their future fertility.
- When a person stops taking the pill, their body will start making its own hormones again.
- It is safe to be on the pill for a long period of time.
- There is no need to take a break from the pill every few years.
Why do young people skip periods?
Young people may skip (purposely stop) periods if they:
- Get intense period pain or other symptoms, such as headaches
- Have heavy periods
- Want to avoid their period during life events, such as sports competitions
- Struggle to manage their periods
- Have other health conditions that flare up with their period, such as asthma, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or mental health problems
- Experience gender dysphoria – a feeling of distress about a difference between their gender identity and their sex assigned at birth.
Some people do not want to have periods, and that is okay, too.
How can my young person skip periods with the pill?
It is safe and easy for young people to skip their period with the pill. If your young person wants to skip their period, the key is to make sure they know how each pill pack works.
What is in a pill pack?
In Australia, most pill packs include 28 tablets – the same number of days in an average menstrual cycle.
- 21 or 24 of these tablets will be ‘active’; this means they contain hormones
- When your young person takes these tablets, they will not usually get a period.
- 4 or 7 of these tablets will be ‘inactive’; this means they do not contain hormones
- When your young person takes these tablets, their hormone levels fall, and their period usually starts a few days later.
- Inactive tablets are only in the pack to help people stay in the habit of taking a pill every day.
- You may have heard inactive pills called ‘sugar pills.’
The active and inactive pills will be clearly marked on the pack.
To skip a period, your young person just needs to leave the inactive pills and keep taking the active pills continuously.
The first month on the pill
When your young person first starts taking the pill, their body needs time to get used to the hormones. It may be easiest for them to take the inactive (sugar) pills and bleed for their first month on the pill. If they try to skip their period, they may
bleed anyway.
Your young person should speak with their doctor if they keep bleeding after the first month on the pill when they do not expect to. The doctor may suggest changing to another pill.
Breakthrough bleeding and spotting
If your young person tries to skip a period and still gets some bleeding, this is called breakthrough bleeding. Very light bleeding is called spotting. Both breakthrough bleeding and spotting are completely normal, and more common after first starting
the pill.
Is it safe for my young person to skip periods with the pill?
It is perfectly safe for your young person to skip periods with the pill. Skipping periods will not make the blood back up inside their uterus or cause long-term hormone problems. There is no need to ‘flush out’ the uterus either.
People often naturally skip periods at different times in their life. For example, during pregnancy or while breastfeeding, the body does not usually bleed.
Important advice about taking the pill
It is a good idea to learn about the pill your young person takes, so you can support them. This could mean reminding them to take it each day or helping them to fill their prescription.
The following advice applies to most pills:
- Your young person needs to tell their doctor which medicines and supplements they take before they start the pill.
- Some medicines and supplements impact how the pill works.
- It is best for your young person to take the pill around the same time every day.
- They could set an alarm or reminder if they are likely to forget.
- If your young person forgets a pill, they should take it as soon as they remember – even if this means taking two pills on the same day.
- There is no risk of overdose with an extra pill.
- Taking the pill more than 12 hours late may mean that it does not work as well to prevent pregnancy.
- They are more likely to get breakthrough bleeding if they miss a pill or take it late.
- Vomiting or bad diarrhoea within two hours of taking a pill can stop it from working, as the body may not have absorbed it yet.
- They should treat this as a missed pill and take another one.
Possible side effects of the pill in young people
There are some possible side effects of the pill in young people.
- Almost all young people feel nauseated and have headaches for the first week or so after starting a new pill.
- These effects are common with starting many new medicines.
- Breakthrough bleeding – especially in the first few months of taking the pill.
- Other effects from the hormones, such as mood changes, tender breasts, or increased appetite.
- All hormones can cause side effects – whether the body makes them or they come in the pill.
- The only way to know if your young person will have side effects from hormones is for them try and see how they react.
- Blood clots (thick clumps of blood) can form in the blood vessels of the veins, lungs, and brain.
- These clots are rare in people who do not use the pill and only slightly more common in those who do.
Most side effects should fade over time. It is important for your young person to speak with their doctor if they have ongoing side effects, as they may be better suited to pill with different hormones.
The first pill they try may not be right, but there are many options.
Common questions about skipping periods with the pill
Does my young person need my permission to start taking the pill?
If your young person is over 16, they can consent to medical treatment, including contraceptives, without you. If they are 14 or older, they can consent to contraceptives if a doctor decides they are a ‘mature minor.’ This means they believe your
young person understands how to use the pill and can make informed decisions about their health.
There is no legal age limit for the pill.
Is it safe for anyone who gets periods to take the pill?
The pill is a safe option for most people who get periods, but it is not suitable for those with a history of blood clots, liver problems, high blood pressure, serious heart conditions, and some types of migraine. Your young person’s doctor will
review their medical history before prescribing the pill to make sure it is safe for them.
Why has my young person had mood swings since starting the pill?
Some young people will have mood changes when they start the pill. For example, they may feel grumpy or sad for no reason. This may be due to the type of progestogen in the pill they are taking. If the mood changes do not seem to get better over
time, your young person may be better to try another pill with a different type of progestogen.
What should my young person do if they get spotting or breakthrough bleeding when skipping their period?
If your young person has light bleeding or spotting that lasts for two or three days, they should keep taking the active hormone pills. However, if the bleeding continues for more than three or four days, or it is moderate to heavy, they should
take a four-day break from the active hormone pills. After four days, they can start taking the active pills again.
If your young person often gets spotting or breakthrough bleeding, they should speak with their doctor. There is probably another pill that will work better for them.
My young person always forgets to take the pill. What should I suggest?
Your young person could try setting an alarm or reminder if they often forget to take the pill. It may help them to take the pill at the same time as another daily task, such as brushing their teeth.
If this does not work and your young person takes the pill late most days, the pill may not be the best option for their needs. Your young person’s doctor can suggest other options, based on their reasons for taking the pill.
Will the pill affect my young person’s future fertility?
Your young person’s fertility will not be affected by taking the pill – whether they regularly skip periods or not.
Is it bad for my young person’s health to skip most periods?
It is not bad for your young person’s health to skip most periods. In fact, some people feel their overall health and wellbeing is better without having periods so often.
Your young person can safely skip their period with the pill as often as they want. They may get some breakthrough bleeding; this is not a problem for their health, but it can be annoying. It may help to have a period once every few months.
If your young person is not sure how to manage breakthrough bleeding on the pill, they should speak with their doctor for advice.
For more information
Developed by The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) Gynaecology department, with input from the Kids and Teens Pelvic Pain Clinical Network multidisciplinary team. We acknowledge the input of RCH consumers and carers.
Reviewed August 2026
Please always seek the most recent advice from a registered and practising clinician.