Thanks for your question. Since there are many types of birth control pills, you should check with your health care provider (HCP) first, to make sure it is safe for you to skip the “inactive” or placebo pills, as some types may contain iron. In general, it is safe for women who take combined (estrogen and progesterone) oral contraception pills (birth control pills) to skip the placebo pills and start a new pack of pills right away; however, some women may have spotting during this time.
If you prefer not to have monthly periods, you might want to talk to your health care provider about taking continuous birth control pills or perhaps using long acting reversible contraception (LARC) or an IUD such as the Mirena. Either way, it’s always best to talk to your HCP before making any medication changes. Also, it’s important to remember that birth control pills do not protect against STIs such as chlamydia or HIV—only condoms or not having sex do that.
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