Put a (Nuva)Ring On it!

Medically reviewed by Sophia Yen, MD, MPH – Written by Carmiya Baskin and Pandia Health’s writing team.

Put a (Nuva)Ring On It! (or use the pill, patch) Don’t bleed on your wedding day or special occasion!

Ahhh wedding season. Fancy dresses, endless cocktails, and relatives forcing you to pose for just one more photo. Oh, and you know that one aunt that you can’t stand but who shows up to every family event whether she is invited or not? Yeahhhh, you know the one. Well, what if there was a way to ensure this particular relative stays away for the day? For many women, Aunt Flo is the one guest you hope to never have to deal with on your wedding day whether you are the bride, a bridesmaid, or a guest. The best way to prevent bleeding on your wedding day is by being on hormonal birth control. Click here to learn about hormonal birth control options to make #PeriodsOptional for your wedding, honeymoon, bridal shower, bachelorette party and more!

TLDR: You can use the birth control pill, patch, or ring to prevent your period/bleeding on your special occasion.

If you’re already on the pill, patch, ring, just SKIP the placebo/bleeding week and go straight into your next pack, patch, or for the ring, just keep it in for 1 more week and start a new ring immediately. (The ring has 35 days of medicine in it.)

If you are not on hormonal contraception currently, consider starting hormonal contraception (pill, patch, ring) at least 3 months before your special occasion to let your body get used to it and to find the one that works best for you. 

If you are less than 1 month away from your wedding, you can ask a doctor to prescribe norethindrone 5mg, 3 times a day starting 3 days before your anticipated period/bleed date and keep it going until you can bleed e.g. after your honeymoon if your honeymoon is immediately after your wedding. However, side effects include: bloating 1-2 lbs, low sex drive, upset stomach.

You can use Pandia Health’s expert birth control doctors for any of the above. Sign up now at https://www.pandiahealth.com

 

However, if you are not on any form of hormonal contraception, there are still ways to make sure you have a spectacular time!

If possible, schedule your wedding day so it doesn’t coincide with your time of the month. Obviously, this is a lot easier said than done, especially for folks who have irregular periods. So, what happens if you find yourself getting married when your period arrives? For starters, take your usual remedy to ease your cramps and wear a tampon or a menstrual cup; the latter is a reusable period product that collects blood instead of absorbing it and can be used for up to 12 hours without emptying. This means you can insert the cup before you put your wedding dress on and forget about it until after you take it off. Cool, right?  Dr. Sophia Yen (our CEO/Co-Founder) also says you can take ibuprofen 600 mg up to 3 times a day WITH FOOD, for up to 5 days and that should decrease the blood by 30%. Make sure you do NOT do this if you are allergic ibuprofen or have kidney issues or gastric ulcers.

These are backup methods in case you don’t have time to adjust to a form of birth control.

On average, it takes at least 3 months to test out the hormonal birth control method that works best for you; your menstrual cycle may also change during this time meaning: your period may go away or become a shorter cycle and lighter flow. The good news? If you begin taking the pill before your wedding, your period will most likely be light. If you want to skip your period completely, simply start your next cycle of birth control pills and skip the placebo or sugar pills. (Check out Pandia’s #PeriodsOptional page to learn more!)

Now, let’s get to the juicy part of why it’s important to be on birth control ESPECIALLY on your wedding day: sex. If there is any possibility that you could become pregnant during sex, take birth control! If you’re not on birth control, be sure to have some emergency contraception on hand. Pandia Health recommends Ella because it is the most effective form of emergency contraception by pill and it works up to 5 days after unprotected sex. BUT it becomes less effective with each passing hour so try to take it sooner rather than later. IMPORTANT: emergency contraception does NOT protect against STIs (Sexually Transmitted Infections like HIV, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Herpes Simplex Virus, HPV, etc) so be sure to use a condom (if there’s a penis involved) no matter what!

You probably don’t want to deal with pregnancy symptoms whether it’s your wedding or your best friend’s your sister’s —  fatigue, nausea, and a rapidly changing body is a big no no! If you’ve got the time to figure out a form of contraception that works for you, start sooner rather than later. You might get some initial breakthrough bleeding as your body adjusts to the hormones but you may also experience clearer skin and less facial hair.

Ultimately, weddings can be stressful. If you’re freaking out about all of the things that still need to get done, TAKE A DEEP BREATH. Everything is going to work out and the ceremony will be magical no matter what. If you’re concerned about not being on birth control on your wedding day, Pandia Health can get you set up with a method that works for you in minutes! The company hosts a wonderful team of doctors who are available to chat online 24/7 and ensure confidentiality, convenience, and care.

Join the Pandia Health community as you begin this new chapter in your life. Sign up for our FREE delivery, automatic refill, and annual reminder to see your prescriber services today! Cheers!

Frequently Asked Questions

The above information is for general informational purposes only and is NOT a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor/primary care provider before starting or changing treatment.