Does withdrawal bleeding mean contraception is successful?

Withdrawal bleeding mainly refers to a symptom that occurs after taking oral emergency contraceptive pills. It is a normal phenomenon and is also the withdrawal bleeding of successful contraception. However, it is not recommended for women to adopt this contraceptive method as the side effects are relatively large.

After taking birth control pills: Bleeding after taking emergency contraceptive pills is a common situation, which is clinically called withdrawal bleeding. In fact, this kind of bleeding is generally not considered as menstruation. Several situations of bleeding after taking emergency contraceptive pills: Women of childbearing age take emergency contraceptive pills at different times of the menstrual cycle, and the effects on menstruation will also be different. If taken in the first half of the menstrual cycle, it may interfere with women's menstruation and cause vaginal bleeding; if taken in the second half of the menstrual cycle, it will interfere less with women's menstruation. If the amount of bleeding is similar to normal menstrual flow, it can be treated as a menstrual period. Conventional contraceptive methods should be adopted immediately after the bleeding stops. If the amount of bleeding is small, no treatment is needed, but you still need to pay attention to contraception until the next menstruation.

(1) If menstruation occurs after progesterone injection (with withdrawal bleeding) , it means: ① The uterus is normal and the endometrium has a normal response. ② The ovaries secrete a certain amount of estrogen, which causes the endometrium to proliferate. ③ The functions of the central nervous system and hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary have been basically established, but ovulation is not yet possible, such as some patients with amenorrhea due to immature hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis and polycystic ovary syndrome.

(2) If menstruation does not occur after progesterone injection (except for physiological pregnancy, etc.) , it means: ① The uterus may be abnormal. ② Insufficient ovarian estrogen secretion causes the endometrium to fail to proliferate and thus cannot shed and bleed. ③ Pseudo-amenorrhea caused by congenital atresia of cervix and vagina. Further examination is needed to determine the exact cause.

(3) Withdrawal bleeding is also called "substitute menstruation" and is the same as menstruation. It is called substitute menstruation because the bleeding days are controlled by medication instead of being calculated according to normal schedule. The next menstruation can be calculated as a menstruation based on this replacement menstruation, and the next menstruation will be based on this time.

(4) It is best not to have sex during menstruation as it is bad for women’s health. The 3 days before menstruation and the 3 days after menstruation are relatively safe periods, but it is still best to take safety measures. It is better to be safe than sorry. The chance of conception is not high, but it is not zero. It is recommended to use safe measures if possible, and don’t be impatient and regret it!