What is Post-Pill amenorrhoea – is it real?
A certain percentage of women who discontinue the combined oral contraceptive pill (OCP) will not get the immediate return of normal menstrual periods. Initially this was thought to be due to some persisting effect of the pill -hence the name “Post Pill Amenorrhoea”. This term has now been abandoned because the real reason for this lack of menstruation has been clarified. Long-term use of any contraceptive method by a group of women who initially have regular periods will be associated with some women gaining or losing weight [the commonest reason for menstrual disruption], developing thyroid dysfunction or a pituitary prolactinoma etc. Pill users who have these conditions do not manifest the lack of menstrual periods because the contraceptive steroids maintain menses until the combined OCP is stopped. Then, when the combined OCP is stopped, the lack of periods becomes apparent. Accordingly the absence of menstruation after the combined OCP is stopped should not be merely ascribed to a
