Medicines That Can Cause Changes in Menstrual Bleeding

Many prescription and nonprescription medicines can affect the menstrual cycle. A few examples are:

  • Anticoagulant medicines, such as aspirin and warfarin (such as Coumadin).
  • Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (for example, Advil or Motrin) and naproxen (for example, Aleve).
  • Hormonal forms of birth control, such as birth control pills, Depo-Provera injections, Implanon implants, and the levonorgestrel IUD (Mirena).
  • Hormone therapy.
  • Medicines used to treat cancer (chemotherapy).
  • Thyroid medicines.

If you are having changes in menstrual bleeding that you think may be related to medicine use:

  • Call the doctor who prescribed the medicine to determine whether this is an expected side effect of this medicine. An appointment may not be needed.
  • If you are taking a medicine not prescribed by a doctor, stop taking it. Call your doctor if you feel you need to keep taking the medicine or if you need help to control your symptoms after you stop the medicine.
By Healthwise Staff
Primary Medical Reviewer William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine
Last Revised June 20, 2011

Last Revised: June 20, 2011

Author: Healthwise Staff

Medical Review: William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine & H. Michael O'Connor, MD - Emergency Medicine

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