Is It Safe to Skip Your Period? Birth Control & Cancer Risk | Dr. Sophia Yen

Is it safe to skip your period? Dr. Sophia Yen makes the case that for many teens and women it is, and that the long-term benefits may include a significantly lower risk of ovarian cancer.

In honor of Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, we're re-sharing one of our most-talked about episodes. Dr. Suzanne Allen and Dr. Annalise Caron talk with Dr. Sophia Yen, a board-certified pediatrician and adolescent medicine specialist, about menstrual suppression, the medical option to reduce or eliminate periods with hormonal birth control, and her "Periods Optional" approach.

Dr. Yen frames menstrual suppression as a risk-benefit decision and explains why she believes the benefits outweigh the risks for many women. She discusses her perspective that fewer lifetime menstrual cycles may reduce the risk of ovarian, endometrial, and colorectal cancers, noting that five years of pill, patch, or ring use can lower ovarian cancer risk by roughly half. She also addresses the small increase in breast cancer risk associated with hormonal contraception.

The conversation extends beyond cancer risk to the day-to-day impact of menstruation, including heavy bleeding, missed school, anemia, and the stress of unpredictable cycles. Dr. Yen explains how stable hormone levels may benefit acne and other health conditions, and she addresses common myths, including whether hormonal birth control affects future fertility.

For parents, this is a clear, evidence-informed starting point for a conversation with your daughter and her doctor.

You'll learn:

- What menstrual suppression is and why Dr. Yen calls periods "optional"

- How periods relate to anemia, and what Dr. Yen says about cancer risk

- Whether birth control affects fertility later

- Who should not use estrogen-containing birth control, including those with a blood clot history or migraine with aura

- Why estrogen dose matters for teen bone health

- When starting may make sense, and why timing depends on how heavy periods are and how much growing a teen has left

Episode highlights:

00:00 – The Real Reason Women Have Monthly Periods

02:32 – What If Periods Could Be Optional?

04:10 – To Bleed or Not to Bleed: Understanding the Risk–Benefit Balance

05:03 – Periods and Cancer Risk: Ovarian, Endometrial & Colorectal

07:32 – Menstruation and Anemia: A Common Connection

11:04 – Does Birth Control Make It Harder to Get Pregnant Later?

14:02 – How Birth Control Pills Can Support Fertility and Hormonal Health

15:07 – When Birth Control Pills Aren't Recommended

17:50 – The Unexpected Benefits of Making Periods Optional

20:00 – Dr. Yen's Algorithm for Choosing the Right Birth Control Pill

22:53 – Why Estrogen Plays a Key Role in Bone Health

26:49 – When to Consider Birth Control as a Health Tool

For more on #PeriodsOptional, watch Dr. Yen's TEDx Talk, "Making Periods Optional":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ7-_MOjEeY

You can also follow Dr. Yen on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, or connect with her company Pandia Health (where you can access the birth control algorithm):

https://www.pandiahealth.com/about/

https://www.instagram.com/pandiahealth/

https://www.tiktok.com/@drsophiayen

https://www.facebook.com/pandiahealth/

https://twitter.com/pandiahealth

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🌐 Visit https://drscaronandallen.com/ to listen and learn more.

DISCLAIMER: The Parenting Pair Podcast is designed for informational and educational purposes only. Do not rely on the information presented in this podcast as a substitute or replacement for professional (psychological or medical) advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have concerns about your or a family member's well-being, please contact a licensed mental health professional or physician.

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