Is it safe to use a cup, or to skip periods on the pill? Nobody in my family uses these.

Menstrual cups are safe when used as directed, and they are cheaper over time and better for heavy days than most alternatives. They need clean hands, boiling between cycles, and emptying within the interval the maker states. Using one does not affect virginity, fertility or anything about the hymen that matters medically.

Skipping the break on some hormonal methods, so that you have fewer or no bleeds, is also safe for most people and is something clinicians offer deliberately. The monthly bleed on a combined pill is a withdrawal bleed, not a period, and there is no medical need for it.

Whether either suits you depends on practical things — access to clean water and privacy for a cup, and which method you are on for the second. Neither is better than what you already use if what you use works.

Family and community norms around these are strong and are not the same as medical facts. You do not owe anyone an explanation for what you choose.

This cannot tell you whether skipping bleeds is right for your method or your history — that depends on which method you are on and why. It also cannot troubleshoot a cup that is uncomfortable, which usually means size or position.

• Can I skip the break on the method I am using, and how?
• Is there any reason a cup would not suit me?
• What should I do if I get bleeding between packets?

Remove a cup or tampon and seek care urgently for a sudden high fever with vomiting, a rash like sunburn, dizziness or confusion. That combination is rare and is treated as an emergency.