While in my early 20’s it wasn’t uncommon for my period to last seven full days. My period was relentless. I had such heavy menstrual bleeding that I had to change my tampon every two to three hours or run the risk of menstrual blood leaking onto my underwear and clothes. I used to set alarms on my phone at night during my period so that I could wake up and change my tampon.

In my second year of medical school I realized that this was soon to become an issue when I entered the hospital to continue my training toward becoming a physician. I was especially nervous for my surgery rotation, where I could be in the operating room for hours at a time, from as little as one hour to as many as 12 hours. I knew that my attending physician was not the understanding kind, and that I was expected to remain in the operating room for the entirety of the case to learn and assist. Leaving every two to three hours to change my tampon was not going to be an option.

So I thought, what are my options? Do I wear a pad with my tampon? Do I switch to an alternative menstrual product? Do I start on oral contraceptives? I decided to try oral contraceptives and it was the best decision I had ever made. My periods became shorter, lighter and less of a nuisance. I didn’t feel anxiety about my period interfering with my medical training anymore. I felt like I would be able to continue my education while providing the best care possible for my patients. If it weren’t for the freedom to make this choice or the option to obtain birth control, my medical education would have looked very different.