During the week-long break from taking the pill, the monthly blood flow is not the same as “natural” menstruation. The latter is a sign of reproductive health because it means that the uterus is able to prepare for a possible pregnancy each month. On the other hand, when female hormones are taken with hormonal contraceptives, the flow that occurs during the break from taking the pill is not a real menstruation (pseudo-menstruation), but rather a way to give the woman the appearance of a harmonic cycle that is similar to the physiological one. In theory, but also in practice, the contraceptive could be taken on an ongoing basis. In fact, there are pills that you take every day that do not include a pause during which a monthly cycle occurs. These are called extended regimen pills, and will be discussed in other answers.
