How to Delay Your Period

Some women want to delay their period for a holiday, exams, or a special event. This is safe to do so, if you have spoken to your doctor. You can delay your period with the combined oral contraceptive pill, or with period delay tablets. While there are natural remedies for delaying your period, there is no evidence to show that they work or are effective.

Medications that can delay your period

Period delay tablets are the first method we recommend if you do not usually take the combined oral contraceptive pill, or use the patch or ring. They contain the active ingredient norethisterone, which can also be found under the brand name Utovlan. You will take 1 tablet, 3 times a day, starting 3 days before your period is due to start.

If combined hormonal contraception or norethisterone are not suitable for you, your doctor may suggest an alternative medication called medroxyprogesterone acetate which can be found under the brand name, Provera. Though it’s not what the medication was originally licensed for, it can be an effective period delay medication which is widely prescribed in the UK.

Another way you can delay your period is by taking the combined oral contraceptive pill back-to-back. By doing this, you don’t have a pill free break where you have a breakthrough bleed which delays your period. This only applies if you use a monophasic pill. If you use the combined contraceptive patch or ring you can also use these to delay your period by starting the next patch or ring immediately instead of having a 7 day break.

Natural remedies

There are no natural remedies to delay your period that we advise, as there is no scientific evidence that any of natural remedies are effective.

Period delay tablets contain the active ingredient norethisterone, which belongs to a group of medications called progestogens. You may find these tablets under the branded name of Utovlan. Period delay tablets may not be suitable for you if you have a higher risk of blood clots or due to other factors in your medical history e.g. liver disease. You should always check with a doctor to make sure period delay medication is safe for you to take.

How does norethisterone work?

When you have your period, your levels of progesterone fall causing the lining of your womb to shed, which causes the bleed you experience. Norethisterone is a synthetic form of progesterone so when you take it, the lining of your womb doesn’t shed and you delay your period until you stop taking it. Your period should start between 2 and 4 days after finishing your treatment. Speak to your doctor if your period does not start again after 4 days.

How effective is norethisterone?

Studies have found that norethisterone is effective in delaying periods. This does not mean it will work for every woman, as all medications work differently from person to person. Some women may get some breakthrough bleeding.

How long can I safely delay my period with norethisterone?

Your doctor will tell you how long you can use norethisterone to delay your period. Usually, you can take norethisterone for up to 30 days, including the 3 days before your period is due to start. You should not take norethisterone for longer than your doctor has prescribed.

Can I use norethisterone as contraception?

No, norethisterone is not a form of contraception. This means you should still use another form of contraception, like a condom or a progesterone only contraceptive or the copper coil.

Yes, you can delay your period with the contraceptive pill, but only if you take a combined pill. If you are not sure whether you are on the combined pill, or the progestogen-only pill, speak to your doctor or pharmacist. If you are on the combined pill, you can take 2 packets of your pill back-to-back to delay your period, but some women do experience some breakthrough bleeding.

How the contraceptive pill can delay your period

Periods occur when the lining of the womb breaks down and sheds every month after an egg is released. The contraceptive pill contains hormones that prevent the lining of the womb from breaking down, which stops you from having a period.

When you take the combined contraceptive, you usually have a week break between packs which can cause bleeding similar to a period. This is known as a “withdrawal bleed”. Taking the pill without a break between packets stops this bleeding from happening.

Can I delay my period with the combined pill?

Yes, but only if the combined pill is safe and suitable for you to take, and you have been taking it for several weeks before you want to delay your period.

If you need to delay your period soon, but you’re not currently taking the combined pill or it’s not suitable for you, a period delay tablet may be the right choice for you.

If you do not currently take the combined pill but would also like to explore it as contraception, you should speak to your doctor to check if it is suitable for you or complete a contraceptive consultation with Superdrug Online Doctor.

How to take the combined pill to delay my period

To delay your period with the combined pill, you must take 2 packets back-to-back. This will prevent your period until you take your next break between packs.

How long can I delay my period with the combined pill?

You can delay your period until the next break is due between your packs. This means you will miss one period, delaying it until the next month. If you’d like to delay your period longer, you can continue to run packs back to back for as long as you like, as this is a safe and effective way of taking your pill with the bonus of preventing unwanted bleeding.

Can I delay my period with the mini pill?

No, the mini pill is the progestogen-only pill, which will not delay your period.

Can I delay my pill by switching to a different contraceptive pill?

You may be able to switch to the combined pill from your current contraception, but you must speak to your doctor first to make sure it is safe and suitable for you to do so.

Is it safe to delay my period with the contraceptive pill?

Yes, if your doctor has told you it is safe to do so, you can delay your period with the contraceptive pill providing you take a monophasic combined pill. If you are not sure if you use a monophasic pill check the leaflet or have a chat with your pharmacist or doctor.

Will I still be protected from pregnancy if I use the pill to delay my period?

If you take your monophasic combined contraceptive pill back-to-back, this will not change how it works as a contraceptive. The contraceptive pill is 99% effective, as long as it is taken correctly. Studies have shown taking the pill back to back with fewer breaks or without any breaks at all may be more effective at preventing pregnancy.

You can also use condoms if you are worried about pregnancy or STIs or have been advised to use a condom as well as your pill by your doctor. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you need more information on how to take the combined pill.

There are several websites that talk about using natural products to delay your period. There is limited evidence on whether they do work, so it is best to use the combined pill or a period delay tablet if you want to delay your period.

Natural/home remedies to delay your period

There are some natural/home remedies that are talked about online to delay your period, including:

• lemon juice
• apple cider vinegar
• exercise

There is no scientific evidence to suggest any of this will work, and doing so may even have the opposite effect. This study on women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) shows that using apple cider vinegar could actually cause periods in women who do not usually have regular periods. There are no studies on women who do not have PCOS.

Some women find training at high intensity for prolonged periods of time can lead to their periods reducing or stopping but this can have long term adverse health effects.

Do these methods work? Is there any proof?

No, there is limited evidence that says any of these methods work. The best way to make sure that you do not start your period before you want to is by using a medication, such as the monophasic combined pill, ring or patch or norethisterone. There are studies that prove the effectiveness of using norethisterone to delay your period.

Yes, if you have spoken to your doctor and they have told you it is safe, you can delay your period using the combined contraceptive pill, patch or ring or norethisterone. You should only delay your period for as long as your doctor has told you to. This means you can delay your period for up to 30 days with norethisterone. These medications do have potential side effects including a small increase to the risk of having a blood clot, so we’d always recommend reading the patient information leaflet first to make sure you’re aware of any potential side effects.

If the combined pill or period delay medication is not safe for you to take, your doctor may recommend medroxyprogesterone acetate, but again, this is not suitable for everyone and can cause potential side effects.

Is it safe to delay my period more than once?

You should speak to your doctor if you want to delay your period more than once using period delay medication. You can use your monophasic combined pill, patch or ring to delay your period as and when you want to as long as you have discussed how to do so safely with a doctor.

Is it safe to delay my period for a long time?

Norethisterone is safe to use occasionally, but it should not be used regularly as it can cause side effects. The combined pill is safe to you to delay your period for a long time providing it’s suitable for you and you’ve already been taking it for a few weeks.

How long can I safely delay my period for?

You should only delay your period once using period delay medication, unless your doctor has told you it is okay to delay it for longer. You can use your monophasic combined pill to delay your period for as long as you want but you may find you get some breakthrough bleeding the longer you go without a break. To find out more about how to take your pill to delay your period, have a chat with your prescribing doctor or nurse.

Are there any risks?

Like with any medication, there are side effects and risks. You should not take any medication if you are allergic to any ingredients they contain. The combined pill and norethisterone are not suitable for women who are over 35 years old and smoke or women who have certain medical conditions or take certain medications. It’s also not suitable if you have a BMI >35.

Speak to your doctor to find out if these medications are safe for you to delay your period.

Are there any side effects?

Norethisterone may cause side effects such as:

• headache
• nausea (feeling sick)
• breast tenderness
• changes in mood or sex drive
• unexpected bleeding

When taking the combined pill, you may experience some side effects, such as:

• nausea or vomiting (feeling or being sick)
• dizziness
• breast tenderness
• mild headaches
• mood changes
• lower sex drive
• a change in your bleeding pattern (in the first 3 months of use)

Both the combined pill and norethisterone can increase your risk of blood clots but if you have no other risk factors for blood clots your overall risk remains low. A doctor will ask questions to check your risk of blood clots before prescribing either or these medications.

It’s important to always check the patient information leaflet for a full list of potential side effects before starting any medication, and to contact a doctor if you have any side effects that are unexpected, severe or last longer than expected.

Delaying your period is not a form of contraception so you should continue to use contraception, unless you are taking the combined pill. Do not take norethisterone and the combined pill together as this can increase your risk of serious side effects. Norethisterone is not a contraceptive when used to delay your period, so you must still use other forms of contraception, like a condom.

Is period delay an effective form of contraception?

Delaying your period using norethisterone will not protect you from pregnancy and you should continue to use other forms of contraception like condoms. Delaying your period using the combined pill will continue to give you effective protection from pregnancy as long as you take it as instructed by your doctor.

Should I delay my period to prevent pregnancy?

No, you should use the contraceptive pill, or another form of contraception if you want to prevent pregnancy. Whilst delaying your period for an event or holiday is safe, it should not be done all the time, as it may change your period cycles and cause side effects.