Ever wished you could be more in control of when you have your period – or even skip it for a few months altogether?
Ever wished you could be more in control of when you have your period – or even skip it for a few months altogether?
Whether you want to enjoy that big event or holiday (think swimming or wearing white trousers without worrying), or you’d like a break from periods for your health or sex life, it can be handy to be able to avoid your period. Not to mention those other issues you might get with your monthly bleed, from pain to PMS.
There’s no natural way to delay your period, but there are medicines that may do the trick, including period-delay medication such as norethisterone and hormonal contraception such as the pill.
So here’s what you need to know about how to delay your period – both as a one-off or longer term – including the possible benefits, what medicines are available, and how they might work for you.
It can be empowering to know that you can take control of your
. In some cases, that may be because you have an unpredictable cycle or troublesome period symptoms, which can leave you feeling frustrated to be at the mercy of your body.In other cases, it can simply be good to know you don’t have to work out if your period is going to clash with your best friend’s wedding, or that family beach holiday.
You’re also unlikely to miss the bother and expense of buying
such as pads or tampons, and remembering to change your period protection frequently.Skipping periods can not only make you feel more in control, but can also help with period-related problems. Symptoms or conditions that skipping periods can help with include:
Find more useful information on periods with our
Despite what you might think, periods aren’t essential for your health. Unless you’re trying to get pregnant, you don’t need to release an egg (
) and have periods. And if you choose to use a hormonal method to skip a period, you won’t store up extra blood or cause other health risks.The idea that monthly periods are ‘healthy’ is partly down to the way the
was designed – so that you stop taking the pill for 7 days each month to have an artificial period. But these ‘withdrawal bleeds’ have no medical benefits, and it’s safe to take the pill continuously or ‘back to back’ (see .If you have any concerns about taking hormonal
in the long term, your doctor can advise on the most appropriate method for you.However, if you’re regularly skipping or missing periods and you're not using hormonal contraception, speak to your doctor, as you may have an underlying condition that needs treatment. Read more about
.If you’re not taking the combined pill and you want to delay your period, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the following options.
Sometimes known as the ‘holiday hormone’, norethisterone can be prescribed by your doctor or some online pharmacy services. Here’s what you need to know:
Medroxyprogesterone acetate can be prescribed ‘off-label’ to delay periods (which means it can be prescribed to do something other than what it’s licensed for). You can also buy it from a pharmacy. Here’s what you need to know:
There are a few different ways you can avoid having a period altogether, which can be used either short or longer-term. Most options are forms of hormonal contraception. You should talk to your doctor about what might be suitable for you.
The
contains the hormones oestrogen and progesterone, and you can take 2 or more packets ‘back to back’ without a break to avoid having a period. Talk to your doctor at your next pill check for more information, and to check your pill can safely be taken in this way.Whether – and how – you can do this will depend on the type of combined pill you’re taking:
What you need to know about taking the pill back to back:
What to do if you bleed while taking the pill back to back:
Also known as the mini pill, the
just contains progesterone. Here’s what you need to know:The
is a small contraceptive device that fits inside your vagina and releases low doses of oestrogen and progesterone. Here’s what you need to know:An
is a small contraceptive device that fits inside your womb and releases progesterone. Here’s what you need to know:Like the IUS, the
contains progesterone and is a long-acting type of contraception. Here’s what you need to know:Another long-acting contraceptive, the
slowly releases progesterone. Here’s what you need to know:GnRH analogues are medications that suppress ovulation by stopping your ovaries from making oestrogen. Here’s what you need to know:
If you’re interested in regularly skipping your period, talk to your doctor. They’ll be able to help you assess the risks and benefits of each method, and which is safest for you to try.
For example, some treatments may have other side effects, which you may decide you’d rather avoid.
If you have a health condition that’s made worse by having periods (such as endometriosis), not having periods might be 1 of the possible treatments – although there may also be other solutions.
You should also see your doctor if you get heavy breakthrough bleeding while using 1 of the methods above, as this may be a symptom of an underlying problem, such as fibroids or a
.If you’re worried about any symptoms, you can try our
to help you work out what to do next.“Lots of people worry about this, but there’s no need – there’s no evidence that taking the combined pill long-term or back to back affects your fertility. Research shows that conception rates at 12 months after stopping the pill are similar to those of people who use non-hormonal forms of contraception.”
“No – the only way you can avoid having a period without taking medication is to get pregnant. Stress or illness may delay your period, but can’t be relied on as a method of controlling when your periods come.”
“It depends what method you’re using to avoid having a period. Norethisterone only delays your period – it doesn’t offer any protection against pregnancy – but hormonal contraception is very effective at preventing pregnancy when used correctly. Even so, no method is 100% effective, and pregnancy does still occasionally happen. It’s worth remembering that it can be harder to know if you’re pregnant if you’re not having periods (a missed period is a common early sign). You may need to be more vigilant for other early
, such as morning sickness and tiredness (fatigue).”Important: Our website provides useful information but is not a substitute for medical advice. You should always seek the advice of your doctor when making decisions about your health.