Period delay: what you need to know

Your period – the timing isn’t always perfect, is it?

Maybe you’ve got a big event, a sporting competition or a holiday coming up and your period isn’t the “plus one” that you’d planned for. The good news is that you can occasionally delay your period for a short time.

But how does period delay work – and is it safe?

When it comes to delaying your period, you do have options. However, period delay treatments can affect different people in different ways, which is why it’s always important to discuss your options with a medical professional first.

How it works

Before your period, the lining of your womb is slowly built up and maintained by two key hormones – oestrogen and progesterone.

After roughly 21 days, there’s a sharp drop in both oestrogen and progesterone which is what triggers the start of your period.

Period delay treatments work by keeping either progesterone or both oestrogen and progesterone levels high so that your womb lining is maintained for a little bit longer before it’s shed during your period.

You can usually delay your period this way safely for up to 14 days.

Ways to delay your period

There are two main ways to delay your period safely, with guidance from a healthcare professional – the combined contraceptive pill, which contains both oestrogen and progesterone, and period delay treatments which contain a form of progesterone only.

The combined contraceptive pill

The combined contraceptive pill works by keeping both your levels of oestrogen and progesterone high throughout your cycle.

It prevents pregnancy by tricking your body into thinking that it’s already pregnant so that it stops your body from releasing an egg (ovulation). If no egg is released, there’s nothing for the sperm to fertilise and you don’t become pregnant.

After 21 days on most combined pills, you either take a break from taking the pills every day or else you take seven days worth of “dummy” pills that contain no hormones.

During those seven days, your hormone levels drop which signals to your body that it’s time for your period.

I’m taking the combined pill – how do I delay my period?

If you’re taking the combined pill for contraception, you can delay your period by skipping the seven days of dummy pills (if your pills come with seven days of pills that don’t contain hormones), or else by skipping the seven pill-free days between packs and running the packs back to back.

Remember – even if you’ve been taking the combined pill for a while, it’s important to check with a medical professional first before using them to delay your period.

Progesterone-only period delay treatment

Most period delay tablets contain norethisterone or another synthetic form of progesterone.

Unlike the combined contraceptive pill, period delay treatments work by keeping only your progesterone hormone levels high, the hormone most responsible for maintaining your womb lining. By keeping progesterone levels high, the body doesn’t receive the usual signal to shed the womb lining and your period is delayed.

It’s important to remember that period delay treatments containing only progesterone may not stop ovulation so you could still become pregnant if you’re taking this type of treatment.

If you decide to delay your period using progesterone only treatment, you must use another form of birth control at the same time, such as condoms, or have already had a long acting reversible contraceptive in place, like the coil or an implant.

If you’re already on the pill

If you’re taking a combined pill that contains both oestrogen and progesterone, you should not take period delay tablets at the same time.

If you’re unsure which type of contraceptive pill you’re taking, speak to a Boots pharmacist, community contraception clinic or GP to find out how you can delay your period safely.

Learn more about the different types of contraceptive pill

Taking period delay tablets

You need to start taking period delay tablets three days before your period is normally due.

If you start later than three days before your period is due, your progesterone levels may have already started to drop and break down your womb lining, which means that you could still have bleeding or spotting.

A few days after you stop taking the tablets, your period will start. You can also find out more about different types of period delay tablets through our Period Delay Treatment service.

Let’s talk side effects

Different women react in different ways to hormonal treatments but most don’t experience severe side effects. The most common side effects include:

• Spotting
• irregular bleeding
• Sore breasts
• Lower sex drive
• Upset stomach

It’s important to remember that the longer you take period delay tablets, the more likely you are to experience side effects.

Good to know

Unfortunately, period delay tablets aren’t suitable for everyone. Taking progesterone can increase the risk of developing blood clots, so women who have a history of blood clots, heart problems or breast cancer should avoid taking them.

If you’re taking them to delay your period for a holiday, make sure that you move around as much as possible during your journey and avoid sitting down for long periods of time.

You should not use period delay treatment if you’re pregnant, might be pregnant or are trying to conceive. Women who have given birth within the last six weeks or who are breastfeeding should also avoid taking period delay tablets.

Ok, what should I do next?

If you decide that you want to try to delay your period for a big event or holiday, speak with a GP or other healthcare provider first to make sure it’s safe for you.

With their help, you should be able to find a solution that will let you focus on your plans, not your period.