The Contraceptive Pill and Period Delay

There are certain occasions where having your period is just plain inconvenient and can disrupt certain activities. Might be on a holiday, wedding or sporting event. Whatever the reason, you might want to delay your period so that it doesn’t get in the way. Taking the combined contraceptive pill is one of the easiest ways to do this.

How can I delay my period with the pill?

If you’re already taking the combined pill, this is easy to do. Simply skip the 7-day break between your pill packs and start the next one right away. You won’t get your period until the end of the second pack. If you take pills every day, identify which ones are the placebo pills and skip them.

For women just starting the pill, this might not work as well. You’ll need to start the pill at the right time - the first day of your period. It’s also common to experience breakthrough bleeding for the first month or two, where you bleed continuously between periods.

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How else can I delay my period?

If you are not on the pill, you can get a prescription for Norethisterone. Norethisterone is a progestogen based hormone which keeps the natural level of the hormone high to delay the shedding of your womb lining. You can take these tablets for up to 20 days, starting it three days before your period is due.

Is it safe to delay my period?

Delaying your period is perfectly safe. There is no medical reason as to why you can’t do it. If you are using the pill for this purpose, merging more than two packs is not recommended because it often causes spotting, bloating and a painful period when you finally have one. For women who have endometriosis, you may be advised to take the pill continuously to avoid having a period to minimise your painful symptoms.