How to Delay Your Period: What Works and When to Start

Delaying a period is straightforward; that bit is settled. The question worth asking is which tablet, because the licensed one isn't automatically the right one for you, and if you're already on the pill you may not need a prescription at all.

The most suitable way to delay your period depends less on which tablet is “strongest” and more on what contraception you already use, how predictable your periods are and how soon your next one is expected.

You take the combined contraceptive pill.

If you take the combined pill, the bleed you have during your pill-free break or inactive tablets is a withdrawal bleed rather than a true menstrual period. With many combined pills, you can delay it by skipping the break and starting the next pack of active tablets straight away. The exact instructions depend on the type and brand of pill e.g. Microgynon, Levest, Rigevidon may contain inactive tablets so always check the leaflet that came with your specific medication or speak to a pharmacist.

You take the progestogen-only pill.

The progestogen-only pill, often called the mini-pill e.g. desogestrel, is taken continuously without a break between packs. It can make periods lighter, less frequent or irregular, but it cannot reliably delay one particular period. Taking extra tablets or running packs together will not give you the same control as skipping the break with the combined pill. 

You do not use hormonal contraception.

Norethisterone is the only progestogen licensed in the UK specifically for delaying a period. It normally needs to be started at least three days before your period is expected, so you need a reasonably good idea of when it is due.

Medroxyprogesterone tablets, commonly supplied under the brand name Provera, may sometimes be considered as an off-label alternative. Which medicine is suitable depends on your medical history and other risk factors rather than personal preference alone. It is important to note neither norethisterone nor oral medroxyprogesterone provides contraception.

Your periods are irregular.

Irregular periods do not automatically mean that you cannot delay one, but they make the timing more difficult. Norethisterone needs to be started before the expected bleed, which is harder when you cannot confidently predict when that will be.

There is also a difference between periods that have always been slightly irregular and new or unexplained bleeding. Unexplained irregular vaginal bleeding should be assessed rather than covered up with period-delay tablets, and it may mean that treatment cannot be prescribed until the cause has been investigated, so it is best to contact your GP to discuss your options.

Your period is due in fewer than three days.

Norethisterone should be started at least three days before your period is expected. If there are fewer than three days remaining, it is likely too late for treatment to delay the bleed reliably.

Taking more tablets will not make up for starting late and may increase the risk of side effects. This is why it is better to request period-delay treatment in advance rather than leaving it until the day before a holiday, wedding or other event.

Your period has already started.

Period-delay tablets are intended to postpone an expected period before it begins. They should not be relied upon to stop a period that is already underway.

Norethisterone is used for some other menstrual conditions under different dosing instructions, but that is not the same as using it for period delay. Do not begin taking leftover tablets or change the prescribed dose in an attempt to stop an established bleed. If the bleeding is unusually heavy, prolonged or different from normal, speak to a doctor rather than treating it as a period-delay request.

Norethisterone is a synthetic progestogen and the only progestogen licensed in the UK specifically for delaying a period. Utovlan is simply a brand of norethisterone 5mg; it is not a stronger or different period-delay medicine.

The usual dose for period delay is one 5mg tablet three times a day, starting three days before your period is expected. For example, if your period is due on a Friday, you would normally begin taking the tablets on Tuesday.

Starting one day before your period, or waiting until you see the first signs of bleeding, is not the same as starting three days beforehand. By that point, the changes that lead to your period may already be underway and treatment may not delay it reliably.

Your period will usually begin within three days of stopping norethisterone, although the exact timing can vary.

Norethisterone is not a contraceptive, so pregnancy is still possible while taking it. Use suitable contraception if you do not want to become pregnant. If your period does not return after completing the course, take a pregnancy test and speak to your doctor, particularly if there is any possibility you could be pregnant.

Many people will still recognise it by its former brand name, Provera. Pfizer has discontinued the Provera-branded tablets in the UK and now supplies the medicine under the generic name Medroxyprogesterone Acetate Tablets. The active ingredient and strength have not changed, so older prescriptions and health information may still refer to it as Provera.

Medroxyprogesterone tablets are licensed in the UK for conditions including abnormal uterine bleeding, absent periods and endometriosis. Period delay is not one of the uses listed in the product licence, so prescribing it for this purpose is known as off-label use.

That does not mean the tablets themselves are unlicensed or experimental. It means a prescriber is using a licensed medicine for a purpose outside the uses listed in its marketing authorisation. Norethisterone remains the only progestogen specifically licensed in the UK for delaying a period.

The dose for period delay is one 10mg tablet three times a day, starting three days before your period is expected. For example, if your period is due on a Friday, you would normally begin taking the tablets on Tuesday.

Medroxyprogesterone can delay a period, but it cannot guarantee that you will have no bleeding at all. Spotting or breakthrough bleeding can still occur, particularly if treatment is started late or tablets are missed.

Taking more than the prescribed dose will not necessarily stop the bleeding and could increase the likelihood of side effects.

Your period will usually begin within approximately three days of stopping medroxyprogesterone, although the exact timing can vary.

Medroxyprogesterone tablets used for period delay are not a contraceptive. Although the medicine may inhibit ovulation in some people, the 30mg daily regimen cannot be relied upon to suppress ovulation consistently. Use suitable contraception if you do not want to become pregnant. If your period does not return after completing the course, take a pregnancy test and speak to your doctor, particularly if there is any possibility you could be pregnant.

Norethisterone and medroxyprogesterone can both be used to delay a period, but one is not simply a stronger version of the other. The most suitable option depends on your medical history, your risk factors and whether the prescriber considers an off-label medicine appropriate.

Side-by-side they look the same, but they do differ slightly in terms of risk profiles. It is important to note that the different tablet strengths cannot be used to compare how “strong” the medicines are. Medroxyprogesterone 10mg is not automatically twice as strong as norethisterone 5mg; they are different medicines with different properties.

Norethisterone is partly converted by the body into ethinylestradiol, a synthetic oestrogen. This means that factors such as previous blood clots, obesity, smoking, migraine and other cardiovascular risks still need to be considered before it is prescribed.

Medroxyprogesterone does not convert to ethinylestradiol and so is considered lower risk (do not confuse this with no risk) compared to norethisterone and is usually kept for those who have contraindications to oestrogen such as high DVT risk or a high BMI. 

If you already take the combined contraceptive pill, you may be able to delay your withdrawal bleed by skipping the usual pill-free break or inactive tablets and starting the next pack of active tablets immediately.

With many common monophasic 21-day pills, including Microgynon 30, Rigevidon, Levest, Maexeni, Gedarel, Millinette, Yasmin, Lucette, Marvelon and Mercilon, you would normally finish the active tablets and start the next packet the following day instead of taking the usual break.

Everyday pills, such as Microgynon 30 ED and Femodene ED, also contain inactive tablets, which are usually skipped when delaying the bleed. Phasic pills, such as Logynon, TriRegol, Synphase and Qlaira, contain different hormone doses throughout the packet and need brand-specific advice.

Taking suitable combined pills back to back should not reduce their contraceptive effect, although spotting or breakthrough bleeding can still occur.

The progestogen-only pill is taken continuously with no break and bleeding on it is unpredictable. Some women report having their periods stop altogether, some bleed irregularly, some carry on more or less as normal. Due to the unpredictability it is recommended to take a short course of norethisterone or medroxyprogesterone alongside it.

Your progesterone level starts dropping a few days before bleeding, and that fall is what starts the shedding. By starting the tablets before it happens, you hold the level up. Leaving it too later and starting after it's underway means you're trying to stop something already moving.

Once bleeding has begun, no, it is not possible to stop it with tablets. Norethisterone at this same dose is licensed for arresting abnormal or dysfunctional uterine bleeding, and in that setting bleeding usually settles within about 48 hours. People do confuse it, thinking this means it will also stop their current period. But it's a treatment for bleeding that shouldn't be happening, and is only prescribed after an in-person assessment. It isn't a way to switch off a normal period on the day.

Period-delay tablets need to be started before your period is due, which is more difficult if your cycle varies considerably from month to month. Irregular periods do not automatically make you unsuitable, but the treatment may be less predictable if you cannot estimate when your next bleed will begin.

New or unexplained irregular bleeding, bleeding between periods or bleeding after sex should be investigated rather than covered up with period-delay tablets. Pregnancy may also need to be ruled out before treatment is prescribed.

No, they cannot guarantee to stop your period. The best available trial for how well it will stop your period is a small US pilot randomised trial from 2019 comparing norethisterone against a combined pill for retiming a period. In the norethisterone group, 2 women out of 23 reported spotting, against 10 out of 23 on the pill. Satisfaction was higher too, with 80% saying they'd use the method again. ^[1] Light bleeding is the most common way for a delay course to fall short of perfect, and it doesn't mean the tablets have stopped working. Spotting that is closer to a proper period, usually only happens due to a missed or late dose, starting too close to your due date, or you have delayed your period by more than a fortnight. 

Possible side effects include headache, nausea, dizziness, tiredness, breast tenderness, bloating or fluid retention, mood changes, acne, spotting and breakthrough bleeding. Not everyone experiences side effects, and the effects can differ between norethisterone and medroxyprogesterone.

Read the patient leaflet supplied with your tablets and speak to a pharmacist or doctor if a side effect is persistent, severe or worrying you.