That “time of the month” never comes at a convenient time. If we’re being honest, everything about having a menstrual cycle can ruin the day (or week!). The cramps, mood swings, and of course, the bleeding can really throw a wrench in your plans, especially if your period lasts longer than seven days or you have a chronic condition that heightens these symptoms, like endometriosis or PMDD.
Experts in This Article
So it’s understandable if you want to put off the PMS. But is it possible (and more importantly, safe) to delay your period?
Here, we tapped two OB/GYNs to see if you can really delay your period with natural remedies.
A look at natural ways to delay your period: real or rumor?
If you’ve ever scoured the internet for natural remedies to delay your period, you’ve likely come across strategies like eating or drinking certain foods that supposedly put your period on pause.
“[People] have tried so many natural or homeopathic remedies, including apple cider vinegar, gram lentils, lemon juice, teas (gelatin, cinnamon, or raspberry leaves), but none of these have been proven to be effective,” says Mana Baskovic, DO, an OB/GYN with Providence St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California.
The internet will also tell you that exercising more may help delay your period, but Dr. Baskovic warns that this method shouldn’t be practiced. In fact, changes in your period could be a sign that you’re over-training.
“Prolonged duration of intense exercise, along with significant weight loss, may cause changes in the menstrual cycle,” she says. “This is not safe for many reasons, and certainly not recommended.”
As Christina Greves, MD, an OB/GYN at Orlando Health Women’s Institute, explains, over-exercising (or under-fueling for the amount of exercise you’re doing) can lead to long-term health consequences that probably aren’t worth the trouble of delaying your period. “Exercising too much can result in something called ‘athlete’s triad,’ which can result in your period not occurring regularly or spacing out,” Dr. Greves says.
Athlete’s triad syndrome—also called relative energy deficiency in sport, or RED-S—is a condition that typically affects female athletes who aren’t eating enough to support their physical activity, per Loyola Medicine. The condition is also known to disrupt menstrual cycles and throw off hormones.
In general, Dr. Baskovic says, the risks of delaying your period “naturally” (without doctor-prescribed medications) include problems with ovulation (and therefore fertility) and an increased risk of uterine cancer.
So what really can delay your period safely?
Any “natural remedies” you’ve heard about are most likely myths, but there are safe ways you can delay your period with medication—specifically, using hormonal birth control methods (under the supervision of your doctor). Choosing the best birth control option typically comes down to your preference and lifestyle.
Some hormonal contraceptives are meant to space out or eliminate the menstrual cycle, Dr. Baskovic says. One example is Seasonale (and its generic version Jolessa), an extended-cycle oral contraceptive that gives you a period about once every three months.
Some people also “lose” their period while using certain hormonal birth control options, such as the hormonal IUD or Depo-Provera shot.
Once you stop using the medication, though, Dr. Baskovic says your cycle would return to its normal monthly-ish cadence.
Along the same lines, if you use an oral contraceptive, patch, or vaginal ring that typically gives you a 28-day menstrual cycle (with the last week being the “placebo” week, when you typically get your period), you can skip the placebo week and jump straight to the next patch, ring, or pack of pills in order to skip your period, Dr. Baskovic says.
In other words, it’s totally safe (and common practice) to use birth control to delay or skip periods altogether.
And one other big caveat: “Not all women have the same reaction or menstrual pattern changes with birth control,” Dr. Baskovic says. “I recommend advising directly with a physician before considering any of these regimens.”
—reviewed by Andrea Braden, MD, OB/GYN
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