4 effective ways to skip your period

Various methods can help you skip your period. But you should do this with guidance from a healthcare professional to ensure you are using a safe solution that won’t affect your health.

A person may wish to skip their period for many reasons, such as going on vacation, for an upcoming important event, or simply because they want to. Hormonal contraceptives, such as the combined pill or progesterone-only pill, can be used to delay your period.

When done safely and with advice from a healthcare professional such as a gynecologist, hormonal contraceptives can be an effective solution to skipping a period. It’s important to speak with a healthcare professional first to determine how often it is safe to skip your period and what methods suit you.

Combined pill

If you already take the combined pill, you can take this contraceptive back-to-back to delay your period. While you would usually take the pills for 21 days straight, followed by 7 days of placebo pills, in this instance, you would skip the 7-day break and start your next packet immediately.

Examples of combined birth control pills include:

• tyblume (Levora)
• norgestimate ethinyl estradiol (Lo Loestrin Fe)
• ocella (Yaz)

Taking combined contraceptives can have several benefits alongside preventing pregnancy. These include:

• reducing menstrual pain
• having regular, lighter, and shorter periods
• reduce your risk of conditions such as uterine cancer
• improving acne

The combined pill can result in side effects such as:

• nausea
• headaches
• bloating
• tender breasts
• mood changes

Consider speaking with a healthcare professional to understand what contraceptive methods will suit you.

If you need help covering the cost of medications, the free Optum Perks Discount Card could help you save up to 80% on prescription drugs. Follow the links on drug names for savings on that medication, or search for a specific drug here.

Norethindrone

Norethindrone is used to prevent pregnancy and is also known as the mini pill. It is recommended that you take this contraceptive 3 days before your period is due if you wish to delay it.

The medication has several benefits, such as:

• effectively treating endometriosis
• treating uterine bleeding from hormonal imbalances
• treating those who have abnormal periods

Norethindrone is usually available under brand drug names, such as:

• Aygestin
• Errin
• Camila

A 2019 trial found that it could be more effective than combined oral contraceptives in delaying menstruation. However, it’s important to know that this was only beneficial when participants took the medication on or before day 12 of their cycle.

Side effects of norethindrone can include:

• vomiting
• weight changes
• difficulty sleeping
• hair loss and thinning

Vaginal ring

The vaginal ring is a flexible ring approximately 2 inches across in size. If used properly, it can be up to 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.

Typically, you insert it into the vagina every 3-6 weeks, although this may depend on your schedule and if you still wish to have your period that month. To delay your period, you can insert a new ring instead.

Vaginal rings are most commonly available under the brand NuvaRing. However, generic versions of the contraception are available, such as:

• EluRyng
• etonogestrel ethinyl estradiol
• haloette

The benefits of a vaginal ring include:

• it won’t interrupt sex
• it can help with premenstrual symptoms
• if you vomit, your contraception method will not be affected
• it is easy to put in and take out

Side effects of the vaginal ring include:

• bloating
• nausea
• mood changes
• sore breasts
• spotting

Contraceptive patch

The contraceptive patch, also known as a birth control patch, is used to prevent pregnancy and can also delay your period. You can apply it to one of several body parts, including your:

• stomach
• back
• buttocks
• upper arm

Where you need to place the patch depends on the type you are using. Each contraceptive patch will need to go on a specific part of your body.

The birth control patch contains both progestogen and estrogen hormones. It works by stopping ovulation, which skips your period and makes the cervical mucus thicker, preventing sperm from reaching the egg.

In order to delay your period, you must skip the patch-free week and start your next patch immediately.

Examples of the contraceptive patch include the Xulane patch and the Twirla patch.

Side effects can include:

• abdominal pain
• nausea
• vomiting
• breast pain and tenderness
• spotting

You can apply the birth control patch to your skin once a week, and it provides a useful alternative if you don’t want to take daily oral contraceptives.

But it’s important to speak with a healthcare professional to determine if this method is suitable for you.

Summary

You may wish to delay your period for several reasons, such as going on vacation, having an upcoming important event, or simply because you want to.

Hormonal contraceptives can be an effective way to delay your period. Examples include:

• combined pills
• progesterone-only pills
• vaginal rings
• birth control patches

It is important to speak with a healthcare professional to determine how often it is safe to skip your period and what methods suit you. When used safely, hormonal contraceptives can be an effective solution to skipping a period.

Download the free Optum Perks Discount Card to save up to 80% on some prescription medications.