01/8Can women delay their periods?

Can women delay their periods?

We have all been there. A wedding or a beach holiday coinciding with our menstrual cycle! However, with the advancement of medicine, it has become absolutely possible for women to delay their periods.

While all of it is pretty convenient, the debate around the ease of 'period suppression' has invited criticism and makes one wonder if it really is safe in the longer run.

We answer your queries and tell you some of the safest ways to postpone your period


02/8Is it really safe to delay your period?

Is it really safe to delay your period?

Medically, yes. There are safe and reliable options to 'alter' your hormonal functioning, which is responsible for making you get your period every month. While a lot of women use contraceptives like birth control, which may make them miss their periods once in a while, hormonal pills and patches which work to postpone your period work in a similar manner.

For those who want to temporarily delay their period, say for once, taking hormone regulating pills before the expected date can help. If your goal is to postpone or avoid menstrual bleeding for longer, more efficient pills are needed. Some of these are made available in the form of 'combined-contraceptive' form.


03/8Do contraceptive pills impact your fertility?

Do contraceptive pills impact your fertility?

Most of the pills and long-term birth control medicines used to delay periods contain doses of estrogen and progestin and come in a 28-day dose pack. The hormones released in the first three weeks work to actively "suppress" your fertility, thereby, delaying your menstrual cycle. However, they take a longer time to work, and may not suit everybody's need.

While medicines can be used keeping in mind your choice, preferences and schedules and other health parameters, some of the other common choices include extended use birth control, IUD devices, rings, injectibles and patches.

Since all of these work by releasing hormones into your body, they have to be used at a specific time, religiously following the dosing schedule. Missing any of the doses could deem it ineffective.


04/8Benefits of delaying your period

Benefits of delaying your period

Menstruation can be inconvenient, unpleasant and impact productivity levels. Opting to delay your period is not just easy when you have an important event to attend but also manage other health conditions. In some scenarios, the option to effectively curtail or postpone your period can help women deal with physical or mental blockages which turn periods problematic. Opting for heavy dose birth controls can help women who have conditions which are aggravated by menstruation, including severe anaemia or endometriosis.

For many who deal with severe pangs of pre-menstrual symptoms, using hormonal pills can lessen the problems and manage life in a better way.


05/8Are there any side-effects one should know of?

Are there any side-effects one should know of?

There are no actual side-effects to deliberately halting your period. It's more of an ethical choice. Using birth control pills just changes the flow and working of reproductive hormones in the body. Birth control pills are mostly side-effect free too, with minor chances of reactions happening. The biggest problem remains withdrawal bleeding, i.e., the bleeding you get when you are on your dose of inactive hormones (usually in the 4th week). That bleeding is not menstrual bleeding, and usually fairly lighter and less disturbing as a period itself. It also lessens over time, as your body gets used to a new regime.


06/8Drawbacks of using long-term contraceptives

Drawbacks of using long-term contraceptives

The biggest drawback of using hormonal pills would be for women who are sexually active. Since you do not get periods, it can become trickier to tell you are pregnant. Be on the lookout for signs- breast tenderness, morning sickness, or take home tests to confirm your pregnancy.

For some women, starting a dose of long-term birth control can also lead to minor problems like nausea, cramps, untimely bloating and mood swings, which can get better over time.

Apart from these, there are little associated problems or other pesky health consequences found with delaying your periods.


07/8Who should do it?

Who should do it?

Delaying your menstrual cycle is safe and effective, as long as you do so with proper medical advice. However, it remains a controversial decision. Some even back away, scared of any long-term health consequences which may impair the reproduction. Wanting to delay periods has to be a conscious decision a woman makes if she feels her cycle hits an inconvenient time or has a pre-existing medical condition which makes it difficult for her to manage her periods. It is the safest when done with the help of a registered medical practitioner, who would be able to guide you to the best options and manage your menstrual cycle in a better way.


08/8Can you delay your period naturally?

Can you delay your period naturally?

For those who are doubtful of the workings of hormone-regulating pills, or vary of health effects, opting for natural methods is a good alternative.

While the jury is still not out on what works and what doesn't, trying on natural remedies is not a bad choice. Some of the choices women can use include consuming acidic foods like apple cider vinegar (ACV), lemon, gram lentils, gelatin and raspberry leaves which can slow down menstruation and delay it, to an extent. Exercising is also an option which can be tried.

