So if you want to postpone PMS, it’s understandable. But is it possible (and more importantly, safe) to delay your period?
Here, we spoke to two obstetricians and gynecologists to find out if it’s really possible to delay your period with natural remedies.
Check out Natural Ways to Delay Your Period: Reality or Rumor?
If you’ve ever searched online for natural remedies for delayed periods, you may have come across strategies such as eating or drinking certain foods that are said to pause your period.
“[People] Many natural or homeopathic remedies have been tried, including apple cider vinegar, lentils, lemon juice, tea (gelatin, cinnamon or raspberry leaf), but none of these have been proven to be effective. Hospital obstetrics and gynecology department.
The Internet will also tell you that exercising more may help delay your period, but Dr. Baskovic warns that this approach should not be practiced. In fact, changes in your period may be a sign that you’re overtraining.
Related stories
“Prolonged strenuous exercise, combined with significant weight loss, may cause changes in the menstrual cycle,” she says. “This is not safe and certainly not recommended for a number of reasons.”
As Christina Greves, MD, an OB-GYN at the Healthy Women’s Institute in Orlando, explains, excessive exercise can lead to long-term health consequences that may not be worth the hassle of delaying your period. “Excessive exercise may contribute to the ‘athlete’s triad,’ which can lead to irregular or longer periods,” says Dr. Graves.
According to Loyola Medicine, athlete’s triad (also known as relative energy deficiency in sport, or RED-S) is a condition that commonly affects female athletes whose diets are insufficient to support their physical activity. The condition is also known to disrupt the menstrual cycle and disrupt hormones.
Dr. Baskovic said that in general, the risks of delaying menstruation “naturally” (without a doctor’s prescription medication) include ovulation problems (as well as fertility problems) and an increased risk of uterine cancer.
So what? able Is it safe to delay your period?
Any “natural remedies” you’ve heard of are most likely a myth, but you can delay your period with medication, especially hormonal birth control (under a doctor’s supervision). Choosing the best birth control option often depends on your preferences and lifestyle.
Some hormonal birth control pills are designed to prolong or eliminate the menstrual cycle, Dr. Baskovic said. One example is Seasonale (and its generic version, Jolessa), which is a long-cycle oral contraceptive pill taken about every three months.
Some people also “lose” their periods while using certain hormonal birth control methods, such as the hormonal intrauterine device or the Depo-Provera injection.
However, Dr. Baskovic says that once you stop using the medication, your cycle will return to its normal monthly rhythm.
Likewise, if you use the oral contraceptive pill, patch, or vaginal ring, which typically gives you a 28-day menstrual cycle (the last week is the “placebo” week, which is usually when you get your period), you can skip the period. During placebo weeks, skip your period by skipping right to the next patch, ring or pack of pills, Dr. Skovich says.
But remember: “It’s safe to delay your period for one to three cycles,” says Dr. Baskovic. “Any longer duration is largely considered unsafe.”
There’s also an important caveat: “Not all women will respond the same way to birth control or have changes in their menstrual patterns,” says Dr. Baskovic. “I recommend talking directly to a doctor before considering any of these treatment options.”
