Periodos

Delaying or skipping a period

Revisado: 4 de octubre de 2026

Solo en inglés por ahora

You can delay a period for a holiday or event with hormone tablets or by changing how you take some contraception. A doctor, nurse or pharmacist can help, but you need to plan ahead.

Your options

It is possible to delay a period, for example for a holiday or a big event. There are two main ways. If you use the combined pill, the contraceptive patch or the vaginal ring, you may be able to skip the usual break. If you do not use one of these, a doctor can prescribe a tablet that contains a progestogen hormone, such as norethisterone. Talk to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist first, because the right choice depends on your health and the method you use.

With the pill, patch or ring

If you take the combined pill, you can usually delay bleeding by starting your next pack straight away instead of having a break. How you do this depends on the type of pill, so check with a pharmacist, doctor or nurse. The bleed you get on the pill is a withdrawal bleed, not a true period. It usually starts about 3 days after you stop. The patch and the ring can also be used without a break. If you do not already take the pill, you would need to start it a few weeks ahead.

Progestogen tablets

If you do not want to use the combined pill, a doctor can prescribe a progestogen tablet, such as one called norethisterone. You need to start it at least 3 days before your period is due. It can be taken for up to about 3 to 4 weeks if needed. Your period usually starts within about 3 days of stopping. These tablets do not work as contraception, so use another method, such as condoms, if you need to avoid pregnancy. In some places it is only prescribed for medical reasons, so ask what is available where you live.

Safety and what to expect

These medicines are not suitable for everyone. A doctor or nurse will ask about your health, including any past blood clots, migraines or high blood pressure, because these can rule out some options. Norethisterone can raise the risk of blood clots, so a doctor will check your medical history before prescribing it. With some types of pill you can skip breaks for as long as you like, but breakthrough bleeding or spotting becomes more likely the longer you go. The patch can cause skin reactions. How well delaying works varies from person to person, and so does how soon bleeding starts after you stop.

Plan ahead

Delaying a period works best with planning. Talk to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist a few weeks before the date you have in mind, especially if you would need to start a new method. Progestogen tablets must be started a few days before your period is due, so it helps to know roughly when that will be. Ciclo's period predictions can give you an idea, but they are estimates. If you already take the pill, check your pack so you know when your break would fall.

This is general information. Talk to a doctor, nurse or pharmacist before using any medicine or contraception to delay a period.