According to Mayo Clinic obstetrician and gynecologist Rosalina Abboud, women who wish to put off having their period may safely do so by using birth control pills. Women on the birth control pill do not have normal periods. Instead, they experience something called withdrawal bleeding, which mimics a normal period. Most oral contraceptives, or birth control pills, consist of 21 hormonal pills and seven placebo pills. The withdrawal bleeding women experience occurs while they are taking the placebos and can be delayed by skipping taking the placebos in one pack of pills.
Step 1
Procure an extra month's supply of birth control pills from your pharmacist, general practitioner or gynecologist. To use birth control pills to delay your menstrual period, you will need to start the second pack of birth control pills a week earlier than usual, so plan ahead.
Step 2
Take the first 21 pills of your current birth control pack and then skip the last seven placebo pills. Throw those pills away.
Step 3
Start the first pill of the second back immediately following the 21st pill of the first pack. This should delay your period by three weeks or 21 days.
Step 4
Contact your physician to set up an appointment or telephone consultation. It is important that you check in with your doctor to make sure that there is no contraindication for delaying your period in this way.
Step 5
Finish all 28 pills in your second pack of birth control medication. The Women's Health Resource maintains that your period will probably begin three to four days after you start the placebo pills of the second pack, or on the 24th or 25th day of the second pack.
Step 6
Start another pack of pills immediately following the 28th pill of your second pack.
Tips and Warnings
- Some women who attempt to delay their menstrual period by taking birth control pills for more than 21 days at a time experience spotting or breakthrough bleeding. While this may be inconvenient, it generally does not increase risk of pregnancy. Some women experience a great deal of discomfort during their periods. Breast tenderness, an especially heavy flow of blood, extreme water retention or headaches can accompany menstruation. Women who suffer from such symptoms can benefit from delaying their period. Putting off your period is sometimes called "menstrual manipulation."
- While this method for planning your period with birth control pills is not foolproof, it does usually work. For many women, the first sign of pregnancy is a missed period. For this reason, a pregnant woman who intentionally delays her menstruation may also delay discovering the fact that she is carrying a child.
Things You'll Need
- 3 packs of birth control pills
