The most reliable way to delay your period for a week is with hormonal medication, either a prescription tablet taken specifically for this purpose or by adjusting the way you take your existing birth control pills. Both approaches work by keeping hormone levels steady so the uterine lining stays in place longer than it normally would. Here’s what each option involves and what to expect.
Prescription Period Delay Tablets
The standard prescription option is norethisterone (called norethindrone in the U.S.), a synthetic hormone taken as a 5 mg tablet two or three times daily. You need to start taking it three to five days before your period is expected to arrive, then continue for as long as you want to delay, up to about three to four weeks according to NHS guidelines. Once you stop the tablets, your period typically starts within two to three days.
For a one-week delay, the process is straightforward: start the tablets a few days before your expected period, take them for roughly a week, then stop when you’re ready. Timing matters. If you start too late, after bleeding has already begun, the medication won’t be effective at holding it off. So you need a reasonable idea of when your period is due.
One important detail: norethisterone at this dose is not a contraceptive. It won’t prevent pregnancy, so you’ll still need separate birth control if that’s relevant.
Skipping Your Placebo Pills
If you already take combination birth control pills, you have a simpler option. Instead of taking the placebo (hormone-free) pills at the end of your pack, go straight into the next pack of active pills. This skips the hormone drop that triggers your withdrawal bleed, effectively pushing your period back by however many weeks you continue taking active pills.
Planned Parenthood confirms this is safe to do occasionally for a special event or every single month on an ongoing basis. It does not reduce how well the pill works at preventing pregnancy. You can do the same thing with the hormonal ring by inserting a new ring immediately rather than taking the usual ring-free week.
If you use a multiphasic pill (one where hormone levels change throughout the pack rather than staying the same), talk to your prescriber before attempting this. The varying hormone doses can make breakthrough bleeding more likely when packs are stacked back to back.
Common Side Effects
The most frequently reported side effect of delaying your period, whether with norethisterone tablets or continuous birth control pills, is breakthrough bleeding or spotting. This is light, irregular bleeding that occurs because the uterine lining becomes less stable the longer you extend your cycle. The risk increases the longer you go without a break.
Breast tenderness is also common. Some people experience mood changes, though this is less predictable and varies widely from person to person. These side effects generally resolve once you stop the medication and allow your period to come through.
For most people delaying by just one week, side effects are mild or nonexistent. Longer delays carry a higher chance of spotting, which can be frustrating if the whole point was to avoid bleeding during a specific window.
Who Should Avoid Hormonal Delay
Norethisterone at therapeutic doses (5 mg, two to three times daily) behaves similarly to combined oral contraceptives in terms of blood clot risk. Research published in BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health found that at these doses, norethisterone has both estrogenic and progestogenic effects, meaning it carries similar cardiovascular precautions as the combined pill. For people at low risk of blood clots, the overall safety profile remains favorable.
However, if you have a history of blood clots, carry a known clotting disorder, are significantly overweight, have limited mobility, or are about to undergo surgery, norethisterone may not be appropriate. In those cases, a doctor may suggest an alternative medication or advise against hormonal delay altogether. This is one reason these tablets require a prescription rather than being available over the counter in most countries.
Natural Methods Don’t Work
Searching for how to delay your period will turn up suggestions involving lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, salt water, pineapple juice, raspberry leaf tea, and ibuprofen. None of these methods have any scientific basis for stopping or delaying a period. Cleveland Clinic states plainly that none of these approaches provide enough hormone regulation to affect your cycle, and trying random methods can potentially cause irregular bleeding or other harm.
The morning-after pill also does not delay periods. It may shift your cycle slightly as a side effect, but not in a predictable or controllable way.
Planning Ahead
The key to successfully delaying your period by a week is lead time. If you want to use norethisterone, you need a prescription filled and tablets in hand at least three to five days before your period is due. That means contacting a doctor or online prescribing service a week or more in advance. If you’re already on the combined pill, you just need a spare pack ready to go when you reach the placebo row.
Track your cycle for at least two or three months beforehand if it’s not already predictable. The medication only works if you start it before bleeding begins, so the more accurately you can predict your start date, the better your chances of a clean delay with no breakthrough bleeding. For people with highly irregular cycles, pinpointing the right start date can be tricky, and a prescriber can help you figure out the best approach.