You can stop or delay your period using hormonal methods, and several options exist depending on whether you need a short-term fix or a long-term solution. No method guarantees complete suppression for every person, but most hormonal approaches significantly reduce or eliminate bleeding over time. Here’s what actually works, how each method compares, and what to expect.
Skip the Placebo Week on Birth Control Pills
If you already take a combination birth control pill, the simplest approach is skipping the placebo (inactive) pills and starting your next pack immediately. The “period” you get during the placebo week isn’t a true menstrual period. It’s a withdrawal bleed triggered by the drop in hormones, and it was built into early pill designs to mimic a natural cycle. It serves no medical purpose.
Monophasic pills, where every active pill contains the same hormone dose, work best for this. When taken continuously, they progressively thin the uterine lining until there’s little or nothing to shed. A randomized controlled trial published by The Endocrine Society found that continuous use cut moderate-to-heavy bleeding days roughly in half compared to the standard cyclical schedule (about 5 days versus 11 days over the study period).
The catch: you’ll likely experience some spotting or light breakthrough bleeding, especially in the first few months. This is more common with low-dose and ultra-low-dose pills and in people who don’t take their pill at a consistent time each day. If spotting becomes bothersome, scheduling a planned break every three to four months gives the uterine lining a chance to shed cleanly, which often reduces irregular bleeding going forward. The same continuous approach works with the hormonal patch and the vaginal ring.
Delay a Single Period With Norethisterone
If you’re not on hormonal birth control and need to push back one specific period for travel, an event, or another reason, norethisterone is the standard prescription option. It’s a synthetic progesterone that keeps your uterine lining stable so it doesn’t shed on schedule.
The typical dose is 5 mg taken two or three times daily, starting three to five days before your expected period. You continue taking it for up to 14 days. Your period will arrive two to three days after you stop. This is a short-term delay method, not a long-term suppression strategy, and it’s not a contraceptive at this dose. You’ll need a prescription.
The Hormonal IUD
A hormonal IUD is one of the most effective long-term options for reducing or eliminating periods. It releases a small amount of progestin directly into the uterus, which thins the lining over time. Many users see dramatically lighter periods within a few months, and some stop bleeding entirely.
Expect spotting and irregular bleeding for the first two to six months after placement. This typically improves as the lining thins. If it doesn’t settle, short-term treatment with ibuprofen or a brief course of supplemental estrogen can help. The IUD lasts several years depending on the brand, and fertility returns quickly after removal. One study found that 99.7% of users menstruated within three months of having it taken out, and the median time to pregnancy was about 95 days. Between 70% and 88% of former users conceived within a year.
The Depo-Provera Shot
The injectable contraceptive (given every 12 weeks) is particularly effective at stopping periods. After two to three injections, many users have no periods at all because the uterine lining stops building up entirely.
The tradeoff is that fertility takes longer to return compared to other methods. About half of users resume any bleeding within six months of their last injection, and the median time to ovulation is around six months. Studies show 60% to 77% of users become pregnant within a year of stopping, rising to roughly 87% to 89% at two years. If you’re planning to conceive in the near future, other methods offer a faster return to fertility.
The Contraceptive Implant
The arm implant releases a steady dose of progestin and lasts up to three years. Its effect on periods is less predictable than other methods. About 13% to 22% of users achieve complete period cessation after 12 months, with one study of adolescents finding a 29% amenorrhea rate at the one-year mark. Some users get lighter, less frequent periods. Others experience irregular spotting.
One important thing to know: the bleeding pattern you have in the first three months with the implant tends to be your pattern going forward. If you’re still having frequent spotting at the three-month mark, that’s unlikely to resolve on its own. Ibuprofen or short-term estrogen supplements can help manage it. Fertility bounces back fast after removal. Ovulation has been detected as early as three days after the implant comes out, and median time to pregnancy ranges from three to about seven months across studies.
NSAIDs Can Lighten but Not Stop a Period
Anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen and naproxen reduce menstrual flow, but they won’t stop a period from starting or make it disappear. They work by lowering levels of compounds called prostaglandins that promote uterine bleeding. At a dose of 400 mg three times daily throughout the menstrual cycle, ibuprofen reduced blood loss by about 36 mL compared to placebo in clinical studies. Naproxen at 500 mg twice daily reduced flow by 37 to 54 mL.
These are meaningful reductions if your goal is a lighter, more manageable period rather than no period at all. They’re also useful as an add-on strategy if you’re using a hormonal method but still dealing with some breakthrough bleeding.
Long-Term Safety of Period Suppression
Suppressing your period with hormonal methods does not harm your fertility and does not increase cancer risk. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists states this clearly in its clinical guidance, noting that continuous use of combination birth control pills actually decreases the risk of certain cancers. You don’t need a monthly bleed for health reasons.
That said, complete amenorrhea is harder to achieve than most people expect. ACOG recommends that clinicians set realistic expectations: most hormonal methods significantly reduce bleeding, but total suppression doesn’t happen for everyone, and it often takes several months of consistent use to get there. The best results come from choosing a method that fits your timeline. If you need to skip one period next week, norethisterone or continuous pill use are your options. If you want periods gone for the foreseeable future, a hormonal IUD or the injection will get you closer to that goal over time.