Your period coming at a bad time? There's a pill to delay it

Pills that delay menstruation do so by keeping the levels of the hormone progesterone artificially high. — AFP

It can sometimes be tempting to postpone the onset of a menstrual cycle, especially during the vacation season.

Women who take birth control pills can already delay their periods by taking two packs in a row.

For those who do not use this type of contraception, there are medications that can delay a cycle by around two weeks.

These drugs are available in many European countries.

The tablets contain an artificial hormone, norethisterone, which is similar to progesterone – a female hormone naturally created by the body to prepare the uterus for pregnancy.

It is secreted during the second part of the menstrual cycle, after ovulation.

In case of pregnancy, it remains at a high level in the body.

If fertilisation does not occur, its level falls and menstruation begins.

These cycle-delaying pills keep progesterone levels artificially high.

This type of medication was created for women who do not take birth control pills and who cannot delay their periods by taking two packets in a row, skipping the usual week's break.

The treatment must be started three days before the date of the beginning of the cycle, at a rate of three doses per day, and for 14 days thereafter.

Menstruation then begins a few days after the last dose.

In the United Kingdom, for example, many pharmacy chains, such as Boots, offer an online consultation service for obtaining a prescription for period delay medication quickly and easily.

Boots also lists all the recommendations for this type of medicine.

For example, the pharmacy explains that these tablets do not act as a form of contraception, even if they prevent menstruation.

"You'll need to use barrier contraception, like condoms, if you don't have a long acting reversible contraceptive in place, like the coil or an implant," the company says on its website.

Some side effects include light bleeding, irregular bleeding, sore breasts, decreased libido and stomach upset.

"The longer you take the tablets for, the more likely you'll experience side effects," the company warns.

In addition, this pill can lead to an increased risk of developing blood clots.

If travelling by plane, the pharmacy advises you to "move around as much as possible". – AFP Relaxnews