Pregnant Or Delayed Periods? How To Find Out

Whether you’re hoping for a pregnancy or not, being late can be a confusing experience. A delayed period is one of the first signs of pregnancy, but being late doesn’t always mean a baby is on the way. Periods can be delayed for a number of reasons. It may be related to a person’s health, physical activity levels, or their lifestyle choices. In some instances, there may not be an underlying cause at all. Our bodies are in a constant state of flux and our cycles can temporarily change for seemingly no reason. Sometimes a delayed period can be a godsend because it was due to occur during an inopportune time. Perhaps there’s a holiday, wedding, or big event coming up and having your period would completely derail your plans. One of the most common questions sexual health practitioners receive is about how to delay periods.

Safe Ways to Delay Periods

Some people claim there are natural ways to delay period, like through the use of garam lentils, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar. However, there’s no evidence that these methods actually work. The safest and most effective way to delay your period is by using a hormonal medication called Norethisterone tablets. Norethisterone can delay your period for up to 17 days by stopping ovulation. This gives you the freedom to go about your plans without having to worry about your period. For Norethisterone to work, you’ll need to start taking it 3 days before the expected start date of your period. Your period will start within a 2-3 days after you stop taking Norethisterone and may need a month or two to get back to normal. You shouldn’t take Norethisterone for more than 20 days. It’s also not a form of birth control so if you have sex while taking it, you’ll need to use a backup form of contraception like a condom. Some women taking Norethisterone may experience side effects. Commonly reported side effects include:

• Breast tenderness
• Bloating
• Acne
• Cramps
• Spotting
• Nausea
• Headache

For longer term period delay, you can use the combined progestin-oestrogen hormonal birth control pill to limit how often you get your period. In each monthly pack of birth control pills is 3 weeks’ worth of active pills and 1 week of placebo pills. Your period usually begins when you take the placebo week. To prevent your period, simply skip the placebo week and go straight into another week of active pills. Speak to your GP or prescriber before using your birth control pills to stop your period. Period delay treatment is available online from us. If you want to safely postpone your period, visit our website to discuss a prescription for medications like Norethisterone.

Pregnant or a Delayed Period?

Often one of the first signs of pregnancy is a missed period. Every month, your reproductive organs prepare themselves for possible pregnancy. If you don’t become pregnant, the extra uterine lining that was created sheds, creating your period. Becoming pregnant will stop the uterine lining from shredding, although some women continue spotting during the first months of pregnancy. A missed or late period doesn’t always mean pregnancy. If you’re worried you’re pregnant, look for other signs like:

• Tiredness
• Swollen and/or tender breasts
• Morning sickness
• Frequent urination

Causes of Delayed Periods

At-home pregnancy tests are very accurate when done correctly. You can take one the first day your period is late, although these are some highly sensitive tests that can be used before your period is due. However, if you haven’t gotten your period and haven’t taken steps to delay it, you may not necessarily be pregnant. There are several other underlying that have been linked to delayed or irregular periods.

1. Stress
2. Extreme Exercise
3. Thyroid Disorders
4. Low Body Weight
5. PCOS
6. Menopause
7. Covid-19

Stress

 When you’re stressed, your body releases stress hormones to help you cope with the situation. These hormones can interact with the sex hormones responsible for your period. Chronic stress or repeated intense stress levels can impact how your sex hormones function, resulting in irregular periods and missed periods.

Extreme Exercise

Irregular and missed periods are common in athletes and in people who exercise at high levels frequently. Starting a new, intense exercise regimen can also impact your cycle.

Thyroid Disorders

An underactive thyroid or overactive thyroid can cause several symptoms throughout the body, including periods. Thyroid issues usually need to be treated with medications so once your thyroid levels balance out, your periods should go back to normal.

Low Body Weight

Women with eating disorders often miss their periods or don’t experience them at all. It’s thought that low levels of body fat stop ovulation. Rapid weight loss can also cause irregular periods and skipped periods. Being thin doesn’t always mean healthy so any weight loss should be done gradually.

PCOS

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition caused by excess production of a male hormone called androgen. This hormonal imbalance can impact fertility, insulin, acne, and irregular periods.

Menopause

The menopause is a natural part of life that occurs when a woman reaches the end of her childbearing years. Periods will start to gradually stop during this phase of life. Most women reach the menopause in their late 40s and early 50s, but some may experience early menopause in their 20’s or 30’s. 

Covid-19

Research is still being conducted, but a large number of women reported disturbances to their cycles after contracting covid-19 and after getting the vaccine. 

Where to Buy Period Delay Treatment Online

We know that there are occasions when a period and its side effects can throw a spanner in the works. If you have an event coming up or simply want to delay your period, contact us. Our prescribers can have effective period delay treatment like Norethisterone delivered to your doorstep. All you have to do is fill out a short online assessment for them to review and, once approved, we’ll quickly despatch a safe and proven way to delay your period.