You can safely stop or delay your period primarily through hormonal birth control methods, but it's important to consult your healthcare provider first for the best and safest approach tailored to your needs. Here are common ways to stop or reduce your period:
- Hormonal birth control pills: Most birth control pills can be used continuously by skipping the placebo week, which delays or stops your period. Your healthcare provider can also prescribe packs designed for extended use to stop periods for up to 3 months or longer.
- Hormonal IUD (e.g., Mirena): This device releases hormones that often stop periods for years. Around 20-50% of users report having no periods after one to two years of use.
- Birth control shots (Depo-Provera): Given every 3 months, this shot suppresses menstruation in 50-75% of users after one year.
- Hormonal implants, vaginal rings, or skin patches: These provide hormones continuously and can be used to delay or suppress periods by avoiding the break interval when menstruation usually occurs.
- Prescription medicine (like Norethisterone): Sometimes prescribed to delay your period up to about 17 days.
It’s important to consult a medical professional before starting or adjusting hormonal methods. Once your period has started, stopping it immediately is not possible, but you can manage symptoms like pain with methods such as ibuprofen or heat application. For longer-term control or stopping periods completely, hormonal methods prescribed and managed by your healthcare provider are the most effective and safe options.
