Stop your period: our 5 natural ways to do it

There are many reasons why you may want to stop menstruating. Is it possible to do so? How can you stop your period? We'll give you all our tips in this article!

Why stop your period?

The duration of menstruation varies from one woman to another. You may want to stop your period flow for a variety of reasons: going on vacation, a planned party, an important date such as an exam, etc.

Sometimes, we prefer to avoid having our period at certain inconvenient times. Some women may also want to stop menstruating when they have certain pathologies, such as endometriosis or very heavy bleeding.

There are various methods for stopping your period: some are temporary, others permanent.

Eugénie, naturopathic advisor and women's health coach, tells you if it's possible to postpone your period for the vacations.

What are the most common ways of stopping a period?

There are several ways to stop your period:

• natural methods
• medicated methods
• contraceptive methods

Natural methods to stop menstruation

The effectiveness of natural methods for shorten your period has not been scientifically proven, but since there are no contraindications, you're free to try them out! They will be more or less effective depending on the woman and her cycle.

• Plants: Yarrow and Monk's pepper are known to delay your period by a few days (provided you take them in good time!) You can also try shepherd's purse, raspberry leaves, angelica root and sage. These plants are best consumed as herbal teas. They won't necessarily delay the onset of menstruation, but they can reduce menstrual flow.
• Drink enough water: in general, drinking enough water is very important for your health, and we recommend drinking 1.5l to 2l of water a day. If you drink a lot of water, chances are your menstrual flow will be reduced.
• It's also a good idea to eat enough fruit and vegetables to help you cope with your period. Indeed, your menstrual flow is lightened, and as vegetables are non-inflammatory foods, they can relieve dysmenorrhoea (period pain).

As a reminder, these methods are not scientifically proven and depend on the individual woman. They won't stop your period, but they will influence the abundance of your flow.

Taking medication to stop your period

There are recognized methods of delaying your period using medication. To opt for this type of solution, talk to your doctor or healthcare professional, to check that you have no contraindications and to inform you of any potential side effects.

• You can take GnRH agonists: this is a treatment that stops ovarian functions: the hormonal cycle is paused, so menstruation disappears. If you stop taking this treatment, menstruation returns.

This treatment must be taken under medical supervision.

• A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug may be used to relieve menstrual pain. They can also reduce blood flow.

If you're using these drugs because your flow is too painful and you want to avoid having them, remember that it's not normal to suffer so much that it impacts your daily life during your period: consult your doctor, midwife or gynecologist to find the cause of your pain and find a suitable treatment.

Choosing hormonal contraception to stop your periods

Certain types of contraception can stop your periods. Contraception is the only truly effective method.

• Two solutions are available for the pill.

Microprogestogen pills are taken continuously, which completely interrupts the onset of menstruation.

But there are also other types of pill, such as the combined estrogen-progestin pill, which works by combining two progestins. This pill causes withdrawal bleeding during the week of discontinuation or placebo (depending on whether you have a 21-tablet or 28-tablet pill). As this is artificial bleeding (commonly known as false menstruation), it is possible to take two packs in succession, without interruption or by skipping the placebo tablets. This means you won't get your period, but you may experience some bleeding, such as spotting.

• Hormonal IUDs:

This method of contraception is based on the delivery of synthetic progestin hormones (levonorgestrel) via an intrauterine device placed in the uterus by your gynecologist. By opting for the hormonal IUDIn most cases, menstruation is reduced, and in some women it even disappears.

• The third contraceptive method that stops menstruation is thecontraceptive implant.

This is a contraceptive device which is placed under the skin of the arm and continuously delivers a progestin hormone. This hormone stops ovulation. The implant generally tends to reduce the onset of menstruation. Some women find that their periods stop completely when they have an implant.

As a last resort: stop menstruation with surgery

Surgical procedures include :

• Hysterectomy: the uterus is removed. It is an irreversible method that stops the menstrual cycle and makes pregnancy impossible. Hysterectomy may be recommended by a doctor if you are prone to serious gynecological pathologies such as cervical cancer.
• Endometrectomy: this is a different surgical procedure from hysterectomy. It involves removal of the endometrium, i.e. the mucous membrane lining the uterus. This surgical procedure can be useful in cases of endometrial cancer, fibroids or bleeding periods. The flow is stopped. However, this operation greatly reduces fertility.

Is it possible to delay menstruation naturally?

Natural methods can be used to delay menstruation The effectiveness of these methods depends on the individual woman and has not been scientifically proven. Only contraceptive or surgical methods are truly effective. But there's no reason why you shouldn't try them out, as there are no contraindications.

FAQ for stopping your period

Is it possible to stop menstruating for a night?

Is it dangerous to stop your period?

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