There may be many situations in a woman’s life when she may wonder how to stop periods; either for a short duration to postpone a period or for a longer term. We look at ways to do this and we also look at whether it is possible to stop a period that has already started.
How to stop periods for long durations
Certain intra uterine devices such as Mirena are known to reduce the number of periods that a woman has during a year. Then there are surgical options for women who want to stop periods such as having the uterus removed (hysterectomy) and so on.
However these ways of stopping the periods are considered permanent, because a hysterectomy is an irreversible procedure and after this a woman will have no periods nor be able to conceive.
It can also have other negative impacts. This may be considered an extreme and inadvisable method for how to stop periods.
Mirena can also have a permanent impact on female fertility and is advised only for those women who don’t wish to have any more children.
Lengthening the cycle or Postponing the Period
Rather than stopping the periods altogether, some women may want to delay a period. This may be for a number of reasons: going on a holiday and not wanting to be hindered by a period. Or it could be that a woman has a wedding scheduled and her period is required to be delayed.
If you are a woman who is already on birth control pills, you can simply continue taking the pills for some days beyond the 21 days monthly quota of pills. Consult a doctor about whether this is suitable for you and the type of birth control pills you use, and about how long it is safe to continue to take the pills and how to stop periods using this method.
Even if you’re not on birth control pills a doctor will be able to prescribe a pill that can be started some days before your period is due, which will help to push back your period.
In either case, it is best to speak to a doctor about your requirements, and the best way to go about them. Delaying a period indefinitely is contraindicated and there could be reasons not to opt for certain medications in your specific case.
Stopping a period that has started
Women who want to know how to stop periods that have already started should understand one thing: the uterus is shedding a lining of blood and tissue that the body no longer needs; which is superfluous. If this natural process of getting rid of this material by the body is to be interrupted, consider very carefully if it is worth disrupting this process.
Some women find that ibuprofen stems the flow of menstrual blood, but this can be dangerous. It is best not to try to figure out how to stop periods already started and in fact as any doctor will tell you, a period once started cannot be halted at will, nor should it be tried.
