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How does period delay medication work?

Utovlan is a medication that delays the start of your period. The active ingredient in Utovlan is a hormone called norethisterone, which works by keeping your progesterone levels high enough to prevent ovulation and maintain the uterus lining (similar to what happens during pregnancy).

Utovlan does not prevent pregnancy, so you still need to use protection even if you’re using period delay medication. Our nurses and pharmacists will be able to offer advice during your consultation if you’d like to know more about your contraception options whilst taking Utovlan.

How to take period delay medication

You need to take a Utovlan tablet three times a day – one in the morning, one in the afternoon, and one in the evening (roughly every 8 hours). If you forget to take a dose, you can resume taking the tablets as normal without needing to take extra tablets. However, missing two or more doses in a row can increase the chance of breakthrough bleeding.

You need to start taking Utovlan three days before you expect your period to begin. Your next period should start within three days of your last dose.

What are the side effects of period delay medication?

Side effects can include:

• irregular vaginal bleeding
• changes to your menstrual cycle
• abdominal discomfort
• mood changes
• nausea

Please see the patient information leaflet for a full list of side effects.

Drug interactions

Norethisterone tablets should not be taken at the same time as some medications, for example some epilepsy medication, antiviral medication, and the ulipristal “EllaOne” morning after pill. Our nurse or pharmacist will be able to assess this for you.

How can I get Period Delay medication?

Any of our Superdrug nurses or pharmacists can supply period delay medication after a short consultation, and provide you with the medication after the consultation, if it is suitable. You can book an appointment in one of our Superdrug Health Clinics for a face to face consultation with a nurse, who can supply period delay medication. Our nurses can also provide you with any travel advice or vaccinations you may need.

If you don’t need any travel advice, you can also walk in to any Superdrug Pharmacy without having to book an appointment first. The pharmacist will have a short consultation with you as soon as they are available, and you can get the medication after the consultation if it’s suitable for you.

You can also buy period delay medication online with Superdrug Online Doctor. You just need to fill in a short online questionnaire, and our doctors can prescribe this medication if they think it is safe and appropriate to do so. You can have these tablets delivered to an address of your choice, or you can pick them up from any Superdrug store in the UK.