It’s normal for your period to vary slightly from month to month.

This article explains which medications may affect your period, including how and why.

Grace Cary / Getty Images

Can Medication Prevent You From Having a Period?

Close-up of unrecognizable black woman holding pills

Grace Cary / Getty Images

Some medications candelay your periodor prevent you from having one altogether.

Certain medications can also make your period heavier than usual or cause spotting between periods.

These changes can differ based on the throw in of contraceptive you are using.

Hormone Therapy

Hormone therapyalters the levels of hormones in the body.

Antidepressants

Antidepressants can also affect your period.

Antipsychotic medications can causehyperprolactinemia, which means abnormally high levels of prolactin.

In turn, this can cause amenorrhea.

It is not available over the counter.

Studies show that warfarin, along with other prescription anticoagulants, can cause heavy menstrual bleeding.

It may damage the ovaries and stop your periods while you are taking it.

For people under 40, their period typically comes back once they stop chemotherapy.

However, they are more likely to have an early menopause.

Menopause vs.

Your healthcare provider can help identify whether your medication is affecting your cycles or if there is another cause.

you could create a plan to manage your health conditions and cycle.

Many types of drugs that can affect your period, including blood thinners, antidepressants, and antipsychotics.

Talk to a healthcare provider if you think your medication is affecting your cycle.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Abnormal uterine bleeding.

Cochrane Gynaecology and Fertility Group, ed.Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

2019;2019(2).

doi:10.1002/14651858.CD000154.pub3

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Heavy menstrual bleeding.

Ahmad S, Leinung M.The response of the menstrual cycle to initiation of hormonal therapy in transgender men.Transgend Health.

2017;2(1):176-179. doi:10.1089%2Ftrgh.2017.0023

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.Hormone therapy for menopause.

2021;51(2):131-148.

PMCID: PMC8146565

OASH Office on Women’s Health.Thyroid disease.February 22, 2021.

Bannow BS.Management of heavy menstrual bleeding on anticoagulation.Hematology: the American Society of Hematology Education Program.

  • The PERIOD study.Res Pract Thromb Haemost.

2023;7(2):100072. doi:10.1016%2Fj.rpth.2023.100072

Susan G. Komen.Long term side effects of chemotherapy.

April 10, 2024.

NIH National Institutes on Aging.What is menopause?September 30, 2021.

OASH Office on Women’s Health.Early or premature menopause.

December 29, 2022.