“Oh no! It's my period!”

When your menstrual cycle doesn't match your travel plans 

There are several reasons why having your period can interfere with your travel plans.

Perhaps it is the timing. You've finally scheduled a romantic vacation, or you're on a very intense business trip with lots of planned activities and having your period is going to be very inconvenient.

Or it may be your itinerary that's the problem. You may be expecting to spend several months in a country where bathroom facilities are scarce and feminine hygiene products are unavailable. Or you may be backpacking or traveling light so that carrying tampons or napkins and an extra change of clothing in case of “accidents” just won't work.

Whatever the reason, you may be looking for a way to delay or prevent your menstrual period or at least make it less intrusive.

We should say from the outset the nothing is foolproof, but there are some options to available to make your period less of a problem.

If delaying your period for a few weeks is what you're after, then you will probably need to resort to some sort of hormonal method.

For women already on oral contraceptives, the most common method is to simply skip the “dummy” pills in the pill pack and go right into the next cycle. This only works, however, if you have already been on the pill for several months and your body has adjusted to the medication. Starting a pack of pills just before your trip might work, but chances aren't good. Also, it is unlikely to work with the “multiphasic” pills such as OrthoTricyclen Ò or Trilevlen Ò . Success is more assured when you are on monophasic pills such as Demulen Ò or Levlite Ò . If in doubt, ask your doctor or pharmacist which type of pill you are on.

We should point out that taking your pills in these unusual ways does not reduce their ability to prevent pregnancy. Don't forget, though, that hormonal contraceptives do not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases. For that, you still need a condom or to practice abstinence.

There are some longer-lasting types of hormonal contraception that perhaps have a better track record when it comes to delaying your period. This would include the injectable Depo-Provera Ò which is given every three months or the progesterone-containing IUD. A new birth control pill, Seasonale Ò , expected on the U.S. market this fall, will allow a woman to have a menstrual cycle only every 3 months rather than every month. The monthly injection Lunelle Ò has not been very useful in this regard.

Another advantage to the hormonal methods is that they usually reduce the amount of flow even if they don't entirely prevent periods. Also, if you are afflicted with menstrual cramps, these hormones will frequently alleviate that problem.

As we said, manipulating your hormones does not guarantee success. Your period cannot be put off indefinitely. The amount of hormone in these contraceptives never exactly matches your own body's cycle. Sooner or later, either due to an excess of estrogen or a lack of progesterone, you will start to spot or bleed. For some women it happens sooner rather than later. In fact, there are no studies to show how predictably hormonal manipulation will delay a period. Although commonly prescribed, no one has actually kept a tally of what percentage of women who try this obtain the desired results.

If it is not the timing that's the problem—i.e. if it is more a matter of being in remote areas or spending several months in places where tampons, napkins and bathrooms are in short supply, then perhaps you need to consider not preventing your menstrual flow but rather finding a different way of handling it. Some women simply don't like messing with their body's hormones or are looking for a more eco-friendly way of handling toilet issues.

In this case, you may want to consider using a menstrual cup rather than disposable products.

A menstrual cup should not be confused with a cervical cap. The latter is placed around the cervix and is used for contraception. Menstrual cups are placed in the vagina and are for catching the menstrual flow.

There are two types currently available in the U.S.

The Keeper has been around the longest. It is made of latex and is marketed by www.Thekeeperinc.com ( Cincinnati , Ohio ) and other distributorships. The other product, the Divacup, is made of silicone and marketed by Healthkeeper, Inc. of Ontario , Canada . ( www.divacup.com ).

Although the idea of menstrual cups has yet to really catch on here in the U.S. , both products have received generally positive reviews. My midwife friends tell me that the Keeper is softer and often felt to be more comfortable but is also more apt to spill. The Divacup has the advantage of being hypoallergenic and lasting longer and it can even be boiled to sterilize it.

These menstrual cups have a capacity of about an ounce and need to be emptied about every 4 to 12 hours, depending on how heavy your flow is. If you will be in remote areas, it is recommended that you carry along a little squirt bottle of soapy, purified water to rinse off the cup and your fingers when you empty it.

Given these options, you may find that your menstrual period does not have to interfere with your travel plans.