Is Utovlan available over the counter?

Utovlan is the branded version of Norethisterone. Utovlan is a prescription medication used to delay your period short term. You can take Utovlan for up to 20 days for period delay and it is usually used by women who want to delay their period for a holiday or special event, such as a wedding. Utovlan can be taken for longer time periods if you suffer from endometriosis or particularly painful, heavy periods. 

Utovlan is not available over the counter in the UK, it is only available on prescription. You can get Norethisterone – the generic version of Utovlan – from your GP, but both Norethisterone and Utovlan are available on prescription from online pharmacies such as Simple Online Pharmacy. To order Utovlan from Simple Online Pharmacy you simply need to complete an online consultation form. This will then be checked over by our doctor and your prescription will be sent to our pharmacy if appropriate. The pharmacy will dispatch your medication in plain packaging with no indication of what is inside. 

Norethisterone is the generic version of Utovlan. It is less expensive, contains the same active ingredient and should work in exactly the same way. However, the inactive ingredients and appearance of the medication can vary, so some people do prefer to take branded medications like Utovlan.

If you are currently taking the contraceptive pill, or if you want longer term period delay, combined oral contraceptive pills such as Rigevidon can also be used for period delay for up to 3 months. To use your pill for period delay, you simply take two packs back to back, ensuring that you skip any placebo pills if your pack contains any. You should speak to your doctor if you are not sure if your pill is suitable for period delay or how to take it for this. Many women taking combined oral contraceptive pills are able to delay their period for three months so that they only have 4 periods each year.