Can a UTI Delay Your Period?
Medically reviewed by Andre Stone | MD, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine on August 25th, 2026.
UTIs themselves don't directly delay your menstrual period. However, the stress that UTIs place on your body can potentially disrupt your hormonal balance and menstrual cycle. When your body is fighting an infection, it releases stress hormones like cortisol, which can interfere with the normal production of reproductive hormones. Physical stress from an illness may sometimes contribute to menstrual-cycle changes, but many factors can cause a late period. Most antibiotics used for UTIs are not known to delay a period directly. If your period is late and pregnancy is possible, take a pregnancy test and tell your healthcare provider, especially before starting medication. Seek medical care for urinary symptoms that are severe, worsening, or accompanied by fever, back or side pain, vomiting, or pregnancy.
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