Missed periods are almost always caused by pregnancy. However, other medical and lifestyle issues can also impact your menstrual cycle, which can delay your period. If you did not conceive, the most frequent causes of a missed period include menopause, hormone, and weight changes. You may skip your period for one or two months if you have these problems, or you may experience total amenorrhea, which is when you go three or more months without getting your period.
A typical menstrual cycle lasts about 28 days, from the first day of your period to the first day of the following one. A typical cycle, however, can last up to 38 days. It is deemed late if your period lasts longer than this or for you on average. Many women confuse a late period with a sign of pregnancy if they do not understand their menstrual cycle and pattern of it. So, you must first notice how often you get your monthly cycle, and how many days you bleed.
Here, we explore some of the common reasons for missed period, and what you can expect from them.
1. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or PCOS
A hormonal imbalance in those with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) can result in missed period symptoms or irregular periods. You will probably experience more than simply an irregular menstrual cycle if you have PCOS. It can also lead to other issues such as hair growth on the body and face, infertility, weight gain and inability to lose it, hair thinning, hair loss, acne, etc.
2. Stress
Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), a hormone that controls ovulation and the menstrual cycle, is interrupted by extreme stress. It is not unusual to miss one period while going through a difficult situation. However, if you miss three or more periods because of consistent stress, you may want to make an appointment with your doctor.
3. Breastfeeding
When you breastfeed, you may encounter mild or infrequent periods, especially if nursing gives your infant all or nearly all of their caloric needs. Breastfeeding is frequently perceived by women as a method of fertility control. And many fail at protecting against conceiving, having to choose early pregnancy termination to deal with an unplanned pregnancy.
Although it can lessen your chances of becoming pregnant, it is not always successful. When breastfeeding, you can become pregnant even if you don't have periods. Use an alternative method of contraception if you are not prepared to have more children.
4. Lack of Nutrition
One of the late period causes is a lack of following a nutritious diet. Significantly underweight people also experience irregular menstrual cycles. The body cannot properly create hormones when it lacks fat and other nutrients. Amenorrhea can occur in women who have anorexia (very low-calorie intake) or who exercise a lot and burn off a lot more calories than they take in. Usually, gaining weight will assist your period come back.
5. Ectopic Pregnancy
There is a very minimal probability of ectopic pregnancy when using IUDs. Intrauterine device wearers may experience missed periods as a result of this risky condition. When a pregnancy develops outside of the womb's lining, it is called an ectopic pregnancy. You should visit your doctor if your pregnancy test is positive and you are using an IUD.
Some of the signs of ectopic pregnancy are shoulder pain, nausea, lower abdominal cramps, weakness, breast tenderness, dizziness, and others. Women with a pregnancy outside the uterus can also have missed periods, spotting, or frequent vaginal bleeding.
6. Obesity
Obesity affects the balance of estrogen and progesterone and is linked to missing periods. It can potentially result in problems with conception. For obese women, losing weight can help control the menstrual cycle. Also, it will keep your period health in check by reducing the risks of PMS and other side effects from menstruation like painful cramps and over-bleeding.
7. Change in Daily Routine
Your body clock can become off when your schedule changes. Your period can be somewhat unexpected if you frequently switch from day to night shifts at work or if your schedule is usually disorganized. Although a schedule adjustment should not make you entirely miss your period, it can make it start earlier or later than usual. If you have jet lag, your cycle may also shift by a few days.
8. Acute Illnesses and Chronic Diseases
There are possibly medical reasons for missed period as well. For instance, period delay or absence is more remarkable for women with kidney failure, liver dysfunction, pneumonia, ovarian cysts, meningitis, heart attack, pituitary tumors, diabetes, hormone dysfunction, adrenal gland disease, androgen insensitivity, Turner syndrome, etc.
9. Primary Ovarian Insufficiency
When the ovaries cease to function properly before the age of 40, it is known as primary ovarian insufficiency (POI). Due to this, women may experience irregular periods and fertility issues earlier than the traditional age of perimenopause. The cause for this condition is not diagnosed yet. Experts say that it can be related to small sacs in the ovaries or the function of the follicles.
10. Thyroid Problem
Thyroid hormone levels in people with thyroid illnesses are either too high or too low. The body uses thyroid hormone for a variety of purposes, including controlling the menstrual cycle. You may get irregular periods if your thyroid hormone levels are off. Some people with a thyroid condition may completely skip their periods, frequently for several months or longer. This can give rise to confusion between the pregnancy period and the menstrual cycle as well.
11. Menopause or Perimenopause
The transition between a reproductive age and a non-reproductive age is known as perimenopause. During this time, your periods could be heavier, lighter, less, or more frequent. Most of the time, things will just be different from regular expectations. People even take breakthrough bleeding as one of the early pregnancy symptoms missed period and fear of unwilling pregnancy at an older age. Thus, it is important to seek medical care at this time for a proper diagnosis of the issue.
12. Certain Medicines
Your period may be absent or delayed if you take certain medicines, including anticonvulsants, HIV medication, antipsychotics, thyroid medicines, and some chemotherapy-related treatments. In case you encounter period problems because of a medication, check with your physician if a replacement medicine, or an alternative works.
Final Words
Late periods can occur for a variety of causes. These are often linked to physiological changes that lead to hormonal imbalances, such as stress, specific diseases, or medicine. While the majority are not alarming, if you have missed more than one period entirely, you do need a diagnosis, follow-up, and required treatment for it.
