You know you are not pregnant but you have missed your periods. Reasons for late periods range from hormonal imbalance to serious medical problems.
This article looks at the possible reasons
1. Stress
Prolonged periods of stress can affect a woman’s menstrual cycle, making it longer or shorter, or even causing a missed period. Stress activates the hormone cortisol and pushes your body into survival mode. If you are experiencing prolonged stress, your body can induce amenorrhea and will prevent menstruation.
2. Extreme exercise
Extreme exercise can cause alterations in pituitary hormones and thyroid hormones, resulting in changes in ovulation and menstruation. Many athletes experience secondary amenorrhea, meaning they don’t have a period for six months or longer, from rigorous training.
3. Illness
Chronic conditions that can affect your menstrual cycles include thyroid disease, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), pituitary tumors (which may or may not be cancer), diseases of the adrenal gland, ovarian cysts, liver dysfunction, and diabetes.
4. Weight loss or weight gain
Being overweight, underweight, or experiencing drastic changes in weight all impact your cycle. Obesity influences estrogen and progesterone and may even result in decreased fertility. Very high body mass index (BMI) is associated with missed periods, and weight loss can help regulate the menstrual cycle for women who are obese.
Common health problems linked to weight and irregular menstruation include eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia, and uncontrolled diabetes.
5. Breastfeeding
If you are breastfeeding your little one, a lack of periods is completely normal. Referred to as lactational amenorrhea, this is a phase that disrupts the rhythm of your menstrual cycle.
6. Premenopause and menopause
Most women begin menopause between ages 45 to 55. Women who develop symptoms around age 40 or earlier are considered to have early peri-menopause.
7. Birth control
Some types of birth control, particularly hormonal methods, can cause a woman to miss a period. Sometimes, these hormones keep the lining of the uterus so thin that there is not enough of the lining to cause a period. This applies to all forms of hormonal birth control, including pills, patches, shots, implants, and rings.
8. Sleep schedule changes
Switching to the night shift or traveling to another time zone may prevent your menstrual cycle from starting. According to a study published in Frontiers in Endocrinology, any disruptions to your circadian rhythm—the internal clock that regulates important cellular processes—can cause you to experience irregular periods.
If you think you’re pregnant, it’s always a good idea to take a test. Otherwise, talk to your doctor about your late period – they can provide valuable insight and ease your mind.
[sc_fs_multi_faq headline-0=”h2″ question-0=”How much delay is normal in periods?” answer-0=”Most periods last 3 to 5 days, but anywhere from 2 to 7 days is normal. Menstrual cycles may happen around the same date every month or they may be irregular. When is a period late? A menstrual period is considered late if it hasn’t started 5 or more days after the day you expected it to start.” image-0=”” headline-1=”h2″ question-1=”Can stress delay period for 2 weeks?” answer-1=”If your period is only three to eight days late, it might just be – late! Believe it or not, things like stress, diet, exercise, and illness can impact your cycle length. If your period is less than two weeks late, then it may very well just be that you had a long menstrual cycle this time around.” image-1=”” headline-2=”h2″ question-2=”Is white discharge a sign of period coming?” answer-2=”Normal reproductive system functioning: White discharge before your period is a normal part of the menstrual cycle. Normal discharge at this stage of your cycle is sometimes called “egg white mucus,” because of its thin, stretchy, and slippery texture. This discharge is also odorless.” image-2=”” headline-3=”h2″ question-3=”What happens if your period is 15 days late?” answer-3=”A missed period or late period is a classic early pregnancy symptom. If you’ve had unprotected intercourse in the five days before ovulation or the day of ovulation, then it’s possible you’re pregnant. But, you don’t need to wait until you’re sure you’ve missed your period to take pregnancy test.” image-3=”” headline-4=”h2″ question-4=”Why do I have cramps but no period?” answer-4=”You might be pregnant, or have pregnancy issues. Jones says that having period-like cramps while not on your period can also be an early sign of pregnancy. Mild uterine cramps are common in pregnant women. On the other hand, your cramps could possibly mean an ectopic pregnancy.” image-4=”” headline-5=”h2″ question-5=”Can you feel like your period is coming and be pregnant?” answer-5=”Pregnancy: Early in pregnancy, you may experience mild or light cramping. These cramps will probably feel like the light cramps you get during your period, but they’ll be in your lower stomach or lower back. … You can have the cramps for weeks up to months when you’re pregnant.” image-5=”” headline-6=”h2″ question-6=”Is it possible to miss a period for a month?” answer-6=”Pregnancy is by far the most common cause of a missed period, but there are some other medical reasons and lifestyle factors that impact your menstrual cycle. … You may miss a period for one or two months, or you may experience complete amenorrhea, which is a lack of menstruation for three or more months in a row.” image-6=”” count=”7″ html=”true” css_class=””]
