Normal Cause Of A Missed Period During The First Year
- Skipping periods is common during the first 1 to 2 years after they start. This is due to not releasing an egg each month.
- This is most likely the cause if less than 2 years since the first period
- Has missed periods in the past or has had only 1 or 2 periods
- Otherwise healthy
- No signs of pregnancy such as breast tenderness, breast swelling or nausea
An Existing Chronic Condition
Any chronic condition has the potential to affect the menstrual cycle. Some good examples include uncontrolled diabetes, thyroid disease or reproductive causes like polycystic ovary syndrome.¹â°Â¹Â¹ Maintaining healthy habits, such as eating a healthful diet and exercising regularly, can help prevent chronic conditions from flaring and affecting your menstrual cycle.
Could You Be Pregnant
If you missed your period, answer these 4 questions:
If you answered “yes” to all questions, there is a high chance that you are pregnant. But only a positive pregnancy test will confirm your suspicion.
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Missed Periods And Pregnancy
If youve had unprotected sex, you may have missed your period because youre pregnant. You may want to rule out pregnancy first by taking a pregnancy test, or you can see if you need to take a test with our .
Keep an eye out for any , like:
- tender breasts
These symptoms coupled with a missed period could mean you are pregnant
The Science Behind Symptoms
Pregnant or not, your body starts releasing progesterone after you ovulate. This hormone keeps getting released and is at its highest point around five to seven days after ovulation. If a woman is pregnant, her body continues to produce progesterone in high amounts to help sustain the pregnancy. If shes not pregnant, her progesterone levels decrease, and shell start her menstrual period.
Thanks also to progesterone, the symptoms of early pregnancy and your period are nearly identical. Cramps, fatigue, dizziness, breast tenderness all early signs of pregnancy, but also possible signs of your period coming.
What about light spotting a week after ovulation? It could indicate implantation bleeding, but most women dont experience this symptom and spotting can happen for other reasons.
What about nausea? This symptom is typically attributed to hCG, the pregnancy hormone, but it can be caused by other things, too .
In the weeks between ovulation and a pregnancy test, many women symptom spot that is, they take note of certain physical symptoms and think that they are definitely signs of early pregnancy. Is symptom spotting so wrong? Absolutely not, and it can even be kind of fun, as long as you know that only a blood test can tell you for sure if youre pregnant.
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What Should You Do When Your Period Is Late
First, take a pregnancy test. If youâre not pregnant and this is your first late period, thereâs probably not much cause for concern. Still, you can always take a few steps towards a healthy cycle:
- Track your flow: Keep track of your periods to establish what your regular cycle looks like. Include the time between periods, length of bleeding, daily amount of blood and other symptoms like cramps. This information will be helpful if you need to consult a doctor.
- Make lifestyle changes: If youâre stressed, undereating or over-exercising, you may want to make some changes to your daily routine or see an expert for help.
Does A Missed Period Mean You’re Pregnant
Rachel Gurevich is a fertility advocate, author, and recipient of The Hope Award for Achievement, from Resolve: The National Infertility Association. She is a professional member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and has been writing about womens health since 2001. Rachel uses her own experiences with infertility to write compassionate, practical, and supportive articles.
When you don’t get your period as expected, you might start to worry. The absence of your normal menstrual cycle can be concerning since it can indicate a pregnancy or it may be related to an illness or stress. It is considered one of the major possible signs of early pregnancy.
People have different names for it such as a late period, skipping a cycle, or a missed period. In essence, it simply means that your normal menstrual cycle or period didn’t happen when it should have happened. Throughout your lifetime, you may have a missed period for a variety of reasons. It may also just be delayed.
Many women will go through various cycle abnormalities in their life due to various factors. This is not necessarily a problem for all women, but can also indicate a larger health concern for some. A missed cycle can also make trying to get pregnant or confirming early pregnancy more difficult for others.
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How Should You Handle It What Actions Can You Take Follow This Guide For More Information
There are several reasons you could be experiencing a late period. Most people jump to pregnancy as the cause right away. While this could be true, it isnt always the case.
Other variables like stress, health conditions, weight loss, weight gain, exercise, hormones, birth control, menopause, and simple miscalculations come into play.
Other Reasons For A Late Period
The human body is a wonder in its own right where thousands of metabolic reactions are occurring at the same time. Considering this it is no surprise that there is a wide range of reasons why a womans period may be late. When your period is late, it can be concerning, but remember that it is normal for girls in early puberty to experience irregular cycles or periods since their body is adapting to these new changes. However, a late period in adult women might signify something else. Lets understand the possible other reasons for a late period.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
One of the most common causes of a late period is this endocrine disorder. The World Health Organization predicts that this disorder has affected 116 million women worldwide since 2012. It is a complex genetic disorder suffered by women. Women suffering from PCOS experience a hormonal imbalance that makes them produce more male hormones, collectively known as androgens. These androgens develop certain male characters in such females as excess facial or body hair, weight gain, or irregular periods. The exact cause of this disorder is unknown. It is advisable to visit a doctor if you believe that you might be suffering from PCOS as this disorder has potential long-term effects on womens fertility and requires appropriate treatment.
Taking Birth Control
Menopause
Other Medical Factors
If you found this article helpful, then why not take a look at our guide to or this ?
Kidadl Team
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Faint Line On Pregnancy Test
Did you see two lines on the pregnancy test, but one of them was faint? Guess what? That’s a positive result. It’s possible that your levels of hCG aren’t strong enough yet to produce a stronger colored line. If you’re concerned about it, take a second test in a few days or ask for a blood test to determine pregnancy.
Consider Taking A Home Pregnancy Test
If your period is more than two weeks late, then you can consider taking an at-home pregnancy test. These can be purchased from most drug stores , and usually arent too expensive. Make sure to read and follow the directions when you take the test. If it comes back negative, then you may not be pregnant. If it comes back positive, then
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Home Urine Pregnancy Tests
- Home urine pregnancy tests do not cost very much. They are easy to use. Most drugstores sell these tests. No prescription is needed.
- Urine pregnancy tests are very accurate. They can turn positive as early as the first week after a missed period.
- It is best to do the pregnancy test first thing in the morning. Reason: hormone levels are higher in the morning urine.
- Sometimes, a home test is negative even if you think you might be pregnant. In this case, repeat the test. Do the repeat test in 3-5 days. You can also go to a doctor’s office for testing.
- A pregnancy testing fact sheet can be found at www.womenshealth.gov. Search “pregnancy tests.”
You Just Started Having Period
If you are just having your period for the first time, your period for the next few months or years may be irregular with sometimes late period or early period.
If you experience three days late period after menarche, then its not a problem yet. It may take about six years for your menstrual cycle to normalize.
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How Long Does It Take To Miss A Period After Conception
Most people miss their period around two weeks after conception. Thats because conception tends to happen around day 1214 before your next period starts, which is when you ovulate. Two weeks after that, youre on approximately day 28 of your cycle, which is when you would normally expect your period to come.
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Days Late For Your Period Could You Be Pregnant
If you’re trying to conceive, a missed period can be an exciting time. However, it’s important to remember that a late period doesn’t necessarily mean you’re pregnant. There are a number of factors that can contribute to a delayed period, including stress, travel, and changes in your exercise routine.
If you’re used to having a normal cycle, it can be worrying or exciting when you suddenly find yourself 3 days late with a possible missed period. While there are many potential reasons for a missed period, one possibility is that you’re pregnant. But how can you tell for sure?
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How Early Can I Know My Symptoms Of Pregnancy
Each woman’s early pregnancy symptoms are usually unique. You may notice the first signs of pregnancy within a week or two of conception, whereas others may not notice anything for months.
It depends on your ability to detect changes in the body and how sensitive you are to those.
A blood test, which can detect pregnancy as early as one week after conception, is always an option.
During studies, women trying to conceive kept daily records of their symptoms from the time they stopped using birth control until they were eight weeks pregnant. This was based on the first day of their last menstrual period. The outcomes were:
- By the time they were five weeks pregnant, half of them had some pregnancy symptoms
- A missed period is usually the first sign of pregnancy
- Nausea, vomiting, fatigue, frequent urination, and breast tenderness and swelling are the most common symptoms these symptoms can range from mild to severe
Some pregnancy symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting, can appear as early as a few days after conception, even before a positive pregnancy test.
Spotting or cramping
- Implementation spotting and cramping may occur 6 to 12 days after sexual intercourse according to the American Pregnancy Association.
- It is the process by which the embryo implants on the uterine wall.
- Implementation bleeding can appear to be a lighter or shorter period. This symptom, however, is not common in all women.
Hormonal changes
Morning sickness and tiredness
Raised basal temperature
When To See Your Gp
See your GP if youre not pregnant youve had a negative pregnancy test and youve missed more than 3 periods in a row.
If youre sexually active and you have not taken a pregnancy test, your GP may advise you to take one.
They may also ask you about:
- your medical history
- any emotional issues youre having
- any recent changes in your weight
- the amount of exercise you do
Your GP may recommend waiting to see whether your periods return on their own. In some cases you may need treatment for your periods to return.
You should also see your GP if your periods stop before youre 45 or if youre still bleeding when youre over 55.
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Diagnosis And Tests For A Late Period And Pregnancy
Home pregnancy tests check your urine for a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin that is only present when youre pregnant. The body starts making hCG at implantation, and many home pregnancy tests can detect hCG around the day of your expected period.
However, it is common to get a false negative in the first few days after a missed period. The amount of hCG in your body increases daily in early pregnancy. If you test too early, there might not be enough hCG for a positive test. Testing one week after a missed period is most likely to give you accurate results.
If youve had two home pregnancy tests come back negative and still think youre pregnant, check with your doctor. They can order a blood test that looks for the same hormone but can detect it earlier in the pregnancy. Blood tests can give accurate results as soon as 6 to 8 days after ovulation.
If your pregnancy tests come back negative, but you still havent had a period, talk to your doctor to determine what might be the cause and if any additional tests or treatment are needed. If youre trying to conceive, your doctor can perform additional tests or make other suggestions.
Why Did I Miss A Period
Missing a period is not uncommon, and most of the time, it is not a cause for concern. Some of the reasons you might miss a period include:
Normal lifecycle changes
There are a number of changes that happen in the female lifecycle that can result in a skipped period. All of these are normal reasons to miss a period and are not cause for concern.
For example:
Pregnancy
The most common reason for a missed period is pregnancy. If this is a possibility, take a home pregnancy test to see if this is the cause of your missed period. If you skip a period and then have one the next month at the expected time, its possible that a non-viable pregnancy occurred, and the period is actually an early miscarriage.
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding can suppress your period, depending on how frequently you are nursing. You may get a period while breastfeeding, and then not have another one for several months or more, particularly if your baby is nursing exclusively. You can ovulate before you get your period, so its important to use birth control during this time, if you dont want to get pregnant.
Menopause
A skipped period may be a sign that you are entering menopause and your periods are beginning to become less regular, especially if you are experiencing other symptoms of menopause . If you are 45 or older, there is a good chance this is the cause of a missed period.
Stress
Weight loss
Birth control
Hormonal changes
Medications and drugs
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So How Late Can My Period Be Before I Should Worry
If your period is late and you have recently had unprotected sex, it can be an early sign of pregnancy. Whilst that is a fact, itâs not always the case. Only a pregnancy test will give you the answer. How late your period is, depends on your cycle. Only you know what is normal for you, and what isnât.
Home pregnancy tests are available from pharmacies and some supermarkets. Results tend to be accurate if you follow the instructions correctly. If you take the test too early, the results may not be reliable. The best time to take a pregnancy test is the week after your missed period. Your body takes a week or so to develop levels of HCG , which is what the test relies on.
A positive test result is almost certainly correct, with most tests claiming 99% accuracy. By the same token, a negative result is also likely to be correct. Only 5% of pregnancy tests give a false negative result. If you test negative and you still think that you’re pregnant, you should wait a few days and try again. If you have a negative test result and you are experiencing other early pregnancy symptoms, speak to your doctor or pharmacist.
If you have a positive pregnancy test, you should see your doctor to confirm your pregnancy. If your pregnancy test results are positive but you are worried or experiencing any warning signs that something is wrong with your pregnancy, such as bleeding or cramping, you should call your doctor right away.
I Have White Discharge After Missing Period For 5 Days
If your period is 5 days late with increased white discharge, its likely you are pregnant.
During pregnancy and due to increased hormones estrogen and progesterone, women experience increased vaginal discharge that may be milky white or creamy white discharge.
During your period cycle, vaginal discharge is usually dry just before your period and after your period ends. If your period is 5 days late with heavy vaginal discharge, then its likely you are pregnant.
to learn other causes of increased white discharge.
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Final Thoughts: Things To Keep In Mind
The bottom line is that without a blood test, its nearly impossible to know for sure whether youre pregnant or experiencing a late period. Even home pregnancy tests can sometimes give a false negative, if taken too early, so its really smart to wait to take a test until or after your expected period.
If youre paying attention to your symptoms, just know that it can get a little stressful for some women. So if you find yourself symptom spotting, try to be aware of how often you do it, and how you feel does it distract you or stress you out? If it starts to get emotionally taxing for you, look for ways to stop paying attention to your symptoms.
Finally, make sure youve scheduled a pregnancy blood test, and keep taking your prenatal vitamins! Whether its sooner or later, when you get that BFP, youll be glad you did!