Can A Uti Cause A Missed Period

Why Are Your Kidneys Important

The kidneys are our bodys main filter, cleaning close to 180 to 200 quarts of blood every day. For the average person, the kidneys clean and produce one to two quarts of urine. Urine is created by pulling water and waste from your bloodstream. In normal circumstances, urine travels from the kidneys down to the bladder and out through the urethra.

Additionally, the kidneys control waste removal, as well as manage electrolyte, fluid, red blood cell, and blood pressure levels. Unfortunately, kidney infections and disease can cause period changes, other painful symptoms, as well as lead to life-threatening health issues.

What Is A Urinary Tract Infection

As its name suggests, a UTI is the infection of the urinary system which includes the bladder, kidneys, ureters, and urethra. Most of the infections occur in the lower urinary tract which includes the bladder and urethra. A UTI can be a painful experience for a sufferer and symptoms include:

• a burning sensation when urinating
• constant need to urinate
• passing small amounts of urine frequently
• urine with a strong smell
• cloudy urine
• pelvic pain

A UTI affects different parts of the urinary tract and, there are specific signs and symptoms depending on which part is infected:

• bladder discomfort in the lower abdomen, urination that is frequent and painful, blood in the urine, pelvic pressure
• kidneys pain on the upper back and side, high fever, nausea, vomiting, shaking and chills.
• urethra burning sensation when peeing, discharge

UTI occurs when bacteria gets into the urinary tract by way of the urethra and multiply in the bladder. Your urinary system is designed to keep them out, but there are occasions when they fail. The uncontrolled growth of bacteria is what leads to infections.

Normal case UTIs can be treated with antibiotics but more severe varieties may need hospital treatment.

There are ways to limit the risk of UTIs , and these include:

What Can Actually Delay Your Period

Although urinary tract infections dont affect your period, there are other reasons that you might be experiencing an irregular cycle.

Hormonal changes, medical conditions, and lifestyle factors can all play a part in delaying your periodor keeping it from arriving at all.

• Body weight: If you are overweight or underweight, it can impact how your body produces hormones, making your periods more erratic or unreliable.

• Breastfeeding: When you breastfeed, your body produces prolactin, a hormone that helps you make milk and simultaneously stops you from ovulating or menstruating with regularity.

• Celiac disease: Although researchers are still studying the connection between celiac disease and irregular menstruation, evidence suggests that nearly a quarter of women with gluten intolerances report a history of dysfunctional uterine bleeding.

• Certain medications: Some prescription and over-the-counter drugs can impact cycle regularity. Hormone replacement therapies, hormonal birth control, blood thinners, thyroid medicines, antidepressant medications, and aspirin can affect how regularly you menstruate.

• Diabetes: Research suggests that up to 50% of women with diabetes also struggle with dysfunctional, excessive, and unreliable periods.

• Endometriosis: Women with endometriosis often have long, heavy periods with short intervals between cycles. They can also experience pain and bleeding during ovulation, have pain during bowel movements, and pain during sexual intercourse.

You May Like: Donating Blood While Menstruating

Understanding Urinary Tract Infection Risks

• Women who use diaphragms may be at increased risk of UTIs because they can slow the flow of urine, which can encourage bacterial growth.
• Condoms with spermicidal foam may also increase the chances of developing a UTI because they can offset the bacterial balance in the vagina.
• Certain conditions including pregnancy, diabetes, kidney stones and the hormonal changes of menopause also increase the risk of developing a UTI.
• Risk is also elevated after a catheter is placed in the urethra and bladder to drain urine as part of a surgical procedure.

To lower your risk, drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated and fully empty the bladder when urinating. Some evidence suggests that cranberry juice or tablets may help prevent UTIs, but the evidence is mixed.

Referral To A Consultant

If your GP thinks a medical condition might have caused your periods to stop, they may refer you to a consultant who specialises in the condition.

Depending on what your GP suspects is causing the problem, you may be referred to:

• a gynaecologist a specialist in treating conditions that affect the female reproductive system
• an endocrinologist a specialist in treating hormonal conditions

You may have a full gynaecological examination and various tests, including:

• blood tests to see whether you have abnormal levels of certain hormones
• an ultrasound scan, CT scan or MRI scan to identify any problems with your reproductive system or the pituitary gland in your brain

Don’t Miss: 90 Day Probationary Period Form

I Havent Had Sex Why Is My Period Late

There are many possible reasons for a late period. The most likely are excessive stress, extreme exercising, and fluctuations in body weight. Reproductive issues like PCOS and pelvic inflammatory disease can also cause late periods.

High levels of prolactin or thyroid issues can as well. Sometimes using hormonal birth control methods can also cause late periods.

Stopped Or Missed Periods

There are many reasons why a woman may miss her period, or why periods might stop altogether.

Most women have a period every 28 days or so, but it’s common to have a slightly shorter or longer cycle than this .

Some women do not always have a regular menstrual cycle. Their period may be early or late, and how long it lasts and how heavy it is may vary each time.

Read more about irregular periods and heavy periods.

You May Like: 90 Day Employment Probationary Period Template

Doing Too Much Exercise

The stress that intense physical activity places on your body can affect the hormones responsible for your periods. Losing too much body fat through intense exercise can also stop you ovulating.

You’ll be advised to reduce your level of activity if excessive exercise has caused your periods to stop.

If you’re a professional athlete, you may benefit from seeing a doctor who specialises in sports medicine. They’ll be able to give you advice about how to maintain your performance without disrupting your periods.

Reasons For A Late Period

Pregnancy might be the top reason for a missed period but if youre not trying for a child, there may be other reasons for your late period . It may be caused by:

• too much exercise and excessive weight loss a dramatic drop in body weight may lead to missed periods and so can excessive exercise. For instance, training for a marathon puts the body in too much stress and prevents ovulation in the process.
• stress period hormones are regulated in the hypothalamus which can be affected by stress.
• thyroid imbalance the thyroid gland is responsible for regulating metabolism and problems with it can affect your period.
• polycystic ovary syndrome a hormone imbalance that leads to lack of ovulation causing you not to menstruate.
• birth control method the side effect of some products include missed periods plus it takes a while for menses to return if youve stopped birth control.
• chronic diseases celiac is often mentioned but chronic diseases in general cause stresses your system which can then affect your period.

Read Also: Brown Stuff Instead Of Period

Is It Normal To Get Emotional Before A Period

The period after ovulation and before menstruation is called the luteal phase. During this phase, the body is getting ready for pregnancy in case fertilization takes place. The main hormone during the luteal phase is progesterone.

Anxiety, mood fluctuations, headache, weight gain, and increased hunger are common premenstrual symptoms. Cyclic changes in progesterone and estrogen, excess prostaglandins, and fluctuations in serotonin levels are all responsible for premenstrual symptoms.

About 80 percent of women experience premenstrual symptoms. As long as these symptoms do not disrupt everyday life, there is nothing to be concerned about.

You Have A Thyroid Disorder

Your thyroid plays an important part in your menstrual and reproductive health. If you cant recall the details of your high school biology class, your thyroid is a gland that produces and releases hormones, and it interacts with your reproductive system to keep your ovulation and menstruation running on time. This means that whenever the thyroid is not working properly, your ovulation and menstruation can both be impacted, leading to missed or irregular periods. This can happen with both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism.

Read Also: 90 Day Probationary Period Letter

No Period For Three Months: Is This Normal

Not having your period for three months or more is known as secondary amenorrhea. This can happen for a variety of reasons. Natural causes of an absence of menstruation for three months include perimenopause, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. Certain lifestyle factors like stress and excessive exercise may also cause it. Furthermore, having either excessive or low body fat can also cause a missed period. Tumors on the pituitary gland or a hypoactive/hyperactive thyroid gland can also lead to hormonal imbalances and trigger secondary amenorrhea. Low levels of estrogen or high levels of testosterone can also result in a missed period.

Genetic disorders such as Swyer syndrome and Turner syndrome result in a lack of menstruation without proper hormone replacement therapy. Some people experience a missed period because of medications such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, or chemotherapy drugs. You could also notice no period for three months or more if you have just stopped taking birth control pills.

Physical issues like problems in your reproductive organs could also cause delayed or missed periods.

Can A Uti Affect Your Period

According to some estimates, 50-60% of women will develop at least one urinary tract infection within their lifetime, making it one of the most common medical conditions in the country.

A UTI develops when bacteria, usually E. coli, travels from the skin or rectum into your urethra.

Under normal circumstances, your immune system can fend off invaders like this, but when those defenses fail, the bacteria multiply, becoming an infection that adversely impacts one or more parts of your urinary tract.

When left untreated, a UTI can develop into a bladder infection or impact your ureters. In rarer, more severe cases, it can become a kidney infection or travel into your bloodstream.

Because women have urinary tracts separate from their reproductive organs, a urinary tract infection will never adversely affect menstruation or ovulation.

There is a relationship between UTIs and sexual health, but a UTI will never directly cause you to develop irregular periods, experience a late period, or miss a period all together.

UTIs can be dangerous if they are left untreated. If you believe you have a urinary tract infection or have questions about your menstrual cycle, seek medical advice from a gynecologist or another health care provider.

They can take a urine sample, discuss your symptoms, and recommend treatment options that will help address your discomfort and improve your health and wellbeing.

You May Like: Can You Donate Plasma On Your Period

Heres When To Talk With Your Doc

If you think you have a UTI, the CDC recommends heading to your doctor for treatment.

There are natural treatments for UTIs , but the research on their effectiveness is limited. Delaying treatment can make your infection worse, so its better to play it safe.

If youre pregnant, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics that are safe to take while you have a bun in the oven.

If you have lower back pain in addition to UTI symptoms, that could signal a kidney infection, so talk to your doctor ASAP.

Top Questions About Your Menstrual Cycle Answered

Periods are characterized by bleeding from the uterus through the vagina and indicate the beginning of a new reproductive cycle. While periods are a normal biological occurrence, there are still some questions surrounding this phenomenon.

Kate Shkodzik, a medical specialist at Flo, answers the most commonly asked questions about periods.

Recommended Reading: 90 Probationary Period Employment Form

Uti And Periodhelp Please

kelly1014

So last week I was diagnosed w my first UTI ever.Cloudy urine,strong smelling and pelvic pain.Started on meds Thursday. I had chills too but no fever.yesterday I woke w TERRIBLE PELVIC CRAMPS and left groin pain and figured UTI but started w my period hours later .Now I have really bad left groin pain and low pelvic discomfort.The groin pain being the worst.The problem is is I can’t tell if UTI is getting worse or it is something period related.I can’t see the cloudy urine or smell anymore w my period now but the pains are bad.my history : left ovarian cyst small fibroid,kidney stone on left ..possible adenomyosis.

Anyway how do I know if it is the UTI worse or something weird w my period? I have no fever. These cramps in pelvic and spasms in groin are bad. Maybe it’s both combined and just intense from thst?I would think a few days on meds ide be better .

0 likes, 6 replies

Can A Urinary Tract Infection Affect Your Period

A urinary tract infection cant directly affect your menstrual period. It wont worsen it or cause you to miss a period.

But periods and UTIs may share a symptom and risk factor.

• During a UTI or period, you might notice blood mixed with urine, also called hematuria.
• Stress can make you more susceptible to a UTI, and it can also cause your period to be late.

UTIs and periods can occur at the same time, or separately.While UTIs and periods dont impact each other directly, certain behaviors surrounding yourperiod might increase the chance of developing a UTI.

• Women may have more sex while on their period because they are less likely to become pregnant during this time.
• Sexual intercourse increases the risk for a UTI, as it can move infection-causing bacteria from the anus or vagina to the urethra .

Other factors such as your choice of feminine hygiene products during your period could potentially affect your risk for developing a UTI.

• Sanitary napkins may promote the growth of bacteria, which can lead to a UTI.
• Using unscented tampons or making sure to change sanitary pads frequently may help lower this risk.

In addition, douching or using feminine sprays or powders to reduce period odor increases your risk of a UTI and other infections. These products can upset the balance of healthy bacteria inyour genital area.

Recommended Reading: Primosiston To Stop Period