Period A Week Early: Is There Anything To Worry About
If your period comes early once in a while, it is likely normal and not a cause for concern.
Menstruation might start early because of a change in your lifestyle, intense physical exercise, illness, or stress. However, sometimes it happens with no reason, and this is still not necessarily abnormal. So, if you get your period a week early, try not to worry. If your period is consistently irregular, you can let your health care provider know to rule out any problems.
Many people have irregular periods occasionally others have them throughout their lives.
Some possible causes of getting your period early:
- Hormonal imbalance
- Sudden weight gain or loss
Your birth control method can also affect your cycle. An emergency contraceptive pill can cause an early period. If you skip a few combined oral contraceptive pills, your hormone levels may drop, and bleeding may start before its due. If you have recently had an intrauterine device inserted, your body may react to it by bleeding.
To avoid unpleasant surprises with your period coming early, it might be a good idea to have period products on hand, even if youre not expecting your period. If youre getting your period early for a prolonged period of time, make sure to ask your health care provider about it.
- Analysis of period and cycle length
- Chances of getting pregnant and ovulation forecast
- Predictions of next period
What Is The Last Menstrual Period
The LMP is the date of the first day of the last menstrual period you had before conceiving. It is the first day that your last menstrual cycle begins when you see bright red blood, not just a little brown spotting. You should keep track of your LMP each month, either with an online calculator or just by recording it on a calendar each month. That is the date you use when entering the LMP on an online period calculator.
Whether you are trying to get pregnant or not trying to get pregnant, keeping track of your menstrual periods is vital. Besides pregnancy, missing a menstrual period could also be a sign of other issues like missed ovulation.
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
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Youve Lost Or Gained Weight
Severe changes in body weight can screw with your periods timing. Extreme increases or decreases in body fat, for example, can lead to a hormonal imbalance that causes your period to come late or stop entirely.
In addition, severe calorie restriction affects the part of your brain that talks to your endocrine system and gives instructions for the creation of reproductive hormones. When this communication channel is disrupted, hormones can get out of whack.
What Are Regular Periods
Most girls get their first period between the ages of 10 and 15, but some get it earlier and some later. The first period is known as menarche .
A girl’s monthly cycle is the number of days from the start of her period to the start of the next time she gets her period. You often hear this is a 28-day cycle. But 28 is just an average figure that doctors use. Cycle lengths vary some are 24 days, some are 34 days. And a girl may notice that her cycles are different lengths each month especially for the few years after she first starts getting her period.
Early in a girl’s cycle, her ovaries start preparing one egg. At the same time, the lining of the uterus becomes thick to prepare a nesting place for a fertilized egg in the event that the girl becomes pregnant.
About 2 weeks before a girl gets her period, the egg is released from the ovary . The egg travels through the fallopian tube into the uterus. If the egg isn’t fertilized by sperm, it starts to fall apart. Then the lining and egg leave a girl’s body as her period and the whole thing starts all over again that’s why we use the word “cycle.” The first day a girl’s period comes is Day 1 of her cycle.
It’s also normal for the number of days a girl has her period to vary. Sometimes a girl may bleed for 2 days, sometimes it may last a week. That’s because the level of hormones the body makes can be different from one cycle to the next, and this affects the amount and length of bleeding.
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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 early pregnancy symptoms, like:
These symptoms coupled with a missed period could mean you are pregnant
Late Period: Everything You Need To Know
Having a late period might come as a surprise, especially if youre not trying to get pregnant. Should you take a pregnancy test? The truth is, there are many reasons for late periods other than pregnancy. Your health, age, diet, stress, and exercise can all affect the regularity of your menstrual cycle. In this article, well look at the most common late period causes and go over some common questions about delayed menstruation.
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What Are Irregular Periods
Even though girls get their periods on a cycle, that cycle can take different amounts of time each month. For example, a girl might get her period after 24 days one month and after 42 days the next. These are called irregular periods.
Irregular periods are very common, especially in a girl’s first few years of getting her period.
Can A Girl Get Pregnant As Soon As Her Period Starts
Yes, a girl can get pregnant as soon as her period starts. A girl can even get pregnant right before her very first period. This is because a girls hormones might already be active. The hormones may have led to and the building of the uterine wall. If a girl has sex, she can get pregnant, even though she has never had a period.
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What To Do If Your Period Is Delayed
If your period is late, the first step is to complete out a pregnancy test from the pharmacy. If you havent had a period for more than 3 months and you cannot identify the cause, you should go to a gynecologist so that he or she can identify the cause and treat the problem. In some cases, the use of medication is recommended to stimulate your period.
The doctor may order bloodwork to assess progesterone and prolactin levels, which may help to identify the reason for this delay and guide the most appropriate treatment.
Also, depending on what is causing your period delay, you may need to reduce the intensity of physical exercise, take it easy, avoid stress and maintain a varied and balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals. These are all factors that contribute to a regular menstrual cycle.
It is also recommended that you see your doctor regularly to identify possible health problems or diseases such as polycystic ovaries, endometriosis, anorexia, bulimia, hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, all which can cause changes to your menstrual cycle.
What Is Considered A Late Period
The average menstrual cycle lasts about 28 days. But it’s common for women to have a slightly shorter or longer cycle than this. This means that a womanâs menstrual cycle can fall anywhere within 21 to 38 days.
Your period can last for 3 to 8 days, and bleeding tends to be heaviest in the first 2 days.
It can take a few months to a few years to establish a regular cycle when you start getting your period for the first time. Some women always have irregular periods, where their menstrual cycle varies from month to month.
Keeping track of periods can help you to establish the length of your cycle, helping you to identify any irregularities. Some smartphone apps make tracking easier. Knowing when to expect your period will help you recognize if your period is late. Often periods are 2 to 3 days late with cycle fluctuations.
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Youve Upped Your Workout Intensity
A strenuous exercise regimen can also cause missed periods. This is most common in those who train for several hours a day. It happens because, whether intentionally or not, youre burning way more calories than youre taking in.
When you burn too many calories, your body doesnt have enough energy to keep all its systems running. More strenuous workouts can increase hormone release that can affect your menstruation.
Periods typically go back to normal as soon as you lessen training intensity or increase your caloric intake.
Polycystic ovary syndrome is a set of symptoms caused by an imbalance of reproductive hormones. Many people with PCOS do not ovulate regularly.
As a result, your periods may:
- be lighter or heavier than standard periods
- arrive at inconsistent times
Other PCOS symptoms can include:
- excess or coarse facial and body hair
- acne on the face and body
- weight gain or trouble losing weight
- dark patches of skin, often on the neck creases, groin, and underneath breasts
- skin tags in the armpits or neck
How Late Can A Period Be Plus Why Its Late
Lauren Sharkey is a U.K.-based journalist and author specializing in womens issues. When she isnt trying to discover a way to banish migraines, she can be found uncovering the answers to your lurking health questions. She has also written a book profiling young female activists across the globe and is currently building a community of such resisters. Catch her on .
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Can Stress Make Your Period Late
Absolutely! Stress and anxiety can cause hormonal imbalances that lead to many symptoms such as diarrhea, rapid breathing, abdominal pain, and late periods. Stress can suppress the action of certain hormones that are needed to regulate your menstrual cycle. Thats why finding effective stress management techniques can be helpful in regulating your menstrual cycle.
Things That Delay Your Period
A missed period is often the first sign of pregnancy, but there are other reasons for lateness, too. Here are some other factors that can delay your monthly flow:
Extreme diet and exercise
A healthy diet and regular exercise can do wonders for your health. But if you overdo it, you might say bye-bye to your periods, at least temporarily.
Athletes who train really hard or who dont get enough calories may stop menstruating, Dr. Higgins says. Its the bodys way of telling you that it doesnt have enough resources to support a pregnancy.
When your periods stop due to weight loss, diet or exercise, youre experiencing secondary amenorrhea. This means you previously had periods, but they have stopped. Secondary amenorrhea might happen to you if you:
- Eat an extreme, calorie-restricted diet.
- Have an eating disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia.
- Lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time.
- Undergo hardcore exercise training, such as for a .
Polycystic ovary syndrome
PCOS is a hormonal imbalance that interferes with the release of an egg . When you dont ovulate, you usually dont have a period. Many people with PCOS have irregular, late or missing periods. Other symptoms of PCOS include:
- Excess facial or body hair.
- Weight gain or trouble losing weight.
Doctors diagnose PCOS by checking your symptoms and performing medical tests when needed. Medication and lifestyle changes can help manage the symptoms.
Stress
Some examples of major stress include:
Youth
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How Long Can Stress Delay Your Period
The average menstrual cycle is 28 days long, although its normal for a menstrual cycle to be anywhere from 21 to 35 days, and this can vary by a few days each cycle without being considered late.
A general rule of thumb is that a period is considered late if it is delayed by five days or more.
Anyone who gets a period will probably experience a late period at least once in their life. It may come as a surprise that stress is actually a very common cause for a late period. If a period is delayed due to stress, how late it is depends on many factors, including the amount of stress, coping abilities, and the persons individual cycle.
If the stress is acute, your period might only be a few days late, but some people who experience severe chronic stress can go months without getting a period.
How Many Days Late Can Your Period Be
I had my period late by 6 days.. Can I be pregnant? A pregnancy test is the first option to use to be certain of this because many factors can lead to late periods and every menstrual cycle is different. Generally speaking, if you usually have a regular menstrual cycle, a period up to 10 days late can be normal.
Having a late period can be because of a number of reasons:
- Delayed ovulation can be caused because of anxiety or stress which can result in a late period.
- You can miss your period if you have gained or lost a lot of weight as well.
- Other factors like hormonal imbalance, effects of drugs can all lead to late period.
It is also important to ensure accurate counting of your cycles or you will wrongly assume that you have had a late period. The first day of the cycle is the first day bleeding occurs. Begin counting the cycle from this first day to the 28th day to get the estimated arrival time of your period. However, if you find out that you are having irregular periods without being pregnant then consult a health care professional to know its cause.
Ask Yourself These Questions
1. What type of medication are you taking at the moment?
Contraceptives either in the form of injections, oral or implanted, certain chemotherapy drugs, antipsychotics antidepressants and thyroid medications can all cause amenorrhea in certain women.
2. What kind of workout routine do you follow?
3. Has your thyroid been checked before?
4. Are you chronically ill?
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Im Not Pregnant So Why Have I Missed My Period
The most common assumption for a missed period is pregnancy. But if there’s no way you’re pregnant or your pregnancy test is negative, what else could be the cause of your missed period? There are a number of other reasons that could explain why youâve missed your period.
Other reasons for a late period if you are not pregnant include:
How Late Is Too Late For Your Period
Because menstrual cycles can vary from person to person, Lincoln recommends you track your cycle to figure out what is normal for you.
If you typically have regular cycles and your period is late, you may want to take a pregnancy test. âThe best time to test is to wait until youâve missed your expected period, but some can detect pregnancy a few days earlier than this. If you got a negative early test and your period still doesnât show up, you can test again,â Lincoln says.
If youâre not pregnant, and you still arenât getting your period, you should see your doctor. âThe missing period is a symptom, not a diagnosis, so itâs important to figure out why it isnât there,â Lincoln says.
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What Should I Do If I Have Missed My Period
Dont panic! In most cases there is nothing serious going on. The most important thing to do is to do a pregnancy test if there is any chance at all you could be pregnant. If you otherwise feel well in yourself, and you are not pregnant, then the chances are your periods will start up again in due course.
You should consult a doctor if:
- You have not had a period for three months and your periods were previously regular.
- You have not had a period for 6-9 months but your periods have always been infrequent.
- You could be pregnant.
- You wish to become pregnant.
- You have hot flushes or night sweats and are under the age of 45.
- You have lost weight or your BMI is 19 or less.
- You or someone close to you is concerned about your eating or weight.
- You have milk leaking from your breasts and are not breastfeeding.
- You feel unwell in yourself .
- You have not had a period for six months after stopping the contraceptive pill .
- You are worried about your lack of periods.
Late Periods The Verdict
Try not to fret if your period is late. Stress can affect your hormones and your menstruation. There are a bunch of reasons why your period may be late including pregnancy, irregular periods, weight changes, infections, medical conditions such as PCOS and hormone changes when hitting perimenopause.
If you’re sexually active, your period is later than normal and you have not taken a pregnancy test, it may be advisable to take one.
Whilst all of our content is written and reviewed by healthcare professionals, it is not intended to be substituted for or used as medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns about your health, please speak to your doctor.
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