The Basics Of Birth Control Pills
When you swallow birth control pills, youre ingesting one or more synthetic hormones. This could be a combination of estrogen and progestin, or just progestin, depending on the type of birth control that youre taking. These hormones work to prevent pregnancy in three different ways.
First, they work to prevent your ovaries from ovulating, or releasing an egg each month.
They also thicken the cervical mucus, which makes it harder for sperm to reach an egg if one is released. The hormones can thin the uterine lining, too. This means that if an egg does get fertilized, itll be difficult for it to attach to the uterine lining and develop.
Birth control pills are over 99 percent effective when used correctly. This means taking the pill at the same time every day. If you miss a day or youre late taking your pill, the efficacy can decrease. With typical use, the failure rate is about
Several different types of birth control pills are available.
Some are similar to the pill packs that were first made available in 1960. They included 21 days of pills with active hormones and seven placebo or inactive pills. When you take an inactive pill, it allows for bleeding that mimics normal menstruation.
There are also packs that allow for 24 days of active pills and a shorter menstrual-like bleeding period.
Extended-cycle or continuous regimens consist of a couple of months worth of active pills. They can either reduce the number of periods you have or eliminate your period entirely.
Late Period But Negative Pregnancy Test & No Symptoms
Late period negative pregnancy test no symptoms mean that you are not pregnant.
There are many reasons for late period negative pregnancy test no symptoms.
Late period negative pregnancy test no symptoms mean that you are not pregnant. If you have Late period negative pregnancy test no symptoms but feel extreme pain, then consult a doctor.
Late period negative pregnancy test after IVF is because your body needs time to build up hCG. It is nothing to worry about.
Why Is My Period Late 10 Reasons And What To Do
A missed period could mean you’re pregnant, but there might be another cause.
Monique Rainford, MD, is board-certified in obstetrics-gynecology, and currently serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor at Yale Medicine. She is the former chief of obstetrics-gynecology at Yale Health.
Pregnancy is by far the most common cause of a missed period. However, other medical and lifestyle factors can also affect your menstrual cycle making your period late.
Weight changes, hormonal irregularities, and menopause are among the most common causes if you’re not pregnant. With these issues, you may miss a period for one or two months, or you may experience complete amenorrheathat is, no period for three or more months in a row.
A normal menstrual cycle is about 28 days. However, a normal cycle could be up to 38 days. If your cycle is longer than this, or longer than usual for you, it’s considered late.
This article explores 10 common reasons your period may be delayed.
Verywell / Cindy Chung
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You Just Stopped Taking Any Form Of Birth Control
This includes whether you stopped taking your birth control pills, removed your IUD or Nexplanon implant, or discontinued your birth control shots, says Dr. Irobunda. The reason: For the most part, these can awesomely regulate your cycle, so when you stop taking it, it can be a shock to your body. Were not sure exactly why it happens, but it may take time for your system to wake up, says Dr. Dweck.
It might be a couple months until you get your period again. One big thing to remember: You can still get pregnant even without a period you can still ovulate so use condoms anyway if youre not ready to get pregnant.
Okay Maybe You’re Pregnant
Even if you are on reliable birth control and have been ~careful~, this should be your first instinct if your period is late or missing entirely. “The first three things to check for are pregnancy, pregnancy, pregnancy, this is the number-one thing I look for when you miss your periodeven if you don’t think you could be,” says Dr. Dweck. Plus, because early pregnancy symptoms can be so similar to PMS-y ones , it can be tough to tell the difference. Since it’s probably the first thing your ob-gyn office will inquire about, if you’ve been sexually active, go ahead and take an at-home pregnancy test to be sure.
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Missed Period Reason #: Pcos
PCOS, or polycystic ovarian syndrome, is a reproductive condition that can result in irregular or missed periods. However, missed periods dont necessarily mean PCOS. In fact, have two of the three following symptoms can indicate this condition is present:
In addition to missed periods, here are additional symptoms women may notice:
- Hirsutism, or excess hair growth in unexpected places like face, bac, thumbs, toes, chest, and abdomen.
While there is no cure for PCOS, the good news is that PCOS can be managed with lifestyle changes and hormone interventions, and you can talk to your doctor about which option is right for you.
High Levels Of Stress
High levels of stress are an underrated cause of diseases. Stress is a risk factor for almost every disorder. High levels of stress can affect the microbes in your gut and can even make you infertile.
Mental or physical stress will neither let your menstrual cycle be normal nor will it allow you to conceive. So you will get late erratic periods and negative pregnancy test if you have high levels of stress.
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How About If My Period Is Late And I Have Spotting Instead
Spotting is light bleeding during your menstrual cycle, but not enough to be considered a period. If you have spotting instead of your usual period, it is advisable to take a pregnancy test. Spotting is a sign of early pregnancy, especially if it is accompanied by other pregnancy symptoms such as nausea with or without vomiting, tiredness and fatigue, dizziness, breast changes such as tenderness and frequent urination.
Spotting can occur 1 to 2 weeks after fertilisation when the fertilised egg implants in the lining of your uterus. It is not uncommon to have spotting after sex or after a vaginal exam.
However, several health issues can also cause spotting. It can also be a sign of infection such as STIs and PID, stress, or other medical conditions such as PCOS or thyroid conditions. It doesnât always spell pregnancy.
Reasons For Late Periods
As a quick reference list, the following are the reasons for late periods:
These 15 reasons for a late period have only one reason for getting a positive pregnancy test. So if you get late period negative pregnancy test it is normal!
Only 1/15 cases of late-period give a positive pregnancy test. Pregnancy is the only reason for late period positive pregnancy test.
Rest all will give late period negative pregnancy test.
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My Period Is Late But Im Definitely Not Pregnant What Is Happening
When your monthly period is late its common to jump immediately to pregnancy as a possible reason. But what does a late period mean when youre sure that youre NOT pregnant?
This article will break down the 6 main reasons that your period is missing or late besides being pregnant and more often than not its actually a combination of the following reasons.
How Late Can A Period Be Without Being Pregnant
Some people have their period every 28 days like clockwork. But most people will experience a late or missed period at least once without being pregnant, and thats perfectly normal.
Whether you regularly use a period calculator or you just intrinsically know when you’re due on, for many, a late period can trigger thoughts of potential pregnancy. But it doesnt necessarily mean that youre pregnant.
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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!
Reasons Your Period Could Be Late Besides Being Pregnant
Whether you get your period every 28 days like clockwork or have a flow that prefers to come and go as it pleases, having a period go MIA often feels like cause for alarm. Your mind runs wild with thoughts of pregnancy tests and ultrasounds and watching your baby graduate college – an imaginary life that youve created and nurtured and helped grow all because that little bit of blood you were hoping to find this morning didnt make its appearance. Whether pregnancy right now is your goal or youre holding off temporarily or forever, a fetus in utero is certainly not the only cause of a period gone rogue. We often get asked the following questions frequntly regarding this:Why is my period late?How late can my period be?Why haven’t I started my period?Here are our 6 reasons, besides being pregnant, that your period could be late that will hopefully answer those questions above.
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No Period But Not Pregnant What Can I Do
I have no periods not pregnant either! So when will the periods come back? It is one of the most frequently asked questions, and the answer relies on the cause. You need to first identify the exact causes and then adapt specific treatment methods to regain the normal menstrual flow.
- For PCOS, hormonal therapy is indicated.
- Weight is advised to be gained in case the female has a very low weight. Maintain healthy diet and eat fresh so that the periods will come normal.
- Sometimes physicians recommend to just waiting for a while in case the periods appear on their own.
- If periods are missed after pregnancy then they will come back once the breastfeeding is stopped or weaned off.
- Try eliminating stuff which can apply any kind of stress to the body such as alcohol intake, use of drugs, smoking, etc.
- In severe conditions such as ovarian failure, it is not possible to restore the normal physiology of the system.
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How To Know If Your Period Is Late
It can be hard to know if your period is late, if you donât know your average cycle length or when your last period was. With Clue you can view your recent period dates, cycle averages and predictions for your next three cycles. You can set a reminder to let you know when your period is coming, and to alert you if itâs late.
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Why Was My Period Late If Im Not Pregnant
My period was so late that I took a pregnancy test, but it came back negative. The period arrived a few days later. Why does this happen?
Whether you want to get knocked up or not, a missed period can send you on an emotional roller-coaster until the thing finally decides to show up or you take a pregnancy test, whichever happens first. Why is your uterus playing you like that? Often theres really no reason at all, says Scott Sullivan, MD, FACOG, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology and director of maternal-fetal medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.
Usually, its just biological variability, Dr. Sullivan says. If you live long enough, youre going to have an irregular period somewhere. Great. But there is a chance that you were, briefly, pregnant.
It could have been a very early pregnancy where the embryo either failed to implant in the uterine lining or implanted and then failed shortly after . But since fertilization occurred, your body would have started producing the pregnancy hormone hCG its a very low amount, but enough for a pee stick to catch.
After your period comes, hCG falls back down to zero. This is known as a chemical pregnancy and its technically a miscarriage, Dr. Sullivan says. Most chemical pregnancies are the result of genetic or chromosomal problems with the embryo. Though if you didnt take a pregnancy test, you might be none the wiser.
What Should I Do If I Have Missed My Period
Don’t 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.
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How Do I Know If My Child Has Autism
Would you begin feeling pregnancy symptoms then? Not exactly. The fertilized egg, now a ball of developing cells, still needs to travel down to your uterus and implant itself in the uterine wall, releasing the hormone hCG as it completes implantation. That can take up to 6-10 days after conception. At that point in your cycle, you would be very close to expecting your next period.
For most women trying to have their first baby, the first noticeable sign then of a pregnancy would be the missed period. Others who are more in tune with their bodies or who have already experienced a pregnancy would notice other symptoms, like fatigue, a few days sooner, suspecting pregnancy before the missed period.
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After An Extended Time After A Missed Period Should I Still Consider Pregnancy
A visit to your medical provider can determine if you are pregnant if you do not trust an at-home test. Your provider can run more specific tests, like ultrasound or blood tests. The length of a missed period does not directly correlate with pregnancy. Several conditions cause extended late or even missed periods.
Stress: Emotional stress can cause your period to become shorter, more painful, or stop altogether.
GI issues: Digestive system disorders can cause missed periods. Usually, they will have other symptoms in addition to irregular periods. Some conditions include liver issues, irritable bowel disease, and diabetes.
Weight fluctuations: Extreme weight loss can interrupt or even stop your menstrual cycle. Limiting your daily calorie intake can prevent the creation of the hormones needed for ovulation. Gaining a lot of weight produces additional estrogen, which regulates the reproductive system. It affects how often you have periods, and can cause them to stop.
Breastfeeding: Lots of women do not have regular periods while breastfeeding.
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: PCOS occurs when the body produces irregular egg sacs in the ovaries, which do not release eggs. Ovulation does not occur, so irregular and missed periods will occur. PCOS affects about one in every ten women.
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Young Girls After Menarche
Menarche is first-time a woman will experience cyclical vaginal bleeding called menstruation. After your first period, your body begins to adjust to your hormones.
The normal menstrual cycle for older women is 21 to 35 days. For young girls that just started menstruating, period could be delayed for a longer time.
If your period is fluctuating months after the menarche, you dont need to worry. Usually, within six years, your body and hormones will normalize.
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Youve Just Started Menstruating
Young women who have only had a few periods may not have regular cycles at first. It can take a few months for cycles to become regular. This is also true if you have just come off of birth control medication that stopped menstrual periods. It makes take a little while for you to get a period every month again.
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