My Period Is 12 Days Late

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:

Hormonal contraceptives

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.

Dont Ignore A Missed Period

If you keep track of your periods, youll probably know right away if something is amiss. Keep a period diary in your calendar or get an app designed for that purpose. Your period records can provide valuable information for you and your doctor.

Doctors want to know details about your previous periods so we can determine if theres an issue, Dr. Higgins says. An occasional late period is often the result of something minor, but if you frequently have late or irregular periods, check with your doctor to rule out other health conditions.

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The Ovulation Cycle Divided Into Two Parts:

• The first part of the cycle is called the follicular phase. This phase starts the first day of the last menstrual period and continues until ovulation.

This first half of the cycle can differ greatly for each woman lasting anywhere from 7 days to 40 days.

• The second half of the cycle is called the luteal phase and is from the day of ovulation until the next period begins. The luteal phase has a more precise timeline and usually is only 12-16 days from the day of ovulation.

This ultimately means that the day of ovulation will determine how long your cycle is. This also means that outside factors like stress, illness, and disruption of normal routine can throw off your cycle which then results in changing the time your period will come. So the old thought that stress can affect your period is only partly true. Stress can affect your ovulation which ultimately determines when your period will come, but stress around the time of an expected period will not make it lateit was already determined when it would come 12-16 days earlier!

Fertility Awareness is one way to track when ovulation occurs, and it includes noticing the changes in cervical mucus and using a basal thermometer. Cervical fluid will change to a wet, slippery substance that resembles egg whites just before ovulation occurs and until it is over. A basal thermometer helps track a body temperature rise, which signals that ovulation has just occurred.

How Do Urine Pregnancy Tests Work

Pregnancy tests look for the pregnancy hormone hCG, which increases as a pregnancy progresses. The normal range for hCG levels in pregnant people can vary widely. It’s possible that your levels arent yet high enough to be detected .

An early pregnancy test might pick up very low amounts of hCG. However, its possible that you dont have enough circulating hCG to get a positive result even on a sensitive test.

This doesnt mean anything is wrong. How much hCG you have isn’t important rather, it’s how quickly your levels double and increase .

Another common reason for getting a false negative is not having enough hCG in the urine you test. In early pregnancy, you can dilute the hormone concentration in your urine if you drink a lot of water before testing.

This is more likely to happen in very early pregnancy when you take the test later in the day. The hCG concentration is higher when youve held your urine for a while, which is why it’s recommended that you take a pregnancy test in the morning.

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False Negative Pregnancy Test

A false negative pregnancy test is when you are pregnant but the test comes up negative. The most common reason for a false negative is that you took the test too early. Even if your period is late according to your typical cycle, you might have ovulated later in the month. It’s not uncommon to occasionally have an off or irregular cycle. Additionally, your count of when your last period occurred could be a few days off.

No matter how sensitive the test, you won’t get a positive home pregnancy test until enough days have passed since ovulation and conception and your body has had time to build up enough of the hormone the test detects.

If ovulation occurred later in the month, you will need to test later. There are many reasons you might ovulate later than you typically do.

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

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Weight Gain Or Weight Loss

Whilst there is no defined amount of weight that a woman can put on or lose for it to affect her period, the more significant the gain or loss in a shorter period of time the more likely her period may be late. Excessive weight loss is more likely to cause a late period than weight gain.

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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Can I Do The Test Wrong

Its important you read the instructions that come with your test carefully and follow them. This way you can be sure you can trust the result. Some tests are easier to read than others for a test that gives a result in words such as pregnant or not pregnant, is clear whereas visual tests where you have to interpret lines can be harder to read and can leave you wondering whether youre pregnant or not. If you doubt youre reading the result correctly and the uncertainty makes you feel anxious, then get a test that is easy to read, like the , so you can be sure of the result you see.

You can see what a negative pregnancy test result looks like in our infographic below.

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 girls 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 girls 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 isnt fertilized by sperm, it starts to fall apart. Then the lining and egg leave a girls body as her period and the whole thing starts all over again thats why we use the word cycle. The first day a girls period comes is Day 1 of her cycle.

Its 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. Thats 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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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!

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.

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How Much Of A Delay Is Normal In Periods

Worried about a late period, but know youre not pregnant? Missed or late periods happen for many reasons other than pregnancy. Common causes can range from hormonal imbalances to serious medical conditions.

There are also two times when its typical for your period to be irregular: when it first begins, and when the menopause transition starts. As your body goes through the transition, your cycle can become irregular.

Most people who havent reached menopause usually have a period approximately every 28 days. However, a healthy menstrual cycle can range from every 21 to 40 days. If your period doesnt fall within these ranges, it could be because of one of the following reasons.

You Are Taking Contraceptive Or Inserted Iuds

Did you start any pill to prevent pregnancy? or recently inserted an intrauterine device ?

Contraceptive pill and IUDs can cause no period in women. If pills are taken continuously without a break you will possibly not have to bleed at all.

It is very important to let your health professional know about your late period. The reason being that, there are newer generation pills that can delay period for a few months.

However, your 5 days late period while on contraceptives may still be due to pregnancy.

Did you miss your COC pills for days without using other forms of contraception? Do you have signs of pregnancy body fatigue, pain in your breast or spotting before your period?

You have to check for pregnancy to be sure.

Other reasons your period is 5 days late are

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Can You Be Pregnant And Have Low Hcg Levels

Causes of low hCG levels. If your hCG levels fall below the normal range, its not necessarily a cause for concern. Many women have gone on to have healthy pregnancies and babies with low hCG levels. Most women dont ever have cause to find out what their hCG levels are specifically.

What is classed as late implantation?

Implantation that occurs on the late end of the spectrum is known as late implantation. The spot where the embryo attaches itself inside of the endometrium can disrupt some blood vessels, which may cause some light bleeding anywhere from five to 10 days after conception, but before your period would typically occur.

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Top Reasons Why Your Period Might Be Late

Your period may be late for several health-related reasons :

• Very low body weight/extreme exercise

• Eating disorders

• Chronic conditions

• Hormone changes related to medications or birth control

Pregnancy tests work by checking your blood or urine for a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin . This hormone has to be at a certain level to be detected by a pregnancy test . The earlier you take a test, the less accurate it may be. It is recommended to take a pregnancy test 1-2 weeks after your missed period . If you donât want to wait that long, you can consider taking it 2 weeks after your last unprotected sexual encounter. If you get a negative result at first and you still havenât had your period, you can take another pregnancy test a few days later or repeat the test if youâre unsure you took the test correctly . Seek advice from your healthcare provider if youâre unsure of your test result.

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What Is The Longest Implantation Can Take

Once in the uterus, the egg implants itself into the lining of the uterus. The implantation process takes about 48 hours. The journey from conception to implantation can take anywhere from six to 12 days. Implantation that occurs on the late end of the spectrum is known as late implantation.

Whats the longest implantation can last?

In most cases, implantation spotting only lasts from a few hours to a couple days, but some women report having implantation spotting for up to seven days. You may experience some light cramping and soreness during implantation.

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.

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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:

These symptoms coupled with a missed period could mean you are pregnant

Other Ways To Skip Your Period

Taking birth control pills arent the only way to skip your period. Other options include the progestin-releasing intrauterine device , progestin injection , progestin implant , and the combination NuvaRing or contraceptive patches.

The Mirena IUD works even better than pills to reduce overall bleeding, Dabney says. Many women on the Mirena IUD either get very light periods or no periods at all.

If you arent sure about the pill, speak with your doctor about your other options. Make sure you speak with your doctor before using a birth control patch to skip your period. Compared to birth controls pills, the patch has a slightly increased risk for blood clotting. However, the patch is the same general formulation as combination pills.

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