Changes In Bathroom Habits
Bowel and bladder symptoms can appear in early pregnancy. A person might experience frequent urges to urinate during the day and night. They may also have constipation, which affects of people at some time during pregnancy, according to 2012 research.
In the early stages of pregnancy, the rise in hCG levels
8 days after conception. As the pregnancy progresses, levels rise by around 50% a day. HGC is detectable in urine a few days later than in the blood.
Tests for home use are urine tests. A person will need to go to a healthcare facility for a blood test.
A range of pregnancy tests are available for home use, and some are more sensitive than others. This means they can detect hCG at lower levels.
Many tests claim to be 99% accurate, but experts note that not all of them undergo rigorous scientific testing. A person may also get a false-negative result if they take the test too early, do not follow the instructions precisely, or do not handle the test as the manufacturer intended.
Some medical bodies suggest taking a test on the first day of a missed period, but many people do not know when their period should arrive, for example, if they experience irregular menstruation.
When taking a test, a person should:
- read the instructions carefully
- ensure they handle the test as advised
- try to avoid taking the test too early
Reasons For A Late Period: What Might They Be
If your period is five days late, it doesnt necessarily mean youre pregnant. There are multiple factors that can cause your period to be late:
- Physiological Stress, sudden weight changes, climate or time zone changes, breastfeeding , etc.
- Medically induced Associated with taking or stopping medications including hormonal contraceptives and antidepressants
- Pathological Caused by diseases such as ovarian pathology, uterine diseases, endocrine system disorders, etc.
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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.
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How Will I Know If I Am Pregnant
If you have a regular menstrual cycle one of the first signs that you are pregnant is a missed period, however you might notice that your period is very light compared to normal. If you have missed a period you can purchase a pregnancy test to complete in the privacy of your own home, visit your GP or your local sexual health clinic.
Safety Of Skipping Your Period
There are a number of reasons why you may want to skip your period.
Its generally safe to do so if youre on birth control pills. However, its best to check with your doctor first. Youll want to make sure that theres no medical reason for you to continue with your current menstruation schedule.
Taking birth control pills to reduce or eliminate your period is just as safe as taking them in the conventional way, says Gerardo Bustillo, MD, OB-GYN, at Orange Coast Memorial in Fountain Valley, California.
Menstruation isnt physiologically necessary. In general, women today experience many more menstrual cycles over their lifetime compared to women of previous generations, says Bustillo. There are a few reasons for that, including the following:
- Many women today start menstruating at a younger age.
- Women today have fewer pregnancies on average.
- Women today dont breastfeed for as long.
- Women today generally reach menopause later in life.
According to Lisa Dabney, MD, assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, the monthly period that traditional birth control pills allow for may have had more to do with marketing than anything.
When the birth control pills first came out, they were designed for women to get their periods every four weeks like a natural period, she says. This interval is really set up by the cycle of the pills and was set up that way so women would more readily accept them.
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Why Am I Not Getting My Period At All
The medical term for absent periods is amenorrhea, and is considered to occur when a woman who has previously had normal periods stops menstruating for six months or more. Many of the causes of amenorrhea are the same as those for a skipped period. Your period can be absent for a number of reasons:
Pregnancy
The most common reason to not get your period is because you are pregnant. A home pregnancy test can quickly tell you if that is the reason.
Menopause
Most women stop getting their periods in their late 40s or early 50s. The average age is 51 years old.
Breastfeeding
If you breastfeed frequently, including at night-time, you may not get a period for many months. Be aware that you will ovulate prior to getting your period back, so birth control is important if you are not ready to be pregnant again.
Stress
While a sudden stressful life event can result in a single missed period, ongoing, high level stress and anxiety can cause your period to stop altogether. Managing stress though self-care, counselling, changing your life circumstances, medication, or other strategies can help you return to having normal periods.
Weight loss
Ongoing, dramatic weight loss, from low intake, excessive exercise, gastric bypass surgery, or eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia can stop your period. This happens because the hormones required for ovulation are not produced.
Underweight
Obesity
High levels of prolactin
Ashermans syndrome
Absent uterus
Premature ovarian failure
Something Is Off With Your Thyroid
This gland in your neck regulates your metabolism, produces hormones, controls your body temp, and more. You want it to be on point. When it’s over, or underactive, it may stop ovulation, prompting an irregular period, and possibly impair fertility, according to a new study in The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist. If your doctor suspects this could be the cause she’ll run a simple blood test and probably prescribe a medication. “With the right treatment, your period should go back to normal within a few months,” says Dr. Goist.
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What About Early Pregnancy Tests
Early pregnancy test manufacturers market to your desire to get answers as early as possible. It is not hard to see the advertising on the box and read the claims of 99% accuracy along with the ability to detect pregnancy six days before your missed period.
But let us take a closer look, so you do not test too early for pregnancy. The first thing to consider is that the percentage provided on the front of the package is only accurate when you take the test on the day of your expected period and in a laboratory setting by professionals. The same goes for the the instructions printed inside the pregnancy test kit the claims of accuracy are elevated because they do not reflect real-life testing in real-life situations. The results from a University of New Mexico study reveal the chances you can anticipate getting the right answer from an early home pregnancy test:
- One day past your expected period: 100% of pregnancies detected
- On the day of your expected period: 96% of pregnancies detected
- On the day before your expected period: 93% of pregnancies detected
- Two days before your expected period: 81% of pregnancies detected
- Three days before your expected period: 68% of pregnancies detected
- Four days before your expected period: 42% of pregnancies detected
- Five days before your expected period: 33% of pregnancies detected
- Six days before your expected period: 25% of pregnancies detected
Late Period And Brown Or Pink Discharge
If your period is late and you have brown or pink discharge, these may be early signs of pregnancy. If you are pregnant, this coloured discharge can be caused by implantation bleeding when the fertilised egg attaches to your uterus lining. Implantation bleeding can happen 1 to 2 weeks after the egg has been fertilised.
You should consider when in your cycle you have had unprotected sex. You’re most fertile when you ovulate as this is the time your egg is released from your ovaries. You are most likely to get pregnant around 12 to 14 days before your next period starts. Although possible, it’s unlikely that you’ll get pregnant just after your period. You should take a pregnancy test if youâve had unprotected sex, your period is late and you have brown or pink discharge.
Women have some vaginal discharge nearly every day. Itâs often clear or white. It can turn pink or brown when it mixes with blood. This coloured discharge does not necessarily mean you are pregnant. It can also happen for other reasons. Most commonly, it can occur after a vaginal exam, following strenuous sex, or if you’re taking birth control pills. It can also be a sign of another medical condition such as PCOS or perimenopause.
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What If My Period Is Late
A period is considered late if it fails to arrive within seven days of the expected date. This is the time at which many people take a pregnancy test. If the test is negative, you may choose to wait a few more days. If another significant amount of time goes by with no period and no unusual symptoms, you can test again. If the result is still negative, there are other factors to consider.
Im Not Pregnant So Why Is My Period Late
Wondering why is my period late? Im pregnant is just one of the possibilities.
When youre not pregnant, but youre still wondering why is my period late, you may be experiencing something called secondary amenorrheathe absence of menstrual bleeding for three or more months.
There are a variety of factors that can cause this condition, including:
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Can I Be Pregnant If My Period Is 2 Days Late
It is normal to occasionally experience a period that is a few days late. However, a missed period is when the cycle completely changes. A missed period may be a sign of pregnancy or another underlying cause. Early signs of pregnancy can be easy to miss, especially if the person has not been pregnant before.
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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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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.
How Soon Can You Tell If You Are Pregnant
Most health care providers recommend that you wait until the first day of your missed period to take a pregnancy test, because taking a test too soon after conception can lead to a false-negative result. However, some tests are more sensitive than others and can be taken as soon as 7 to 12 days after conception. The most precise way to determine pregnancy is to take a blood test to measure your level of hCG.
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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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Is A Late Period Reason To Take A Pregnancy Test
There are many reasons for a late period besides pregnancy. When you stop having periods, it could be related to lifestyle factors such as stress, a strict diet, or extensive physical activity.
It might also result from the use of birth control pills, various diseases, hormonal abnormalities, or problems with your reproductive organs. Finally, it could be due to pregnancy.
Home pregnancy tests allow you to determine if youre pregnant at a very early stage. These tests detect the presence of the pregnancy hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin in your urine. Your body makes this hormone when a fertilized egg is implanted in your uterus.
Is your period five days late or more? Take the test for the most accurate results. Some tests might be more sensitive than others.
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What To Do When Your Period Is Late
If your period is being unpredictable and cycles are changing regularly then it is worth talking to your health care professional about hormonal issues like polycystic ovary syndrome. If your periods stop completely for more than a few months, and you are not pregnant or on hormonal contraception, then speak to your GP.
There are other medical causes of missed or irregular periods weve not mentioned here. If your GP thinks that your lack of periods may be due to a medical cause they will investigate this, and may refer you to a specialist clinic.
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When To Call Your Healthcare Provider
Missing a period every once in a while is usually not cause for concern. That said, you should see a healthcare provider if you miss more than one period, or your missed period is accompanied by new or unusual symptoms.
Seek medical attention right away if you also experience any of the following:
- New or worsening headaches
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What Is A Period
A period is the time in a woman or girls monthly cycle in which her unfertilized egg leaves her body, along with blood and uterine tissue lining . This normally takes about five days. Periods usually first begin at or around age 12 in the US. They may begin between the ages of 10 and 15, though some may also start sooner or later than this. A period begins Day 1 of the menstrual cycle.
Can You Make Your Period Come Faster
There are various reasons why you might wish to induce your period. Perhaps you want to get your period over and done with before a holiday or a special occasion. Maybe you have an irregular cycle and want more predictability so that you can plan a pregnancy. Or maybe your period is delayed, causing you to feel stressed or worried.
If your period is delayed, or you stopped getting it, treating the cause may help you regulate your monthly cycle.
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What To Do If You Miss Your Period
If you miss your period, you should wait at first. Give it a few days to make sure you didnt miscalculate or do something to mix up the dates or that you arent simply late. Many practitioners at this point, may recommend a pregnancy test.
You can take a pregnancy test at home or your can go into your doctors office. If its positive, you have your answer: You missed your period because you were pregnant. If it is negative, you may want to wait a bit and try again.
Seeing your doctor if you are worried is never a bad option. If you are planning to get pregnant soon, you can use the visit to start your preconception health plan. This is a great way to get your body on track to be pregnant. This helps you have the healthiest pregnancy possible.
If you are not ready to be pregnant, they can help you determine what your reproductive life plan may look like to stay healthy and avoid pregnancy until the point where you make a decision to have children or permanently decide to not have children.