Reasons Why I Missed My Period

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.

Youve Lost Or Gained Weight

Severe changes in body weight can lead to a condition known as secondary amenorrhea, which means missing your period for three months or more. This is particularly common when your BMI undergoes a rapid change.

Extreme increases or decreases in body fat can lead to a chaotic 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, giving instructions for the production of reproductive hormones. When this communication channel is disrupted, hormones can get really out of whack.

When To See Your Doctor

Your doctor can properly diagnose the reason for your late or missed period and discuss your treatment options. Keep a record of changes in your cycle as well as other health changes to show your doctor. This will help them make a diagnosis.

If you have the following symptoms, contact a doctor right away:

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Reasons For A Late Period

Now that weve explained what qualifies as a regular menstrual cycle, lets go over why some people have late or irregular periods.

During the early stages of puberty, its common to have irregular cycles. Its normal for adolescents to have irregular cycles for the first three years after they get their period. This is because the ovaries may not be releasing an egg every month yet, since hormone levels are still changing. However, for people who are already past that phase, there are lots of other things that can cause a late period and irregular periods.

Here are eight common causes of a late 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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Reasons You Might Miss Your Period

On average, women have their periods every 28 days. However, this length may vary from woman to woman, as it is normal to have periods occur in a shorter or longer amount of time as well. Most women have their periods once a month and they typically last from 2-7 days. There are many reasons why you may miss your period, including the following:

As you can see from the brief list above, there can be many reasons why you might miss your period. If you think you might be pregnant, Your Options Medical can provide you with lab-quality pregnancy testing and ultrasound at no cost to you.

Give It To Me Straight: Why Did I Miss My Period On Birth Control

Before you get too worried about whether to get a pregnancy test, remember: Birth control pills are 91% effective with average use and over 99% effective if you take them correctly, every day.

Menstrual bleeding changes are normal when you’re on birth control, say global women’s health experts.

You could have lighter, more frequent, or no periods at all when you’re taking the pill or using another hormonal method.

Unless you have other pregnancy symptoms or health conditions, doctors say that it is common for women on hormonal contraception to have missed periods. You could also have early or late periods, or just spotting. Therefore missing your period while on birth control isn’t necessarily cause for alarm unless you have other concerning symptoms. Always talk to your doctor about it, though, if you’re worried.

Editor’s note: Don’t get us wrong, though. Regular periods are a sign your body is working as expected. But we’re specifically talking about periods on birth control, which don’t necessarily fall into that bucket. Find out why further down.

Key stats on the failure rate of birth control pills:

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There Are Many Reasons That Periods Can Be Irregular Or Absent Some Require Treatment And Some Do Not

It is not uncommon to occasionally miss a period, or for periods to become irregular from time to time. Under some circumstances, periods can even stop altogether. Sometimes these irregularities are due to normal changes, and are not cause for concern. Other times, they are a sign that something is going on, and a call to your doctor is warranted.

Explore Irregular or Absent Periods:

You Have Another Chronic Condition

Certain chronic health problems, especially celiac disease and diabetes, are sometimes associated with menstrual irregularities.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that affects your digestive system. When people with celiac disease eat gluten, their immune system reacts by attacking the lining of the small intestine.

When the small intestine is damaged, it impairs the bodys ability to absorb nutrients from food. Subsequent malnourishment affects normal hormone production and leads to missed periods and other menstrual irregularities.

Those with type 1 and type 2 diabetes might also experience a missed period in rare cases. This tends to only happen when blood sugar levels arent managed at ideal levels.

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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

What Is A Late Period

Although a few people might have pinpoint predictability with periods, most have a little variation. So if your period is a day or two late, dont panic.

Your menstrual cycle is the length of time from day one of your period to day one of your next period, Dr. Higgins says. On average, these cycles are 24 to 38 days long.

That means that a 28-day cycle one month and a 26-day cycle the next month is probably nothing to worry about. Your period might be considered late if:

• Its been more than 38 days since your last period.
• Youre normally really regular, and your period is more than three days late.

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Number : Because Of Physical Or Emotional Stress

So there’s this thing called the hypothalamus, which is a gland in your brain. If something’s wrong, your hypothalamus can’t kick off the menstrual cycle, and you won’t ovulate.

Characteristics that can affect your hypothalamus and lead to missing your period include:

• Emotional and mental stress

• Weight loss and low body weight

• Deficient intake of food/eating disorders

• Too much exercise

Researchers often see this happening in adolescent girls, where the common triggers are stress, weight loss, and excessive exercise. Girls at this time of their lives can undergo common life events that bring a lot of emotional and mental toll, like changing schools or becoming sexually active. Disordered eating during adolescence is also common.

Why Did I Miss A Period

Missing a period is not uncommon, and most of the time, it is not a cause for concern. Some of the reasons you might miss a period include:

Normal lifecycle changes

There are a number of changes that happen in the female lifecycle that can result in a skipped period. All of these are normal reasons to miss a period and are not cause for concern.

For example:

Pregnancy

The most common reason for a missed period is pregnancy. If this is a possibility, take a home pregnancy test to see if this is the cause of your missed period. If you skip a period and then have one the next month at the expected time, its possible that a non-viable pregnancy occurred, and the period is actually an early miscarriage.

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding can suppress your period, depending on how frequently you are nursing. You may get a period while breastfeeding, and then not have another one for several months or more, particularly if your baby is nursing exclusively. You can ovulate before you get your period, so its important to use birth control during this time, if you dont want to get pregnant.

Menopause

A skipped period may be a sign that you are entering menopause and your periods are beginning to become less regular, especially if you are experiencing other symptoms of menopause . If you are 45 or older, there is a good chance this is the cause of a missed period.

Stress

Weight loss

Birth control

Hormonal changes

Medications

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Pelvic Floor Muscle Dysfunction

The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and other tissues that form a sling across the pelvis, which holds together the vagina, uterus, bladder, rectum, and other pelvic organs, according to the NLM. Just like any other part of your body, your pelvic floor can become weak or injured, particularly after pregnancy and childbirth, and cause symptoms such as pelvic pain, lower back pain, and the feeling of pelvic pressure or fullness that are akin to those during your period.

The standout difference from menstruation pain? If you can feel a bulge inside the vagina or, in more extreme cases, you can organs start to push out of the vaginal opening, per the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists , then you are probably dealing with pelvic floor muscular problems.

Other symptoms include pain during sex, burning feeling in the vagina and while peeing, leaking urine when you cough, laugh, or exercise, and leaking stool or hard time making it to the bathroom in time. To determine whats going on, ACOG says that your health care provide will typically conduct vaginal and rectal exams in which you may be asked to cough or strain to see if you leak.

Youre Using Hormonal Birth Control

Many love the pill because it makes their periods so regular. But it can sometimes have the opposite effect, especially during the first few months of use.

Similarly, when you stop taking the pill, it can take a few months for your cycle to get back to normal. As your body returns to its baseline hormone levels, you may miss your period for a few months.

If youre using another hormonal birth control method, including an IUD, implant, or shot, you might stop getting your period altogether.

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Producing Too Much Prolactin

Prolactin is a hormone that the body usually makes during breastfeeding. It can halt menstruation and is the reason why most breastfeeding women do not have periods.

In people who are not breastfeeding, a milky discharge from the nipples can signify that the body is making an abnormally high amount of prolactin. Doctors can treat excessive prolactin production with medication.

Sohow Much Of A Delay In Your Period Is Still Considered Normal

âIf you have one or two irregular periods it is definitely something to pay attention to,â says Sherry Ross, MD, an ob-gyn at Providence Saint Johnâs Health Center in Santa Monica, California. A period is considered late if it hasnât started five or more days after the day you expected it to begin, according to Summit Medical Group. So if your period is, say, 10 days late, definitely take a pregnancy test and check in with your ob-gyn regardless of the results. In general, if your flow has been MIA for a week or more, that’s a sign you should take the test and also check in with your gyno to see what might be going on.

But again, you can miss a period and *not* be pregnant. If there’s no way you’re pregnant and/or your test comes back negative , one of these factors, including all the stress you might be under right now, may be to blame for your late period problems. Then, your next step is definitely calling your doc so they can help you suss out the best solution or treatment for your situation.

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You Have A Chronic Condition

Certain chronic health problems, especially celiac disease and diabetes, are sometimes associated with menstrual irregularities.

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that affects your digestive system. When people with celiac disease eat gluten, their immune system reacts by attacking the lining of the small intestine.

When the small intestine is damaged, it impairs the bodys ability to absorb nutrients from food. Subsequent malnourishment affects normal hormone production and leads to missed periods and other menstrual irregularities.

Those with type 1 and type 2 diabetes might also experience a missed period in rare cases. This tends to only happen when blood sugar levels arent managed.