Youre Taking Certain Medications
Medications such as anti-inflammatories, aspirin, or other blood thinners can also affect your menstrual cycle, says Dr. Horton.
Aspirin and blood thinners prevent blood clots but can increase the flow of your period, she explains. These medications can thin the blood so much that it causes your menstrual cycle to be heavy and last longer than usual.
As such, it is important to take medicines as directed and if your period becomes heavier or prolonged, to contact your doctor, says Dr. Horton. You may need blood work to determine if you are taking too much medicine, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories may be used to treat your heavy and prolonged periods.
You Have Uterine Polyps Or Fibroids
“Uterine abnormalities, such as polyps or fibroids, can cause prolonged periods because they distort the endometrial cavity which can lead to increased blood flow,” Dr. Toth explains. Basically, your body senses something in your uterus that isn’t supposed to be there, and tries extra hard to get rid of it.
Polyps and fibroids sound scary, but they’re pretty commonup to 80 percent of women will have at least one before they’re 50, per the OWH. On their own, they don’t indicate a serious disease, like cancer. Important to note: Black women are two to three times more likely to have fibroids than white women, and the reasons for their increased risk are not well understood or well studied due to lack of representation of Black women in research, notes Dr. Horton. Black women are also more likely to be hospitalized due to fibroids due to heavy, prolonged vaginal bleeding, pain, and symptoms from anemia.
But for many people, these benign growths don’t have any symptoms, and if they do, it’s usually prolonged periods, says Dr. Toth. Most likely your doc will just recommend keeping an eye on them, but if they cause pain or grow very large they can be surgically removed.
Consider Taking A Home Pregnancy Test
If your period is more than two weeks late, then you can consider taking an at-home pregnancy test. These can be purchased from most drug stores , and usually arent too expensive. Make sure to read and follow the directions when you take the test. If it comes back negative, then you may not be pregnant. If it comes back positive, then
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Im Not Pregnant So Why Is My Period Late
So the pregnancy test came out negative, and you still havent got your period, what then? There are many reasons why you may miss or skip a period, or why your periods may stop altogether.
If pregnancy cannot be ruled out after a negative test result, you may be late or have skipped your period due to:
There are many reasons why your period is late or skipped, and most, like stress, are no cause for alarm and your periods can return to normal with a few healthy lifestyle changes.
However, to rule out any causes for concern, if you miss more than one period you may want to see your doctor for medical advice.
Common Causes Of Missed Periods
The most common cause of a missed period is pregnancy. However, if youre not sexually active, havent had sex in a few months, or got a negative result on your pregnancy test, you already know thats not the issue.
That leads us to other possibilities. While one late or missing period isnt worth fretting about, you shouldnt let it become a common occurrence. Here are the five most common causes of irregular periods, and what you can do about them.
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How Late Can A Period Be Before You Should Start To Worry
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Delay your period for vacation, wedding, sporting event or for any other special occasion
Stop your period for up to 17 days
Your period is late. If youâre worried, itâs understandable. Try not to panic. Whilst pregnancy is one reason your period might be late, there are also other reasons. Often lifestyle and medical factors can be the cause. .
How Late Can A Period Be Without Being Pregnant
How late a period can be without being pregnant depends on the regularity of your periods.
Generally speaking, if you are 1-2 days late it is not usually anything to worry about. If it is 3 days late and this is not normal, you will probably start to worry. At 5 days late, you are probably convinced that youâre pregnant â itâs probably a good idea to do a pregnancy test at this stage. If you are 7 days late with no pregnancy symptoms, it still doesnât necessarily mean that you are pregnant .
However, if you have a late or missed period with early signs of pregnancy, this is a strong indication of pregnancy. The scales are tipping more in favor of âpregnantâ, than ânot pregnantâ. Symptoms of early pregnancy include cramps, deep tiredness, tender breasts, needing to wee more often, feeling nauseous and/or being sick, mood swings, a metallic taste in your mouth and food cravings. If you think you might be pregnant you should take a pregnancy test.
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Can You Miss A Period And Not Be Pregnant
Yes! Pregnancy isnt the only thing that can cause a missed period. Hormonal imbalances, such as those caused by polycystic ovary syndrome or follicular cysts, can make you miss your period. Stress, hormonal birth control, excessive exercise, malnutrition, breastfeeding, chronic diseases, and certain drugs can all cause you to miss a period.
What Are The Signs Of Implantation
Implantation is the process when an embryo attaches itself to the uterine lining. It doesnt always cause symptoms. However, some people report feeling light cramping, headaches, and mood swings around the time of implantation. Implantation bleeding can occur around the date when you expect your period, but its usually lighter and only causes pink or brown spotting or discharge.
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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
You Have A Chronic Condition
Certain chronic health problems, especiallyceliac 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. This can lead to malnourishment, which 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 are not managed.
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Negative Pregnancy Test But No Period 10 Common Reasons Why
Your periods late. You dig that pregnancy test out from the bottom of your drawer and pee on the stick, expecting to see a big fat positive show up in the results window.
But it doesnt.
Negative pregnancy test but no period.
If youre trying to get pregnant, this can be a huge emotional blow.
And if youre not trying to get pregnant, it might be a relief.
But either way youll probably wonder why the test is negative when you have missed your period.
Was that pregnancy test accurate?
Is it possible to be pregnant when a home pregnancy test is negative?
Are there any reasons other than pregnancy to explain a missed or late period?
To help you work your way through the confusion and stay calm until youre 100% sure whether or not youre pregnant, here are 10 reasons why you might have missed periods and a negative pregnancy test.
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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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You Have Thyroid Issues
One in eight women will suffer from low thyroid function, or hypothyroidism, at some point in their lives, according to the OWH.
Your thyroid is a little butterfly-shaped gland that controls the hormones that regulate many systems in your body, including how fast you burn calories, how fast your heart beats, and yes, menstruation. Having too little thyroid hormone can cause your period to be super long and heavy, the OWH explains.
Other symptoms of hypothyroidism include weight gain, fatigue, and hair loss, so if you’re experiencing any of those, along with longer-than-normal periods, bring it up to your doctor, says Dr. Ross.
So How Late Can My Period Be Before I Should Worry
If your period is late and you have recently had unprotected sex, it can be an early sign of pregnancy. Whilst that is a fact, itâs not always the case. Only a pregnancy test will give you the answer. How late your period is, depends on your cycle. Only you know what is normal for you, and what isnât.
Home pregnancy tests are available from pharmacies and some supermarkets. Results tend to be accurate if you follow the instructions correctly. If you take the test too early, the results may not be reliable. The best time to take a pregnancy test is the week after your missed period. Your body takes a week or so to develop levels of HCG , which is what the test relies on.
A positive test result is almost certainly correct, with most tests claiming 99% accuracy. By the same token, a negative result is also likely to be correct. Only 5% of pregnancy tests give a false negative result. If you test negative and you still think that you’re pregnant, you should wait a few days and try again. If you have a negative test result and you are experiencing other early pregnancy symptoms, speak to your doctor or pharmacist.
If you have a positive pregnancy test, you should see your doctor to confirm your pregnancy. If your pregnancy test results are positive but you are worried or experiencing any warning signs that something is wrong with your pregnancy, such as bleeding or cramping, you should call your doctor right away.
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How Many Days Late Can Your Period Be What Others Say
I didnt have my period for two whole months but I wasnt pregnant, never had a baby before, didnt have any health issues and wasnt even on the pill. I had regular periods before that but it was stress that did it for me. This past year, I have had two late periods but otherwise my periods are very regular.
If you ask me, changes in the routine or stress can delay the ovulation sometimes so it is highly likely that you arent pregnant if you have a late period. However, I think it is best to get a pregnancy test just to be sure.
In my opinion, the answer to the questionhow many days late can you period be depends on your ovulation timings. Your period will be late if your ovulation starts late. Thus, unless you are tracking ovulation, there is no way to find out if your period is late or not. I havent had a period in 4 months after my miscarriage. I have just begun to ovulate again and I know that I will have my period in the next few days.
I have always had irregular periods so I just wait and see what happens, if it happens at all. However, when I did get pregnant, I knew about my pregnancy way before I missed my period. My point is that everyone is different and it is better to have a pregnancy test to be sure.
Reasons Your Period Might Be Delayed
A typical menstrual cycle is considered to be 21 to 35 days.
The absence of menstruation during the reproductive years is called amenorrhea. For people who regularly have their period, if you go without it for 6 months, you may have amenorrhea. This condition affects about of females in the United States.
Amenorrhea can be caused by conditions that may include:
- pregnancy
Substances that can help induce a period are called emmenagogues. Be aware that some emmenagogues are also abortifacients, which is a substance that can cause miscarriages in pregnancy.
Pregnancy warning
If theres a chance your period is late because you are pregnant, using emmenagogues to induce a period may terminate your pregnancy. This can be dangerous. If theres a chance you are pregnant, do not take these substances.
If you are trying any herbs, be sure to get them from a reputable source. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not monitor herbal supplements the same way they monitor other medications and drugs. While the FDA sets guidelines surrounding dietary supplements, supplements are not required to be proven safe to these standards before being sold. However, some safety monitoring steps are in place once they are in the market, such as the reporting of adverse events.
There may be concerns with quality, purity, or dosage. They may contain more or less of the ingredients on the label.
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When To See Your Doctor
If your periods seem irregular, or youve missed a period but know youre not pregnant, its a good idea to talk with your doctor ASAP, as there are many reasons and conditions that could be causing the issue.
Your doctor can properly diagnose the reason for your late or missed period and discuss your treatment options. If you can, keep a record of changes in your cycle as well as other health changes. This will help them make a diagnosis.
If you have the following symptoms, contact a doctor immediately, or call 911:
Diagnosis And Tests For A Late Period And Pregnancy
Home pregnancy tests check your urine for a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin that is only present when youre pregnant. The body starts making hCG at implantation, and many home pregnancy tests can detect hCG around the day of your expected period.
However, it is common to get a false negative in the first few days after a missed period. The amount of hCG in your body increases daily in early pregnancy. If you test too early, there might not be enough hCG for a positive test. Testing one week after a missed period is most likely to give you accurate results.
If youve had two home pregnancy tests come back negative and still think youre pregnant, check with your doctor. They can order a blood test that looks for the same hormone but can detect it earlier in the pregnancy. Blood tests can give accurate results as soon as 6 to 8 days after ovulation.
If your pregnancy tests come back negative, but you still havent had a period, talk to your doctor to determine what might be the cause and if any additional tests or treatment are needed. If youre trying to conceive, your doctor can perform additional tests or make other suggestions.
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When To Call Your Provider
If your period is one to two weeks late, and you still are getting negative pregnancy tests, a visit to your gynecologist for a pregnancy blood test is recommended. If your periods are frequently irregular, talk to your provider about when theyd like you to call. Depending on your circumstances, many providers will want to induce a period if you go more than two or three months without menstruating.
If your cycle used to be regular but has become irregular, or your periods are irregular for more than three months after stopping birth control, you should see your provider. Irregular cycles can be a risk factor for infertility.
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You Have An Underlying Blood Disorder
It’s rare, but it’s possible that extra-long periods are a sign of an underlying illness, like a hematologic disease, says Dr. Toth. Some of the underlying diseases associated with bleeding, like hemophilia or Von Willebrand disease, are genetic, so if you have this you likely already know about it.
Still, if your periods are lasting a super-long time, and you’ve already been cleared for other conditions, it’s worth checking in with your doctor about tests to rule out a blood disorder that you might not be aware of.
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