8 Reasons You May Miss Your Period

 

While delayed or missed period is often interpreted by women trying for a baby as a sign to shout ‘eureka!’, it’s seen as the first sign there’s ‘trouble’ by those who have no baby plans in their agenda. It’s however worthy to note that other factors besides pregnancy may be responsible.

Let’s take a look at 8 of them…

1. Stress

As you probably already know, stress has adverse effects on the body’s overall wellbeing, and your monthly cycle is no exception. Prolonged or chronic physical and emotional stress can send the wrong signals to the hypothalamus; a gland in the brain where many of the hormones for menstruation are regulated. This may ultimately result in hypothalamic amenorrhea – a condition that makes the period stop for several months.

Identifying your stressors and managing them appropriately will help your body get back to normal. See useful tips to here.

2. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

PCOS is a quite common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age. The condition often causes cysts to grow on the ovaries and prevents regular ovulation.

If you experience missed or irregular periods constantly, ask your doctor to run a blood test to check your hormone levels. He may recommend birth control to regulate your periods if hormonal imbalance or PCOS is responsible.

3. Thyroid Problems

The thyroid, located in the neck, is the gland responsible for the body’s metabolism, and when it doesn’t function as it should, it can have adverse effects on your monthly cycle. While an overactive thyroid may cause your periods to be lighter and less frequent, one that is not active enough may cause less frequent and heavier periods.

4. Menopause

Experts say late or missed periods are normal during the first two years your period starts (usually between ages 10 – 15) and when menopause is about to begin. As the body undergoes menopausal changes, usually between ages 45 – 55, periods becomes irregular, owing to less production of the fertility hormone, oestrogen.

READ ALSO: 5 Ovulation Signs You Should Note

5. Breastfeeding

As a result of breastfeeding, menstruation may stop altogether for a couple of months as prolactin, the hormone responsible for breast milk production, can impede ovulation. Note however that you should not rely on this as a form of birth control as you may ovulate when you least expect and put another bun in the oven, confident that your periods have not returned.

See your doctor if your periods do not return three months after weaning your baby.

6. Your Weight

If your weight is higher or lower than what is expected for your height, it can change how your body should function and adversely affect ovulation. While being underweight or losing a lot of weight within a short period can cause your oestrogen levels to reduce drastically, leading to a shortage in the needed supply to build the lining of the uterus, gaining a lot of weight within a short time can make your body produce too much oestrogen. The excess oestrogen may stop ovulation for months or make the endometrial lining overgrow and become unstable, leading to heavy or irregular periods.

7. Contraceptives

It’s normal to experience a change in your cycle when you start or stop using contraceptives. The changes to expect depend on the type of birth control you opted for. For instance, hormonal contraceptives stop ovulation altogether, leading to a lack of periods. Talk to your doctor if you have concerns regarding this.

8. Excessive Exercise

As with every other thing, moderation is key. If you have been working out too much without taking in enough calories, it can result in skipped or delayed menstruation.

You should also note that a healthy menstrual cycle can range from every 21 to 35 days. If your period doesn’t fall within this range, you may be prone to missing your periods. Ask your doctor for help.

In addition, if you fell ill before ovulation, the strains on your body may have caused ovulation to be delayed or not take place at all. As a result, your period will be late or return next cycle when your body must have bounced back.

Photo credit: blackdoctor.org