7 Reasons You May Be Missing Your Period

Missing your regular monthly period can be both a blessing and a curse.

When you aren’t trying to have a baby, and you miss a period, it can be a bit nerve-racking. After ruling out the pregnancy option, from a home PT (pregnancy test), there are a lot of reasons why you may have missed your period.

Here are a couple of plausible reasons why:

1- Stress

Stress affects a lot of things in people’s lives. Stress can cause headaches, affect weight gain or loss, acne, and other skin issues. There is a particular area of the brain called the hypothalamus, where a lot of the hormones for your period are regulated. The hypothalamus is very much affected by stress, and might stop releasing needed hormones for your regular flow. If you have or are experiencing any stress, chances are that is why your monthly friend hasn’t come knocking yet.

SEE ALSO:Woman Details Her Body Insecurities From Developing Breasts at 7

2- Birth Control Pill

Your method of preventing pregnancy, might also be what is keeping your period from showing up. Some birth control pills actually cause a lack of menses. However, this isn’t dangerous and a lot of times, it is  a welcome side effect for many women.

3 – Illness

If you are ill, your period could be delayed or just not come. From a simple cold to something more serious, the stress could put your body in a state where it has to choose between which function is most important. As a result, ovulation could be delayed or just not happen at all. This means your period will also be late or nonexistent. If you fall ill around the time of ovulation, your flow will likely return once things are back to normal.

4 – Weight

Your weight can also affect your hypothalamus, as aforementioned. Extreme weight loss or being very underweight stresses the hypothalamus, and your body won’t release the estrogen needed to build the lining of the uterus. On the other hand, being overweight or gaining a lot of weight in a short amount of time can cause your body to produce too much estrogen, which may cause you to go for months without ovulating. Adding weight when underweight or losing a reasonable amount when overweight, should help normalize your menstrual flow.

SEE ALSO:7 Reasons You May Be Experiencing Pain During Intercourse

5 – Breastfeeding

This is another reason why your period may be a no-show. Prolactin, is the hormone responsible for breast milk production and it also suppresses ovulation. Many moms don’t have a period for months or at all while breastfeeding. It usually comes back 6 – 8 weeks after weaning the baby. If it isn’t back for  as long as 3 months, then you need to speak to a doctor as soon as possible.

6 – PCOS ( Polycystic ovarian syndrome) 

This is a condition where the female sex hormones are out of balance. It can cause cysts on the ovaries and prevent ovulation from occurring regularly, which may mean missed or irregular periods. This hormonal imbalance can also cause weight gain, excessive hair growth, and acne. It can usually be regulated using birth control pills as directed by a doctor.

SEE ALSO:5 Signs You Are Ovulating

7 – Menopause

Menopause is when a woman has reached the point in her life where she will no longer ovulate or menstruate. Menopause can be a natural life event or may happen surgically or when one is exposed to chemical such as various forms of chemotherapy.