8 reasons for missed period but not pregnant Is your period late? You can get missed or late periods for many reasons other than pregnancy. The causes of missed or late periods range from lifestyle choices to health issues.
Moreover, during two transitory phases of a woman’s life, it is entirely normal for her periods to be irregular. The first is menarche, or the start of menstruation, and the second is menopause. The average length of a menstrual cycle is 28 days, but anywhere between 21 and 35 is entirely normal.
In this video, we will look at the possible reasons your menstrual cycle is longer than normal. 1. Stress Anxiety puts your body in the “fight or flight” mode.
Your body increases the production of stress hormones such as cortisol. While a bit of stress is okay, prolonged stress can affect your body’s hormonal balance. Hormonal imbalance can cause missed or irregular periods.
2. Changed sleep schedule If you suddenly change your sleep schedule, your circadian rhythm gets disturbed. Your circadian rhythm is your internal clock that regulates your body functions.
According to a study published in Frontiers in Endocrinology, disturbances in your circadian rhythm when you travel to a different time zone can make your periods irregular. 3. Being underweight Low body weight is a common cause of missed periods.
Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia can make women lose weight. When your body weight falls 10 percent below average, your body functions start getting disturbed, and ovulation might stop. Healthily regaining weight will restore normal body function and make your periods regular again.
4. Intense exercise While moderate exercise is excellent for your body, too much exercise can reduce your body’s estrogen levels. Estrogen is a hormone that regulates your menstrual cycle.
Lack of estrogen can cause amenorrhea or the absence of menstruation. Rigorous training often causes amenorrhea for six or more months in athletes. 5.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) PCOS is a disease that increases the levels of the male hormone androgen in your body. Other hormones, such as insulin, are also imbalanced. This hormonal imbalance causes the formation of cysts in the ovaries.
Consequently, ovulation can become irregular or even absent. Birth control and other medications can help regulate your menstrual cycle if you have PCOS. If you think you might have PCOS, you should consult your gynecologist.
6. Thyroid dysfunction The thyroid gland is responsible for producing hormones that regulate various body functions. Diseases such as hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can disrupt your menstrual cycle.
Fortunately, thyroid disorders are treatable with medications. If you think you might have a thyroid disorder, consult your endocrinologist for a diagnostic blood test. 7.
Medications Certain medications can cause irregular periods. For example, antipsychotic drugs can cause an imbalance in the levels of the hormone prolactin. This imbalance can cause amenorrhea or the absence of menstruation.
Some forms of birth control medications such as IUD can also cease your periods. 8. Early perimenopause Menopause usually begins between the ages of 45 to 55.
When women develop symptoms of menopause around the age of 40, their condition is called early perimenopause. Early perimenopause is caused by a reduction in the number of eggs in your body. Consequently, you will miss your periods, and eventually, menstruation will cease altogether.
With that, we conclude our list of possible reasons for missed or late periods. Menstrual irregularities are pretty common, affecting up to 14% of the women in the USA. However, it is not normal to miss your period for several months, except when you are using contraceptives.
It is a good idea to consult your physician if you keep missing your period. If you liked this video, share it with your friends and family. Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for the more informative content!
