If you are having your menstrual cycle regularly this means that you are in good health. This is not something that every woman can relate to because some have problems with missed periods. In this article, we will look at some of the most common reasons for missed period.
Women have eleven to thirteen menstrual cycles on an average each year. This number can decrease or increase under certain circumstances. A menstrual cycle normally lasts for twenty-eight to thirty-five days. You have to determine the cycle that is normal for you. Please note that menstrual periods can have irregular cycles in the first few years following the start and then again during the menopausal years.
Most Common Reasons for Missed Period
Hormone imbalance: Women experiences different physical changes during different stages of life because of the interaction between hormones such as progesterone and estrogen. Menstrual bleeding happens when uterine lining sheds, triggered when a released ovum is not fertilized by a sperm. In the event that progesterone and estrogen levels or higher or lower than normal, the processes such as the uterine lining thickening, the ovum releasing egg, and so on, are likely to be affected adversely. This hormonal imbalance can cause the menstrual cycle duration to change and various other symptoms might appear.
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS is a hormonal disorder and can cause abnormalities in the menstrual cycle. This condition develops when small cysts grown inside the ovaries. PCOS cause some women to have prolonged periods or no periods at all for a few months. When the time for their cycle comes around, they might experience premenstrual symptoms such as cramps without the bleeding.
Menopause: The menstrual cycle generally stops when a woman reaches menopause. You can experience perimenopause before menopause starts. As you age, you might stop menstruating and ovulating.
Stress: This is definitely one of the most common reasons for missed period and many physiological problems. If you think that stress is causing you to miss periods, you need to find ways to relax and restore your normal.
Work schedule: A change in your work schedule can also cause you to have problems with missed period. This often happens for women who work in shifts, especially when the schedule changes from night to day or vice versa. The shift changes will disturb in the functioning of your biological clock. This is why it is important to get enough sleep and rest.
Weight issue: You can be affected by a hormonal imbalance if you are obese or overweight. This condition can trigger a shift in your menstrual cycle. Alternatively, your period can get delayed if you are underweight. Excessive weight gain or weight loss within a short time period can also be one of the reasons for your irregular or missed periods.
Medication and drugs: Your period can be delayed by a change in your medication. If you have changed your medication or medicine recently, then you should talk to your medical doctor to know about the potential side effects. Infertility is sometimes caused by the use of birth control pills and it can also attribute to irregular periods. The birth control pills are known to cause this condition because they contain low amounts of estrogen. The pills with only progesterone can also cause you to miss periods.
Miscalculation: The average menstrual cycle is twenty-eight days, but this differs from woman to the next. If you have a history of abnormal or irregular periods and you know when you are ovulating, you can count fifteen days after your ovulation to know the exact date for your menstrual cycle.
Excessive exercise: Most women, especially athletes, have problems with missed periods because they are exercising rigorously.
Health problems: Most times, an illness can cause a woman to miss her period. Whether it is a long or short illness, it can still interfere with the regularity of your menstrual cycle.
Thankfully, this is often a temporary problem that will go away on its own and you don’t have to use any form of medication. If your problem is not caused by the reasons above, you could be affected by health conditions such as thyroid, tumors, pituitary, and ovaries. These conditions are rare, but you still need to take good care of your overall wellness and health.
Pregnancy: Of course, you cannot mention the causes for missed period without mentioning pregnancy. A blood or urine pregnancy test can be done to confirm if you are pregnant or not.
Breastfeeding: You can also have problems with missed period if you are breastfeeding. Your menstrual cycle will return to normal as soon as you stop nursing your child.
These are the most common reasons for missed period. If the above reasons are related to your problem and you are missing your period for about three months, you need to consult a healthcare professional.
