6 Reasons for a Missed Period

The length of a menstrual cycle varies from woman to woman. However, in an ideal situation, a woman should have her periods every 28 days. This regular menstrual cycle may get shorter or longer from 21 to 40 days. And both these shortened and extended days are considered normal.

When a woman doesn’t get her periods beyond this mentioned time frame, her period is ‘officially’ late and after six weeks without bleeding, it is considered as missed or late periods.

A delay in the period can happen due to several underlying factors. It can be due to any basic lifestyle change, any chronic medical condition, or even due to pregnancy. Here is a look at 6 potential reasons behind missed periods.

1. Stress

Your brain is the major controller of your body. When you feel distressed and tired, your brain regulates the hormones that stimulate your ovaries. Therefore, a woman under stress may get her periods missed or irregular. Reducing the level of stress or finding suitable ways to cope with stress can help your body revert to a normal menstrual cycle.

2. Overweight

When a woman is overweight, her body starts producing an excess amount of estrogen, a hormone that regulates the reproductive system in a woman; and this affects her menstrual cycle. It is essential to consult with the doctor to control weight gain. It is advised to lose weight wisely, not by starvation.

3. Too much Exercise

The intense physical activity of a body can affect a woman’s menstrual cycle. Studies show that losing too much fat from the body can also stop a woman to ovulate. Thus, it is good to be physically active and fit, but excessive exercise can cause your periods to stop. If you’re a sporty woman, talk to your doctor about how you can manage both weight and fitness simultaneously.

4. Birth Control Pills

Not every contraceptive pill leads to irregular periods, but some contraceptives have only a single hormone that causes irregular periods. Additionally, in some cases, contraceptive injections and Intrauterine devices like Copper-T cause missed periods. However, periods get back to normal when a woman stops using these contraceptives.

5. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOD is one of the most common health problems associated with women. One out of every five women is suffering from PCOD. In PCOD, sacs are unable to release an egg for fertilization, thus ovulation does not happen. And thus, periods get irregular or very painful.

The best way to deal with PCOD is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and follow proper medication.

6. Pregnancy

If a woman is sexually active and did not have any contraception, missed periods usually indicate pregnancy. It is one of the common and obvious reasons behind the sudden stop of periods. If a woman never had an issue of irregular periods, pregnancy becomes the most obvious reason.

In case of missed periods, it is usually recommended to wait for a week to check for any pregnancy symptoms. If periods are still not there even after a week, a home pregnancy test is recommended.

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