Causes of missed period/menstruation

Women always dread the thought of missing a period, except in cases where they are trying to conceive. If you missed a period and you are not pregnant, you might want to know why this happened.

You will find the information in this article quite useful as it highlights some of the causes of a missed menstrual cycle.

Stress

stressIf you are stressed, this can affect many areas of your life, including your monthly periods. When your stress levels heighten, this can decrease the hormone that will prevent you from menstruating or ovulating.

A doctor can help you to determine what will help you to relax and return to the regular schedule.

Change in regular schedules

It is common for one’s body clock to go crazy when they change schedules, especially if the work times move from days to nights or vice versa.

If your shift changes frequently and you are having problems with normal cycles, this might cause you to miss a period.

Illness

Sudden illnesses which last for a short or long time are among the common causes of a missed menstrual cycle. This is normally temporary.

You should talk to your doctor about this if you think that it is the reason for your late or delayed period.

Changed medications

You can miss your period if you have been trying a different medication. This can happen with some birth control methods. If this is the case, you need to talk to your medical doctor about this side effect.

If not, you should ask about the possible effects that medication can have on your menstrual period if you are changing to a new one.

Menopause

This is the time when you are no longer menstruating or ovulating. Menopause can happen naturally or surgically through chemical use such as different types of chemotherapy or through a hysterectomy.

Excess body weight

Being overweight is one of the common causes of a missed menstrual cycle. Excess weight can cause the hormonal shift in your period and even stop them.

Many women return to their normal cycles after they lose some bodyweight, even in cases when they are still regarded as overweight.

Bear in mind that being underweight can cause your regular periods to stop temporarily or permanently. The latter is called amenorrhea.

This is a common cause of a missed period in females who engage in extreme workouts or those who are professional athletes.

Weight gain usually helps the period to return.

Last but not least, pregnancy is one of the most common and obvious causes of a missed menstrual cycle.

You can do a simple pregnancy test to know if your missed period is because of pregnancy. If not, you could visit your medical doctor to get the test done.
Image: Pixabay

References

  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27629353
  2. https://heart.bmj.com/content/98/Suppl_2/E156.1
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