All Posts tagged missed period

Irregular or missed periods happen for many reasons besides pregnancy. While most women have a period every 28 days, a healthy cycle can range from 21 to 35 days. So, it’s helpful to keep in mind that normal is relative to each person. There are many other reasons that can cause irregular or missed periods.

• Stress

Most people have some amount of stress in their daily lives—let’s face it, in a pandemic, who isn’t experiencing some stress? Even with tactics to manage stress (working out, meditation, therapy, healthy eating, etc.), stress can cause physical symptoms, including altering your period. Significant stress can disrupt your hormonal balance, which may lead to delayed, irregular, heavy, or even missed periods.

• Weight loss/Too much exercise

While losing weight is usually good, losing weight too quickly can also affect your hormones. The loss of a hormone in fatty tissue called leptin can lead to the loss of other hormones, including estrogen, which may cause your period to be irregular.

• Low body weight/Eating disorders

Women with eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia, may also experience missed or irregular periods. In fact, women may stop ovulating if they weigh 10% below the normal range for their height. Gaining weight usually triggers the body to return to normal ovulation, but eating disorders are serious. Seeking medical help is imperative.

• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Affecting about 5% to 10% of women, PCOS is a medical condition caused by an imbalance of reproductive hormones. With an imbalance of estrogen, your period could come more or less frequently than normal.

• Birth control

Going on or off birth control may affect your cycle right away or even months later. Birth control pills contain hormones, estrogen and progestin, which stop your ovaries from releasing eggs. In fact, low-estrogen birth control pills, IUDs, and shots can even trigger a light or non-existent period. It may take up to three months for a period to return to normal after a women goes off birth control.

• Thyroid dysfunction

In addition to causing weight gain or weight loss, thyroid disorders can affect hormones, leading to irregular or missed periods. The thyroid regulates the body’s metabolism, which can alter hormone levels.

• When to see your doctor

If you experience an irregular period with other symptoms (fever, severe pain, unusually heavy bleeding, etc.), you should contact your doctor right away. Otherwise, keeping a log of your period can help your doctor diagnose the issue.