A late period is a cause for concern, especially when your cycles are generally regular. Yes, pregnancy may be one common reason; however, several other factors can make your periods come on late. You do well to know at least some of the possible causes for your delayed period when to report to the doctor, and what lifestyle change is necessary. The rest of this article shall highlight seven common causes for delay in the period.
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Stress and Anxiety
Stress happens to be one of the most common causes of delayed periods. Stress is a condition that causes your body to produce more of the 'fight or flight' hormone known as cortisol. High levels of cortisol can interfere with the reproductive hormones in your body; hence, the menstrual cycle may be affected. Chronic stress can delay your period, irregularize it, or even stop it in very bad cases. Stress can also be controlled using stress-reducing techniques, like meditation, yoga, or therapy to re-establish a cycle. -
Weight Fluctuations
Rapid weight gain or loss can significantly influence the cycle. A body shock where there is a massive loss of body fat will lead to missed periods due to a lack of enough energy for normal ovulation. In contrast, sharp weight gain quickly leads to hormonal imbalances, particularly when it occurs due to becoming obese; obesity has been linked to several other conditions including polycystic ovary syndrome. Balanced nutrition and exercise support the condition of a healthy weight in ensuring regular menstruation. -
Hormonal Imbalances
Delayed or irregular menstruation is another cause associated with hormonal imbalance. Some diseases that may influence menstruation may include PCOS, diseases caused by the malfunction of the thyroid gland, or even both raised levels of estrogen and progesterone. For instance, PCOS has a higher level of androgens that inhibit ovulation and result in delayed menstruation and cycles. Other diseases related to the thyroid gland, whether over or under activities, affect levels of hormones, thus delaying menstruation. -
Overtraining
Exercise is relatively harmless, but too many exercises result in what is known as exercise-induced amenorrhea where your menstruation stops because of excessive physical strain. The condition of overtraining leads mainly to athletes or anyone else exercising strenuously. Physical stress caused by heavy workouts affects the hormones, especially those that enable ovulation. If you have not yet had your period, and you have been exercising too much, that is a danger sign that you need to dial down the intensity or give your body enough rest. -
Contraception Methods
Your cycle will be affected if you're switching to or starting a new type of birth control, such as hormone pills, patches, or IUDs. Hormones in birth control change the level of estrogen and progesterone, and that can lead to the alteration of periods-that may go from lighter to missing a period, or conversely, the lack of them. For hormone-related changes, it might take several months for the fluctuations to work themselves out after stopping birth control. -
Perimenopause
If you're in the 40s or 50s and you recently have missed or late periods, then you might be entering into the perimenopausal period transitional stage before menopause. During the perimenopause stage, your body will decrease its production of reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone, which shall then cause irregular cycles. Your periods would be less predictable and also more prone to chaos; however, if other symptoms were troublesome to you or you think that you would want to see your healthcare provider in order to help you better navigate this transition, that would be okay too. -
Illness or Medication
There are certain diseases or medications for which the menstrual cycle gets delayed. Acute diseases, such as a cold or flu, may cause a temporary disturbance in your cycle. Some chronic diseases like diabetes, celiac disease, or autoimmune disorders take a long time to affect menstrual health. Some drugs used to treat anxiety, epilepsy, or blood pressure also affect one's cycle. If you have recently started a new drug and your period has changed in some way, you should go to your doctor.
A delayed period does not mean pregnancy, although there are various reasons why this problem may be facing one, of which some are stress, excessive weight gain or loss, exercise, and hormonal imbalance. Although a sporadic delay is not likely to be an issue, recurrent delays or missing periods may be an indicator that something is amiss.
If the phenomenon of abnormal menses is noted in addition to the other symptoms, then the doctor should always be consulted to rule out serious medical conditions.
The understanding of possible causes helps to take better control of your health and to make choices for your well-being.
