Top 10 Causes Of Maximum Delay In Periods If Not Pregnant

To read the causes of late or missed periods you will get the answer to this question “What is the maximum delay in periods if not pregnant”.

In a normal menstrual cycle, the period starts within 21-35 days of your last period, depending upon your normal menstrual cycle.

Regular periods can vary from person to person. Each woman has her own period of time. For instance, if your regular cycle is 28 days and your period started on 29 days, then it means that you have a late period. If your regular cycle is 32 days and you menstruate on 33 days, this would be your late period.

Usually, your period is considered late or missed if you have no bleeding after six weeks.

Normally woman has a late period, she thinks that she is pregnant but it is not true in all cases. Lots of things are involved that can delay your period. These things could be your daily lifestyle or chronic health condition.

This article includes the top 10 culprits that cause a maximum delay in periods if you are not pregnant.

The maximum delay in periods if not pregnant

Stress

Stress is the main culprit of a late period. The Hypothalamus of the brain is responsible for regulating your period.

During stress, the brain stimulates the pituitary gland which secretes hormones that prepare body for fight or flight. These hormones also suppress various functions of the body including the reproductive system.

If you are under a stress for a long time, then your body stays in flight or fight mode, which stops ovulation temporarily. This stoppage of ovulation delays your period.

Stress dramatically affects women’s menstrual cycle. Stress will either prolong or shorter your period or cause missed period.

To come out of stress, involved in daily activities, do regular exercise, and sleep well. These activities will distress you and maintain your regular menstrual cycle.

If a woman experiences chronic stress, she should talk to a doctor, who can help her.

Underweight or low body weight

Women who experience irregularities in their periods have eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia nervosa. For ovulation optimum level of fat is required in the body, losing too much weight either late your periods or even stops your menstrual cycle.

Women who participate in extreme exercises such as marathons, football, cycle race, running, etc may experience irregularities in periods.

You can reverse irregularities in periods into normal by treating eating disorders and achieving proper body weight.

Oral contraceptives or birth control tablets

Oral contraceptives or birth control pills cause irregularities in your periods. Oral contraceptives or birth control pills contain estrogen and progesterone. These hormones stop the ovulation of eggs from the ovaries. This lack of ovulation leads to a missed period.

These hormones make the lining of the uterus so thin that there is not enough lining to cause a period.

The same mechanism of action is applied to implant patches and injections.

The action of hormonal therapy is continued for up to 3 months. When you stop birth control pills you will get a regular menstrual cycle again after three months.

Obesity

Obesity is the main culprit in menstrual period irregularities. In obese women, there is over-secretion of estrogen. Estrogen is the main reproduction hormone.

Over-secretion of estrogen cause irregularities in menses or even stop your periods.

When you are obese and facing irregularities in your period, talk to your doctor, he/she may advise to lose your weight.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a condition in which there is an imbalance secretion of hormones that causes irregularities in periods or even stop periods.

In PCOS your body secret more male hormones such as androgen and testosterone. Moreover, cysts are formed on the ovaries due to hormone imbalance, which can make the period late or stop.

The symptoms of PCOS include;

Excess of hair on the face
Acne on the face
Thinning of hair
Weight gain
Skin tags on the neck or in the armpits
Dark patches on the skin, usually on the neck, below the breasts, and groin area
Excess of hair on the body
Baldness

PCOS usually affects childbearing women. A woman who suspects that she has PCOS should speak to a doctor.

Chronic medical conditions

Certain chronic medical conditions such as diabetes and celiac disease cause irregularities in periods.

Celiac disease is an inflammatory disease that damages the lining of the small intestine, which may prevent body from absorbing enough essential nutrients that are required for hormone preparation and various function of the body. This celiac disease causes irregular or missed periods.

Other chronic conditions that cause irregularities in menstrual cycles are:

Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
Asherman’s syndrome
Cushing syndrome

Thyroid gland issues

The thyroid gland regulates the function of the ovaries and controls the metabolism of the body.

Overactivity or underactivity of the thyroid gland can cause late or missed periods.

If you have missed or irregular periods due to thyroid issues, visit a doctor. Thyroid issues are treatable and you will return to your menstrual cycle again.

Symptoms of hypothyroidism include:

Hair loss
Fatigue
Dry skin
Infertility
Irregularities in periods
Weight gain or sometimes weight loss
Cold sensitivity
Depression

Symptoms of hyperthyroidism

Increase heart rate
Anxiety
Hot feeling
Irregular periods
Trouble in sleeping
Weight gain or weight loss

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI)

Usually, women enter menopause at the age of 45-55 years. But some women develop symptoms of menopause at 40 age or earlier.

The development of menopause symptoms at the age of 40 or earlier is called premature ovarian insufficiency.

In premature ovarian insufficiency, your ovaries stop working and are unable to produce several kinds of hormones including estrogen. When the level of estrogen is down all the time, then you will experience the symptoms of menopause.

If you are experiencing missed periods at the age of 40 or earlier speak to your doctor about your problem. A doctor will perform a POI test and treat you accordingly.

The sign and symptoms of premature ovarian insufficiency include:

Loss of sexual desire
Dryness of vagina
Disturbance in mood
Difficulty in getting pregnant
Difficulty in sleeping
Hot flashes
Night sweats

Pregnancy

You will experience missed periods when you become pregnant. So pregnancy is also the cause of late or missed periods.

During pregnancy, you might experience blood like a period but actually, it is not period blood. For instance, you may see blood when a fertilized egg implants in the uterus. This bleeding is called implantation bleeding.

Other kinds of bleeding include ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage. Ectopic pregnancy needs a medical emergency. Because in ectopic pregnancy there is severe bleeding.

Why is my period late?

There are several reasons that can be the cause of your late period but the most common and prominent reasons include:

Hormonal imbalances: Changes in estrogen and progesterone can affect your period timeframe.

Stress: Emotional or physical stress can also disrupt your normal hormone balance.

Changes in daily activities: changes in diet, and exercise, can also affect your period.

Medical conditions: Certain diseases like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), thyroid problems, or reproductive health issues can cause irregular periods.

Medications: Certain medicines such as oral contraceptives, antidepressants, and antipsychotics, can affect your normal menstrual cycle.

Pregnancy: If you are sexually active and not using any kind of contraception, then a late period could be a sign of pregnancy.

Signs your period is not coming

Signs your period is not coming refer to those symptoms that indicate that your next period will be delayed or absent.

Missed period
Unexplained fatigue
A sudden increase in stress levels
lack premenstrual symptoms such as cramps, bloating, and mood swings
Changes in appetite and cravings
Unexpected weight loss or gain
Hormonal imbalances
Significant changes in daily activities such as exercise or diet

My period is 2 days late

There is no need to be pondered if your period is 2 days late. Slight variation is happening in the menstrual cycle from month to month. Various factors are responsible for delaying the period. If you are sexually active and yearn for pregnancy then it is good to consult a physician for more advice or take a pregnancy test.

Negative pregnancy test

If you have taken a pregnancy test in the lab and the result is negative, it means that there is no detectable level of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) hormone in your urine. Lack of hCG is an indication of negative pregnancy. The best practice for pregnancy tests is to take them after a missed period or several days after suspected conception.

Learn about iron rich food in pregnancy

Summary

In a normal menstrual cycle, the period starts within 21-35 days of your last period, depending upon your normal menstrual cycle.

Your period is considered late or missed if you have no bleeding after six weeks.

The common reasons for late or missed periods are stress, pregnancy, POI, obesity, chronic medical conditions, and polycystic ovary syndrome.

When is a period considered late?

When the period does not happen within the expected timeframe of a woman’s menstrual cycle then it is considered a late period. The typical range of normal periods is 21-35 days but in some women, variation occurs in that timeframe.
Various factors play a key role in the late period such as hormonal imbalances, stress, diet, obesity, medicines, and certain diseases. Generally, periods are considered late if it takes one week more than the normal menstrual cycle length of the given woman.

Is it normal to miss a period?

Yes, it is normal if the period is missed occasionally. There are certain factors that can cause delays in the period such as stress, hormonal fluctuations, certain medications, changes in lifestyle, or medical conditions.

Author

Gowhar Ali

Pharm D, Mphil, Diploma in Nutrition
View all posts

Spread the love