A missed period isn’t something most women take lightly, especially those that are sexually active. That normal spotting and PMS signal that your clock is working correctly, allowing you to breathe easily and prepare for your monthly. When the cycle is late, many women may feel frustrated and scared, wondering what is wrong. Many factors could delay a period. If you’re chronically off-schedule, speak with your doctor about whether one of the following is interfering with your menstrual health.
1. Emergency Birth Control
Birth control methods such as the pill control the cycle, making it more predictable for women. Hormone levels stabilize and become manageable. The emergency pill, however, is a bit different. It is used for women not on a monthly pill plan and exists for unexpected and unprotected intercourse. If you don’t want to get pregnant, you may take the morning after pill to initiate a period. The drugs stop your ovulation or put it off for a time, so you are unlikely to become pregnant.
When using it, understand that it could throw off your body’s normal hormone levels. You may skip a period or get off track a bit, and it is likely to stabilize as your system gets back to normal.
Photo by cottonbro from Pexels2. Intense Exercise
Are you hitting the gym for hours? Are you running long durations several times during the week? These activities indeed are helpful for weight loss and cardio health, but they could impact your menstruation. Regular, vigorous exercise and low body fat affect your hormone production because it places the body without enormous stress. In turn, the brain signals your system to reduce or stop making reproductive hormones.
So, yes, your daily workouts could interfere with your cycle, making it late or causing you to skip it altogether. Before you stop or pull back on exercise, speak with your doctor about how to get it on track and keep your activity the same.
3. Personal Weight
On the other side of the spectrum, too much weight also hinders your cycle’s predictability. The ovaries depend on proper estrogen levels to release an egg, signaling menstruation to start. Fall cells, though, boost estrogen amounts, causing the ovary to stop functioning correctly. In addition, overweight women also tend to suffer from more extended or erratic periods and problems with the endometrial lining.
What could you do about it? Find out your appropriate BMI, and work with your physician to try and obtain that weight. Getting this condition under control could bring back more regularity.
It may feel comforting to look at the calendar and know when you need to stock up on pads and tampons. Many women, though, don’t have that luxury. Their bodies follow their path, starting at odd times. Those suffering from irregular cycles could regain control. Discuss your period history with your gynecologist. Consider your current use of birth control, exercise routine, and weight. One or more of these may be the cause of your problems. Together, create a plan that improves your menstrual schedule.