Is it normal for your period to be delayed

Doctors diagnose PCOS by checking your symptoms and performing medical tests when needed. Medication and lifestyle changes can help manage the symptoms. They can cause physical symptoms, too — and your periods could be in the line of fire. Hormonal birth control contains progestin or a combination of progestin and estrogen. These hormones stop ovulation and prevent pregnancy. Hormonal contraceptives include:.

Some hormonal birth control causes a false period known as withdrawal bleeding. But if you keep taking the contraceptive without the hormone-free week, you might have some light spotting or no period at all. Your thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped gland at the base of your neck. Usually, it takes a few years for things to settle down. Perimenopause is the transition from the reproductive years to menopause.

This transition might take a year or two, or it could take several years. And during this time, your cycle might be all over the place. It could be 25 days one month and 29 the next. This is especially true for young women who are just starting to get their periods, or for women who have not had periods for several years and are starting again. A young woman who has only had a few cycles may go months without another one until a regular pattern begins.

And women who have not had a period due to contraceptive use, hormonal therapy, or illness may not resume regular, monthly periods right away. Perimenopause is the period of transition between reproductive age to non-reproductive age. Your periods may be lighter, heavier, more frequent, or less frequent during this time. In most cases, they'll just be different than what you're used to.

Menopause is when you have reached the point in your life where you will no longer ovulate or menstruate. The average age of menopause is 51 years old. You may have light periods, infrequent periods, or amenorrhea when breastfeeding, particularly if breastfeeding provides your baby with all or almost all of their calories. Many women believe that breastfeeding is a form of birth control, but it's not. Even if you don't have periods when you are breastfeeding, you can get pregnant.

If you are not ready for another child, you should still use a contraceptive. If you think that you can't be pregnant because you have an IUD, there is a small chance that your missed period could be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy. Ectopic pregnancy can sometimes happen due to the shape of the IUD, and you may not test positive on a pregnancy test, either. Your healthcare provider can check for it with a pelvic examination or an ultrasound.

Symptoms of ectopic pregnancy include cramping in your lower abdomen, shoulder pain, weakness or dizziness, nausea, and breast tenderness. Some women have missed periods, while others have vaginal bleeding or spotting. In addition to the use of an IUD, other factors that are associated with ectopic pregnancy include:. Ectopic pregnancy is a life-threatening condition. Seek medical attention right away if you miss your period and think you might be at risk.

Missing a period every once in a while is usually not cause for concern. That said, you should see a healthcare provider if you miss more than one period, or your missed period is accompanied by new or unusual symptoms.

Seek medical attention right away if you also experience any of the following:. There are many reasons for late periods, and while most are not cause for alarm, you do need an evaluation and treatment if you have completely missed more than one period. How your missed periods are treated depends on why you aren't having your period. The treatment can include lifestyle changes, such as diet or stress reduction, or may involve hormone replacement therapy. Healthcare providers usually ask women when they had their last period.

However, many women simply don't keep track of their period, and in some cases, they may be too busy to notice they missed a period at all. If this sounds like you, consider placing a red dot on period days in your calendar. You can also download a "period tracker" app for your smartphone to make tracking your menstrual cycle much easier. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life.

Factors associated with menstrual cycle irregularity and menopause. BMC Womens Health. Berz K, Mccambridge T. Amenorrhea in the female athlete: What to do and when to worry.

Pediatr Ann. Blood biomarker profiling and monitoring for high-performance physiology and nutrition: Current perspectives, limitations, and recommendations. Sports Medicine. Neuroendocrine causes of amenorrhea—an update. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Evaluation and management of amenorrhea related to congenital sex hormonal disorders. Ann Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. Night shift among women: Is it associated with difficulty conceiving a first birth?

Front Public Health. Medical complications of anorexia nervosa. Cleveland Clinic Journal of Medicine. If you're a professional athlete, you may benefit from seeing a doctor who specialises in sports medicine. They'll be able to give you advice about how to maintain your performance without disrupting your periods. You might miss a period every so often if you're taking the contraceptive pill.

This is not usually a cause for concern. Some types of contraception , such as the progestogen-only pill POP , contraceptive injection and intrauterine system IUS , particularly Mirena, can cause periods to stop altogether. You may start missing periods as you approach the menopause.

This is because oestrogen levels start to decrease, and ovulation becomes less regular. After the menopause, your periods stop completely. The menopause is a natural part of ageing in women, which usually happens between the ages of 45 and The average age for a woman to reach the menopause is 51 in the UK. However, around 1 in women go through the menopause before the age of This is known as premature menopause or premature ovarian failure.

Polycystic ovaries contain a large number of harmless follicles, which are underdeveloped sacs in which eggs develop. If you have PCOS , these sacs are often unable to release an egg, which means ovulation does not take place. The condition is responsible for as many as 1 in 3 cases of stopped periods.

See your GP if you're not pregnant — you've had a negative pregnancy test — and you've missed more than 3 periods in a row. If you're sexually active and you have not taken a pregnancy test, your GP may advise you to take one. Your GP may recommend waiting to see whether your periods return on their own. In some cases you may need treatment for your periods to return.

You should also see your GP if your periods stop before you're 45 or if you're still bleeding when you're over If your GP thinks a medical condition might have caused your periods to stop, they may refer you to a consultant who specialises in the condition. If test results show a medical condition has caused your periods to stop, you may be offered treatment for your condition. For example, if the cause is PCOS, you may be advised to take the contraceptive pill or tablets containing a hormone called progesterone.

Read more about the treatment of PCOS. If the cause is early menopause premature ovarian failure , this means the ovaries no longer function normally. Hormone medicine is usually recommended. Treatments may include the contraceptive pill or hormone replacement therapy HRT.