A late or skipped period is often cause for alarm. Am I pregnant? Is something else wrong with me? But you may not need to panic!
The average woman has between eleven and thirteen periods per year — but that’s just an average. If your cycle is longer or shorter, that may be normal for you and you don’t need to worry!
Here are some common causes for an irregular or skipped menstrual cycle:
- Pregnancy. Yep, it’s number one according to WebMD. If you think you might be pregnant, treat yourself as if you ARE pregnant until you get things confirmed.
- Breast-feeding. Many nursing mothers don’t start to have regular periods again until the baby is weaned.
- Big fluctuations in weight. Low body weight especially can mess with your menstrual cycle, but obesity can also cause problems with your period.
- Eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia.
- An increase in exercise. Hardcore athletes often have irregular or missed periods.
- Illness can throw your system temporarily out of step.
- Travel can throw your system temporarily out of step.
- Some medications can deliberately (like hormonal birth control) or accidentally change your menstrual cycle. This includes illegal drug use! If you are not deliberately trying to change your menstrual cycle, ask your doctor or pharmacist about which medications may be messing with your period.
- Hormone problems. If the hormone levels in your body change dramatically, you may find yourself irregular or skipping periods entirely.
- Pelvic organ issues. If there’s something wrong with your reproductive organs, then you may have issues with your period, too.
There are other, less common causes for irregular or skipped menstruation, including premature ovarian failure (when you stop menstruating before age forty). Your period may also be irregular at different times in your life — like when you first begin menstruating or when your body is gearing up for menopause.
If you are concerned about your irregular or missed periods, talk to your doctor or gynecologist.