Missed Your Period? Here’s What You Need to Know

Published by Health Professional

on Tuesday, April 4th 2023

in

  • Diet and Eating Healthy
  • Sexual Health
  • Weight Control
  • Women's Health

    • There are many reasons why a woman may miss her period or why periods might stop altogether.

    Most women have a period every 28 days or so, but it’s common to have a slightly shorter or longer cycle than this (from 21 to 40 days).

    Some women do not always have a regular menstrual cycle. Their period may be early or late, and how long and heavy it lasts may vary each time.

    Why your periods might stop

    There are many reasons why your periods can stop. The most common reasons are:

    Periods can also sometimes stop due to a medical condition, such as heart disease, uncontrolled diabetes, an overactive thyroid, or premature menopause.

    Pregnancy

    You might be pregnant if you’re sexually active and your period is late. Pregnancy is a common reason why periods unexpectedly stop. It can sometimes happen if the contraception you’re using fails.

    Your period is simply late, so you could wait a few days to see if it arrives. If it does not arrive, you can do a pregnancy test to confirm whether or not you’re pregnant.

    It’s important to know that you can get pregnant on the days after your period is normally due. This can happen if the release of an egg (ovulation) is delayed – for example, due to illness or stress.

    Stress

    If you’re stressed, your menstrual cycle can become longer or shorter, your periods may stop altogether, or they might become more painful.

    Try to avoid becoming stressed by making sure you have time to relax. Regular exercises like running, swimming, and yoga can help you relax. Breathing exercises can also help.

    Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may be recommended if you find it hard to cope with stress. CBT is a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by changing your thoughts and actions.

    Sudden weight loss

    Excessive or sudden weight loss can cause your periods to stop. Severely restricting the number of calories you eat stops the production of hormones needed for ovulation.

    Your doctor may refer you to a dietitian if you’re underweight or have a body mass index (BMI) of less than 18.5. A dietitian can advise you about how to regain weight safely.

    If your weight loss is caused by an eating disorder, such as anorexia, they may refer you to an eating disorder specialist or team of specialists.

    Being overweight

    Being overweight can also affect your menstrual cycle. If you’re overweight, your body may produce an excess amount of estrogen, one of the hormones that regulate the reproductive system in women.

    Excess estrogen can affect how often you have periods and can also cause your periods to stop.

    Your doctor may refer you to a dietitian if you’re overweight, with a BMI of 30 or more, and it’s affecting your periods. The dietitian will be able to advise you about losing weight safely.

    Doing too much exercise

    The stress that intense physical activity places on your body can affect the hormones responsible for your periods. Losing too much body fat through intense exercise can also stop you from ovulating.

    You’ll be advised to reduce your activity level if excessive exercise has caused your periods to stop.

    If you’re a professional athlete, you can see a doctor specializing in sports medicine. They’ll be able to advise you on how to maintain your performance without disrupting your periods.

    Contraceptive pill

    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.

    However, your periods should return when you stop using these types of contraception.

    Menopause

    You may start missing periods as you approach menopause. This is because estrogen levels decrease, and ovulation becomes less regular. After menopause, your periods stop completely.

    Menopause is a natural part of aging in women, usually between 45 and 55. The average age for a woman to reach menopause is 51 years.

    However, around 1 in 100 women go through menopause before age 40. This is known as premature menopause or premature ovarian failure.

    Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

    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, so ovulation does not occur.

    PCOS is thought to be very common, affecting about 1 in every 10 women. The condition is responsible for as many as 1 in 3 cases of stopped periods.

    When to see your doctor

    See your doctor 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 doctor may advise you to take one.

    They may also ask you about the following:

    • your medical history
    • your family’s medical history
    • your sexual history
    • any emotional issues you’re having
    • any recent changes in your weight
    • the amount of exercise you do

    Your doctor may recommend waiting to see whether your periods return independently. In some cases, you may need treatment for your periods to return.

    You should also see your doctor if your periods stop before you’re 45 or if you’re still bleeding when you’re over 55.

    Referral to a consultant

    If your doctor thinks a medical condition might have caused your periods to stop, they may refer you to a consultant who specializes in the condition.

    Depending on what your doctor suspects is causing the problem, you may be referred to the following:

    • a gynecologist – a specialist in treating conditions that affect the female reproductive system
    • an endocrinologist – a specialist in treating hormonal conditions

    You may have a full gynecological examination and various tests, including:

    • Blood tests – to see whether you have abnormal levels of certain hormones
    • an ultrasound scan, CT scan, or MRI scan – to identify any problems with your reproductive system or the pituitary gland in your brain

    Treating underlying conditions

    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.

    If the cause is early menopause (premature ovarian failure), the ovaries no longer function normally. Hormone medicine is usually recommended. Treatments may include the contraceptive pill or hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

    If you have an overactive thyroid gland, you may be given medication to stop your thyroid from producing too many hormones.