What happens if you skipped your period

You may get a period while breastfeeding, and then not have another one for several months or more, particularly if your baby is nursing exclusively. A skipped period may be a sign that you are entering menopause and your periods are beginning to become less regular, especially if you are experiencing other symptoms of menopause e.

If you are 45 or older, there is a good chance this is the cause of a missed period. Both psychological and physiological stress can cause a missed period. If you are going through a difficult period of life e. There are many things you can do to help manage your mental stress levels.

Talking to a trusted friend or family member about what you are going through can help. Carving out small blocks of time for activities that help you relax, such as exercise, yoga, painting, or reading can also help.

If you are finding your stress very hard to manage, talking to a therapist with expertise in cognitive behavioural therapy can help you change some of your thinking patterns and learn to cope better. Excessive exercise and rapid weight loss can result in a missed period. If your caloric intake is very low, the hormones that cause ovulation to happen are suppressed. If you are underweight, a dietitian can help you plan your dietary intake to promote weight gain.

If you are struggling with an eating disorder, there is help out there. Counseling, support groups, self-help strategies, and support from a team of health care providers such as a dietitian, psychiatrist, and your family doctor can all be part of recovery. There are also medications that can help.

Contact your doctor or the Canadian Mental Health Association to find resources in your area. Similarly, if you are using the birth control shot, patch, vaginal ring without removal for the seven day break or have a progestin IUD, you will likely have few or absent periods. Hormonal changes can also result in missing periods. The most common causes of hormone changes are polycystic ovarian syndrome, pituitary tumours , and thyroid disorders.

Some medications that can cause a missed period include antidepressants, antipsychotic drugs, chemotherapy agents, and steroids. Many of the causes of amenorrhea are the same as those for a skipped period.

Your period can be absent for a number of reasons:. The most common reason to not get your period is because you are pregnant. A home pregnancy test can quickly tell you if that is the reason.

Most women stop getting their periods in their late 40s or early 50s. The average age is 51 years old. This is your body's response to stopping the hormones. Withdrawal bleeding isn't the same as a regular period. Nor is withdrawal bleeding necessary for health. This is good news if you use birth control and want to have fewer periods, either for personal or medical reasons. In general, there are two ways to use hormonal birth control to reduce the number of periods you have:.

Several types of hormonal birth control can be used to reduce the number of periods you have. The best method for you depends on your goals and preferences — for example, whether you want fewer or no periods and whether you want short- or long-term birth control — and your overall health. Talk to your doctor about the following options.

It's possible to delay or prevent your period with extended or continuous use of any combined estrogen-progestin birth control pill. Your doctor can recommend the best pill schedule for you, but generally, you skip the inactive pills in your pill pack and start right away on a new pack. However, there are also several types of birth control pills designed specifically to lengthen the time between your periods.

Among those currently available in the U. Like combined estrogen-progestin birth control pills, it's possible to delay or prevent your period with extended or continuous use of the contraceptive vaginal ring. An intrauterine device IUD is a form of long-term birth control. After your doctor inserts the device into your uterus, it continuously releases a type of progestin into your body and can remain in place for up to five years.

Hormonal IUDs are available in varying doses. Over time, all hormonal IUDs reduce the frequency and duration of menstrual bleeding. However, a higher dose IUD 52 mg of levonorgestrel appears to be more effective at stopping periods entirely. Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate DMPA is a type of progestin that you receive by injection every 90 days. It is a form of long-term birth control and also reduces or eliminates monthly bleeding. The longer you use DMPA , the more likely it is to stop your periods.

Delaying your period can help you manage various menstrual symptoms. It might be worth considering if you have:. In addition, menstrual bleeding is sometimes simply inconvenient.

You may want to postpone your period until after an important exam, athletic event, vacation or special occasion, such as your wedding or honeymoon. If your doctor says it's OK for you to take hormonal birth control, it's probably safe to use it to delay your period.

Delaying menstruation remains controversial, however. Even physicians who support the option may not mention it unless you bring up the topic. If you want to try delaying your period, ask your doctor which option might work for you. Breakthrough bleeding — bleeding or spotting between periods — is common when you use hormonal birth control to delay or prevent periods, especially during the first few months.

Breakthrough bleeding typically decreases over time, however, as your body adjusts to the new regimen. Another drawback of routinely delaying your period is that it may be more difficult to tell if you're pregnant. If you have morning sickness, breast tenderness or unusual fatigue, take a home pregnancy test or consult your doctor.

Breakthrough bleeding usually decreases with time, but there are some things you can do in the meantime:. Different types of contraceptives can affect your menstrual cycle in different ways. Some contraceptives are associated with heavy periods, some with light periods, and some with amenorrhea. Being overweight, underweight, or experiencing drastic changes in weight all impact your cycle. Obesity influences estrogen and progesterone regulation and may even lead to issues with fertility.

Very high body mass index BMI is associated with missed periods, and weight loss can help regulate the menstrual cycle for women who are obese.

Being severely underweight interferes with regular menstrual cycles as well. When the body lacks fat and other nutrients, it cannot produce hormones the way it should. Women who have anorexia very low caloric intake or who burn far more calories with exercise than what they consume may experience amenorrhea.

Typically, weight gain will help your periods to return. Rapid weight changes due to illness, medication, or dietary changes may interfere with hormone production or release.

In turn, this may cause you to miss one period or more. A normal menstrual cycle lasts from 21 to 35 days in healthy women, but it can vary. 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.