When a woman misses a period or has a late period, her first reaction is often to thing that she is pregnant.  However, missing a period or having a late period does not always indicate pregnancy.  There are a variety of other causes of a missed/late period.  These can include:

-  Stress.  Being under a lot of stress can greatly impact the balance of hormones in your body.  When this happens, your period can come late or not at all.

-  Major life changes.  Tied in with stress is the idea that major life changes can affect your hormonal balance as well.  Moving, starting a new job or a new relationship, or a death of a loved one can all impact a woman’s body and her monthly cycle.

-  Dietary changes.  Some women find that, after years of eating a certain way, switching to a different diet can cause them to miss a period or start a period late.  The nutritional changes involved in switching diets can affect the body’s hormonal balance, which can cause a late or missed period.

-  Exercise.  A significant increase in exercise can affect a woman’s cycle, as well.  Because exercise impacts a woman’s metabolism and hormones, exercise can cause her to miss a period or start a period late.

-  Medications.  Some medications, such as those use for birth control, can disrupt the menstrual cycle.  In addition, stopping birth control can also cause you to miss or have a late period.

-  Weight changes.  Gaining or losing a significant amount of weight can cause a missed or late period.

-  Medical conditions.  A variety of conditions, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), mumps, turner’s syndrome, thyroid problems such as hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, pituitary disorders, Kallman’s syndrome, or even the flu have all been known to cause a missed or late period.

If you have missed a period and have had a negative pregnancy test, it is generally not a cause for concern.  However, if you miss more than one period or don’t have a period for several months, this may be a symptom of another problem.  You should contact your health care provider to help determine what may be causing the interruption in your cycle.

• Are you always pregnant if you miss a period?
• Does A Missed Period Mean That No Ovulation Has Occurred?
• Why is my period late and the pregnancy test negative?
• Can Exercise Affect My Fertility?
• Can Stress Affect My Chances of Getting Pregnant?
• Can Stress Affect My Chances of Getting Pregnant?
• Tips for Trying to Conceive the Natural Way
• Will Exercise Help Me Get Pregnant?
• Can Losing Weight Help me Get Pregnant?
• Does Being Overweight Affect My Chances Of Conceiving?
• Can You Get Pregnant During Your Period?
• Can you take a home pregnancy test before you miss your period?

This entry was posted under Getting Pregnant.