Menstrual period should show up at a specific time every month. Sometimes, it can be a few days late, which is often not a cause of worry. However, if you are skipping a few weeks to a few months before your period comes, this could be a sign that you have a health problem.
NOT PREGNANCY
A missed period is generally associated with pregnancy. Oftentimes, the early signs that you are going to be a mom are similar to an impending menstrual cycle, such as bloating, breast tenderness, and abdominal cramping. But what if you are not sexually active or you are sure you’re not pregnant and yet your period is late? There are actually other reasons why that indicate you could have some health issues:
Stress
This has unpleasant effects on your body, which can include acne, weight gain, and headaches. Stress can also affect your period as your body does not produce hormones correctly, most especially cortisol and adrenaline.
Sickness
Sometimes, if you had fever or any illness during the time you’re supposed to ovulate, this can cause stress to your body. When this happens, your period will often arrive late or even be absent for the whole month. If it is indeed sickness that caused the late period, it should return when you’re feeling better.
Obesity
Obese people often miss their period. Weight affects the hypothalamus, which is a gland found in the brain that regulates different processes in your body. This includes your period. Being obese or gaining a lot of weight in a short time can result to excess estrogen production. This may lead to absence of ovulation, so your menstrual cycle becomes unstable.
Weight Loss
If you lose weight in just a short amount of time, this can also lead to disrupted function of your hypothalamus. Bulimic and anorexic people can have low estrogen levels, which also affects the timeliness of your period.
Thyroid Problem
Your thyroid is responsible for your metabolic functions. If you have a thyroid disorder, this can lead to abnormal period changes. You can either have hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid), which can give you lighter period and sometimes less frequent cycles. Meanwhile, hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) can give you less frequent period, but it appears redder and heavier. You need to undergo a blood test to determine if you have a thyroid problem.
If your period is too irregular, you may want to get checked for polycystic ovary symptom (PCOS), which means you have cysts in your ovaries because of hormone imbalance. Your body produces more androgen, which is a male hormone and this can lead to irregular ovulation or even stop it altogether.