How Many Days Can a Period Be Late

vii Reasons for a Late Period That Don't Mean You're Meaning

A menstrual cycle that's off schedule doesn't ever mean you're pregnant. Here are seven other reasons your period could exist late.

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Only mensuration could be belatedly for a variety of reasons, and it doesn't ever bespeak to pregnancy. This could exist disappointing to learn if you're TTC or a huge sigh of relief if you lot're not fix for a baby. Earlier you lot run to the local pharmacy to selection upwards an at-home pregnancy test, read about these external factors and atmospheric condition that could crusade delayed periods.

1. Your Birth Control

Nascency command oftentimes regulates your period, but women who take extended-cycle birth command pills (like Seasonique, Seasonale, or Quartette) won't experience menstruation on a typical 28-day cycle. That's because these contraceptives piece of work on a 91-twenty-four hour period bicycle—pregnant your menstruum will come every three months.

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"When you go along taking the active pills for more than the usual 21 days, the lining of the uterus stays stable," says George Patounakis, Thousand.D., Ph.D., FACOG, Progyny's fertility specialist in Florida. "Once you accept the inactive pill, hormone levels drop and trigger menses. It's not a period the way you would recall of in a woman who's not taking birth control considering it's induced past medication and not by normal processes."

Other types of hormonal birth control—like intrauterine devices (IUDs) and the Depo-Provera shot—tin can also cause irregular or late periods. However, Dr. Patounakis cautions that no contraceptive is 100 percent effective at preventing pregnancy, so if you don't become your menstruum when expected, you might want to have a pregnancy test.

ii. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

During a typical menstrual cycle, each ovary develops roughly five follicles, and those follicles compete to get the ascendant 1 that releases a mature egg at ovulation. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) often take additional follicles, which makes this process take longer than usual. No released egg ways no period.

• RELATED: 4 Things to Know About PCOS and Fertility

Other PCOS symptoms include weight gain and increased levels of the testosterone-like hormone androgen, which tin can cause thick hair growth on the face and breasts. Only even without these symptoms, someone can't rule out PCOS. "At that place are women who are not overweight and don't have actress pilus who have irregular cycles, and an ultrasound volition show they have excessive follicles," says Anuja Vyas, M.D., FACOG, with Houston Methodist Obstetrics and Gynecology Assembly.

3. Stress

"Emotional distress tin affect the region of the brain that controls the pituitary gland, which regulates the hormones that stimulate our ovaries," explains Dr. Vyas. But information technology'south important to note that each woman experiences stress differently, and then its result on the menstrual cycle is highly subjective, says Dr. McDonald. Moving across the country or dealing with a challenging work projection could throw off i woman'southward period, but the same state of affairs might have no effect on another woman.

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iv. Fluctuating Weight

Excessive weight loss is another reason for late periods. "A body mass alphabetize (BMI) under xx creates a starvation-ish mode in the brain," says Dr. McDonald. "That's why some really lean female athletes don't have periods—being underweight creates an environment that's anti-pregnancy." Adds Dr. Vyas: "Astringent weight loss and anorexia can shut down the hypothalamus'south production of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) that regulate the ovaries."

Gaining body weight tin can accept a similar effect, specially when related to weather condition like PCOS. Women with PCOS may be extra sensitive to the numbers on the scale. "As little as 10 percent weight loss tin can get them dorsum into their bike after experiencing irregularity," explains Dr. McDonald. "And a similar per centum of weight gain tin can cause a late or missed period."

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5. Perimenopause

The average American woman experiences menopause at 51, only before that, they go through a transitional catamenia known every bit perimenopause. During this time, which usually starts in the 40s, some people have delayed menstrual cycles. Instead of the standard 28 days between periods, for example, menstruum may get in 36 or 48 days autonomously. "If you're under 45 and your catamenia stops completely, information technology's possible yous're going through early menopause or experiencing premature ovarian failure," Dr. Vyas adds.

6. A Pituitary Tumor

Though it'due south rare and unlikely, sometimes a prolactinoma—a type of pituitary tumor that secretes excess amounts of prolactin, the hormone that signals breast milk production—is to blame for a late flow. Dr. Vyas says women who are suffering from irregular periods, headaches, blurry vision, and discharge from the breasts fifty-fifty though they're not breastfeeding may want to get checked by their doctor for this type of tumor.

7. Diabetes and Thyroid Illness

Jay Yard. Berman, Chiliad.D., FACOG, chief of gynecological services at Detroit Medical Center's Harper Hutzel Hospital and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Wayne State Academy, says other issues such as diabetes and thyroid disease may be to blame. "Many women volition, for various reasons, occasionally non ovulate and this tin can cause an early on or delayed menses," he says. "Depending on her history, information technology may require further testing to determine the cause."

• RELATED: fourteen Very Early on Signs of Pregnancy

When to Visit the Doctor

Make an appointment with your medico if yous can't pinpoint the reasons for a belatedly menses; they may desire to check for diverse conditions. It's also important to note that vaginal haemorrhage after a belatedly period may not exist the monthly visitor you were expecting. "Anybody who experiences heavy haemorrhage and pain after a missed flow and/or a positive pregnancy test should go to the doctor," says Dr. McDonald. "All haemorrhage is non a catamenia, especially in a setting where something is off."

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Source: https://www.parents.com/pregnancy/signs/symptoms/7-reasons-for-a-late-period-other-than-pregnancy/

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