The True Cost of a Missed Period

You Might Be Pregnant

The majority of us are quick to draw the connection between missing a period and pregnancy. For a lot of women, a missed period is the first indication that they have that they might or might not be pregnant. This is where the phrase “I’m late” usually comes in, but few people realize exactly what this can mean beyond the initial celebration and panic.

If you miss your period and are currently sexually active, the first thing that you should do is take a pregnancy test. At-home pregnancy tests can be a cheaper way to start but are not always the most accurate. The only guaranteed way to know if you are pregnant is to go to the doctor. When you miss your period, you want to take this step quickly for your personal health and the health of your baby. It is important for you to receive a little pregnancy help from the doctors so that you can determine what comes next for you and your baby.

You Might Be The Wrong Weight

Weight can play a very large role in how we get our periods, as well as how regular they are. Many young women who are considered “late bloomers” are often this way because they are actually too small to have a period. Being underweight is known to significantly impact the body’s ability to ovulate. This can make it difficult for you to get pregnant, and can sometimes make it impossible. It is very common for women with a very low body weight to not have periods at all. This can occur for those with eating disorders, and those who exercise a lot. In most instances, gaining weight is necessary before you can get pregnant. Doctors might advise you to eat more or work out less in order to solve the problem.

Being below weight isn’t the only weight issue that can impact your period. In fact, being severely overweight can do the same thing. Your body’s hormones can get messed up, ultimately leading you to not have a period. If you have been gaining weight or are at risk of obesity, it could very well impact your ability to ovulate and get pregnant. Ultimately, changes will need to be made before you can expect your period to return to its normal rhythm. Most doctors will suggest dietary changes and more exercise to help with these problems.

Your Stress Levels Might Be Too High

Stress and anxiety are well-known causes of missed periods. What makes this worse is that for many women, a missed period is another reason to stress. The situation can then get worse, causing them to miss more periods. It is an ongoing cycle and can be quite trying when you want your period to start again but can’t help but focus on its absence. All doctors tell women who are struggling with fertility problems to focus first on lowering their stress levels. Stress is known to impact our body’s hormones and can actually cause a lot of problems everywhere, not just in reproduction.

If you think about it, feeling enough stress to start causing problems for our periods makes a lot of sense. If you are under extreme emotional duress, the last thing that your body will want is for you to bring a baby into it. Everyone feels stressed from time to time, but the reality is that constant stress can put a lot of strain on the body. Women who work too hard, go through hard times, and women who are under high amounts of mental or emotional stress can struggle with keeping their periods consistent. If you miss your period out of nowhere and you aren’t pregnant, it might be time to work on managing your stress levels.

You Might Be Reacting To Your Birth Control

Many women use birth control to regulate their periods, but that isn’t always how it works out. In reality, a missed period can mean that your body is reacting to your birth control in a different way. Though you might think this is cause for concern, it isn’t always the case. In many instances, the disruptions will be temporary, and your menstrual cycle will return later. If you have recently taken on a new form of birth control, your body might need some time to sort things out. It is also fairly common for periods to become irregular when switching off of birth control, so don’t let that worry you either.

One of the more common missed periods causes in the birth control world is from intrauterine devices (IUDs). A surprisingly high amount of women who use these devices stop having periods completely. While many people find this a bit startling at first, a lot of women actually appreciate the reprieve. As soon as the devices are removed, the women’s periods return in the same way that they would after transitioning off of other birth control methods. This is more common with the hormone-based IUDs but does seem to happen to women across all different brands and types of devices.

You Might Have An Underlying Health Concern

A woman’s period can tell a lot about her physical health, beyond reproduction. However, our period is a fairly good insight when it comes to showing you how your body is doing with hormone regulation and your reproductive organs. A missed period might not be all that odd, but consistently missing them can actually point to an underlying health condition. Conditions like endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, and many other conditions are known to have irregular periods as one of their symptoms. If you notice that your period is consistently off, there might be something going on. Considering that some conditions can impact fertility, it is important to address any potential concerns as quickly as possible.

In addition to reproductive health, a missed period can point towards disease. Many forms of cancer have been known to cause missed periods or even cause them to be irregular. If you notice that your periods are not coming, or that you are spotting irregularly, there might be a more concerning cause for this kind of behavior from your body. Our bodies tend to let us know when something isn’t going right. A missed period might be the first indicator that there is something going very wrong within your body. This is another reason to always discuss it with your doctor, particularly if it is ongoing.

Your Body Might Be Changing

Not every missed period is cause for celebration or panic. In some instances, missing your period can be a completely natural occurrence. For some women, particularly those who are undergoing any changes, it is fairly common for the woman’s period to change. This is particularly common for young women, who might still be waiting for their hormone levels to find balance. Many people think that puberty is a one-hit kind of occurrence, but in reality, it can stretch out across years. Some people simply take a little longer to regulate their hormones, which can lead to period changes.

Young women are not the only ones who change. For women who are approaching menopause, it is incredibly common to experience missed periods. In fact, many women miss occasional periods before they stop having them entirely. This can occur early for some women, which can throw them a little bit. A lot of women believe that they must be fairly old to begin menopause, but that really isn’t true. In the same way that women get their periods at different ages, they also enter menopause at different ages.

Conclusion

Most of us have a bit of a love-hate relationship with our periods. We might enjoy the miracle of life and the development of bodies, but periods can be a bit problematic. Regardless, most of us take notice if our period schedule mysteriously changes. At the end of the day, there are plenty of good and bad reasons that your period might not show up. Consider a missed period to be a simple message from your body to let you know that something is up. If you feel like there might be a specific reason, or it keeps happening, it might be best to see your doctor for some answers.