What causes missed periods?
Most girls experience late or missed periods at some point or other in their life. Understanding the reason for your missed period is essential so you can take the right steps to regulate your monthly cycle.
You kept sanitary pads in your handbag as your date was around, but then a few days passed and still no periods. Periods are tough, but when you miss a period, it causes all the more stress and tension. Let's look at some of the reasons that cause missed periods in girls.
- Pregnancy
Every month the ovaries release an egg for fertilization. If the sperm fertilizes the egg, it results in pregnancy. If not, you get your periods. If you are sexually active, then probably you can infer the reason for the missing period could be pregnancy. Get a pregnancy test kit to check the probability.
- PCOS
PCOS or PCOD is a common lifestyle disorder in girls and is often the reason for late or missed periods. PCOS is a hormonal imbalance. Due to this hormonal imbalance, the egg released from the ovaries doesn't mature. The monthly cycle gets disrupted, and you don't get your periods.
Girls with PCOS may not have a regular 28-day cycle. Sometimes they may not get a period for even three months. And at times when they get their periods, the flow is very heavy, requiring a napkin change every 2 hours even with the extra-large sanitary napkins.
- Thyroid Problems
The thyroid gland produces hormones to regulate the body's metabolism. If the thyroid isn't functioning well, it creates a hormonal imbalance in the body. This imbalance affects the reproductive system as well -- causing late or missed periods. Get your thyroid function tested to know if the thyroid gland is functioning fine.
- Stress
Our body is one whole unit, and all the bodily parts are interconnected. When you are going through a stressful time in life, the body increases the production of cortisol to cope up with stress. But high cortisol levels for a long time harms all the functions, especially your hormones. The hormones go for a toss resulting in missed periods.
- Excessive Exercise
Regular exercise is essential to stay fit and healthy. But extreme exercise places stress on the body. As a result, the body produces cortisol, a stress hormone. Cortisol adversely affects reproductive function, causing delayed or missed period.
- Weight Change
A sudden weight loss or gain can also create hormonal imbalance in the body, affecting the monthly cycle. When you suddenly lose weight, the body goes into starvation mode. The basic primal instinct of survival sets in and the body shuts the ovulation process because a woman with low fat makes a weak candidate for pregnancy.
- Perimenopause
Once you hit menopause, you won't get your periods, which is usually after 50 years of age. A few years before the menopause, usually four years before it strikes, periods can get a bit irregular. This transition period to menopause -- when your periods are erratic due to fluctuating hormones and low supply of eggs in the ovaries is known as perimenopause.
If your periods are late by a month, it's best to consult a gynecologist to figure out the exact cause for the missed period. Most of the time, the problem is due to stress or weight issues, and can be easily corrected by lifestyle changes. If the problem is deeper than that, then a doctor would be able to guide you through the best treatment plan to regulate your periods. In the early years, when your periods start, they usually are quite irregular, so no reason to worry about it. It's natural, and the monthly cycle takes some time to set a pattern. Just stay prepared with sanitary products to meet the unexpected flow. In order to maintain good menstrual hygiene, buy the best pads for periods online. Sofy products are great; they offer protection against leakages and are gentle on the skin. You can always check the Sofy pads price list online and compare the features and price of the product with the other popular brands.