Reasons for a Missed Period

Most women will miss a period at some point in their life. It really isnt all that uncommon but there are some very common explanations for a missed period. If you miss a period just one month chances are that it is nothing to worry about but if your menstrual problems persist over time it is probably something that you should seek medical advice for.

Some of the most common reasons to miss your period, no matter what your age, are stress, rapid weight gain or weight loss, and illness. These are issues that you can have even if you are not sexually active, so if you miss your period you should stop and think about all of these scenarios and how they apply to your life. A lot of the time when we stop and think about what has been going on in our life recently we will be able to pinpoint the exact reason we didnt have our period this month!

For those that are sexually active pregnancy will likely be the first thing that comes to mind. You don’t have to pick up the phone and call your doctor just because you are sexually active and you miss your period, though. You should wait a few days and then run to the store and pick up a home pregnancy test. These tests are relatively inexpensive and very easy to use and most of them are very accurate. You can determine on your own if you are pregnant and then you can call your gynecologist to set up an appointment.

If you are not pregnant another reason for a missed period is that the pill you are taking is too low in estrogen. This is a common problem, especially if you have just changed your pill brand or prescription or if you have just started the pill. Missed periods are also a common side effect of mini pills, which are progesterone only pills. Norplant and Depo-Provera also commonly cause missed periods as the drugs often suppress ovulation as well as a womans period. This may be common early on in the usage of these products but will usually work itself out over time.

As you can see there are a lot of reasons that you can miss a period. Only you can determine if you need to see a doctor or you can take the wait and see approach to the problem. Generally a missed period isnt a reason to panic, but it is a reason to pay attention to your body and try to figure out why it would not go through this totally normal and regular cleansing process and if there is anything you can do to change what is going on.
