Menstrual irregularities, such as missed or late periods, occur in 14–25% of women of childbearing age. They can result from a range of conditions besides pregnancy, including hormonal imbalances, hormonal birth control, stress, weight loss, trauma, and certain health conditions.
Periods can be late for all kinds of reasons, like weight changes, increase in exercise, hormones, and stress. It's also really common for periods to change in timing and flow during the first few years of your menstrual cycle, while your body develops and settles into a pattern.
Top things to know about why your period might be late:
If you've had unprotected sex and your period is 10 or more days late, you should take a pregnancy test and talk to a healthcare provider regardless of the result. Speak to a healthcare provider if you haven't had a period for more than 90 days.
If you're not pregnant, then weight changes, hormonal irregularities, and menopause are among the most common causes of a missed period. With these issues, you may miss a period for one or two months, or you may experience complete amenorrhea—meaning no period for three or more months in a row.
Missing the menstrual cycle by a day or two is normal, but there are cases of women missing their periods by 10 days or even weeks. A delayed period is not always a cause for alarm, however experts state that in some, it might be a case of chemical pregnancy.
Most women have a period every 28 days or so, but it's common to have a slightly shorter or longer cycle than this (from 21 to 40 days). Some women do not always have a regular menstrual cycle. Their period may be early or late, and how long it lasts and how heavy it is may vary each time.
The average menstrual cycle is about 28 days long, but a healthy cycle can be anywhere from 21 to 35 days long.
If your period is very late, or you've skipped your period, and you get a negative result, you are unlikely to be pregnant. If you are testing before the date of your expected period, you may be pregnant but your hCG levels are too low for the test to detect.
If the stress is short-lived, you may miss a period or be a few days late. However, if the stress is chronic, more erratic or absent menstruation can occur.
When to Call Your Provider. If your period is one to two weeks late, and you still are getting negative pregnancy tests, a visit to your gynecologist for a pregnancy blood test is recommended. If your periods are frequently irregular, talk to your provider about when they'd like you to call.
Menstrual irregularities, such as missed or late periods, occur in 14–25% of women of childbearing age. They can result from a range of conditions besides pregnancy, including hormonal imbalances, hormonal birth control, stress, weight loss, trauma, and certain health conditions.
Cryptic pregnancy is when a pregnant person doesn't know they're pregnant. It's also known as stealth pregnancy or denied pregnancy. If you have this, you may not realize you're pregnant until very late into your pregnancy or until you go into labor. Cryptic pregnancy is rare.
There's only one way to find out for sure if you're pregnant: take a pregnancy test.
The finger test for pregnancy is a method of detecting pregnancy that involves inserting a finger into the vagina and feeling for changes in the cervix. During pregnancy, the cervix becomes soft and changes position, which can be detected through the finger test.
Summary. Menstrual irregularities are common. Some people worry that they are pregnant or have a medical condition if they miss their period, but many other factors can contribute to a delay. Hormonal imbalances, stress, and weight loss, for example, can all play a role.
Experiencing period symptoms but no blood can happen when your hormones become imbalanced. This imbalance can be due to a poor diet, excessive caffeine consumption, or heavy drinking. Gaining weight or losing weight can be attributed to a lack of proper nutrition, which can also affect your menstrual cycle.
That means that a 28-day cycle one month and a 26-day cycle the next month is probably nothing to worry about. But your period might be considered late if: It's been more than 35 days since your last period. You're normally really regular, and your period is more than three days late.
You should consult a doctor if: You have not had a period for three months and your periods were previously regular. You have not had a period for 6-9 months but your periods have always been infrequent. You could be pregnant.
There are many reasons your period could be late other than pregnancy. Stress, illness, and changes in weight or nutrition can all affect your menstrual cycle. If you're taking hormonal birth control or took emergency contraception, that can also change your period.
Can Too Much Pee on a Pregnancy Test Make It Negative? Urinating too much on a urine pregnancy test should not cause a false negative result. But diluted urine, or urine with a higher water content, can impact a pregnancy test by skewing results.