Causes of late menstruation: from pregnancy to disease & bull; hello healthy

Often late menstruation? Normal menstruation generally comes once every 28 days. However, some women and you may have to wait a little longer than that. Whether it's a few days, weeks or months late. Don't worry right away if you have a late period or an irregular schedule. There are many reasons why many women like late menstruation, from trivial ones to needing to be checked by a doctor.

Various causes of late menstruation

The menstrual cycle is regulated by hormones present in the body. So, sooner or later your monthly visitors will be greatly influenced by the work of these hormones. Here are some things that can cause you to miss your period:

1. Pregnant

Late menstruation is certainly good news for those of you who are waiting for your baby. Especially if all this time your menstrual cycle is classified as normal, aka always on schedule, and immediately late after having sex. It may be true that you are pregnant.

However, pay attention to other signs and symptoms that you feel. Signs of pregnancy are not only late menstruation, and late menstruation does not always mean that you are positive pregnant.

Apart from late menstruation, pregnancy usually brings up a variety of signs which include:

Brown spots appear
Nausea and vomiting
The breasts are painful and swollen
Tiring easily

You can confirm your pregnancy with test pack at home or check directly with your obstetrician for more accurate results.

2. Breastfeeding

In general, women do not experience menstruation while actively breastfeeding. This is due to the hormone prolactin, which blocks the ovulation process.

But this doesn't mean you can't get pregnant at all. Conception is very possible even if you are not menstruating. Your menstrual cycle should return to normal about six to eight weeks after weaning.

If within three months after stopping breastfeeding, you have not had your period, you should check with your doctor.

3. Stress

Stress can be the cause of late menstruation that not many people realize. The hormones in your body can go awry when you feel stressed.

When stressed, the hormone cortisol will increase in large quantities and beat the levels of the hormone gonadotropin (GnRH), estrogen, and progesterone. These three hormones function to regulate female ovulation.

When there are insufficient levels of the hormones GnRH, estrogen and progesterone in the body, the process of releasing eggs is delayed and menstruation comes slower than it should be.

If you don't have your period and feel stressed lately, reduce the burden on your thoughts. This can be done by doing things that you enjoy, exercising, taking vacations, or just going out with friends.

4. Weight problems

Too fat or too thin can be the reason why you are late menstruating.

Either gaining too much weight or getting thin too quickly in a short period of time can interfere with the work of the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus is a gland in the brain that is responsible for regulating various processes in the body, including the menstrual cycle.

Your body will not release the hormone estrogen, which is needed to build the uterine lining if you are too thin. On the other hand, your body will overproduce estrogen when you are overweight. Both of these things cause the body to not release eggs so that you are late for your period.

Gaining weight (if you are too thin) or losing weight (if you are too fat) can help "recast" your messy menstrual cycle.

5. Hormone disorders

Hormonal disruptions triggered by certain medical conditions can cause your menstrual schedule to go down a long way.

PCOS is a medical condition that causes late menstruation that many women experience. Hormonal disorders caused by PCOS or polycystic ovary syndrome can trigger cysts to grow on the ovaries.

The cyst can then prevent the regular release of eggs or stop completely.

6. Take birth control pills

The use of hormonal contraceptives such as birth control pills can also change menstrual schedules. This is because birth control pills contain the hormones estrogen and progestin, so they can mess with the original hormone levels in the body.

Likewise, if you take birth control pills irregularly. Loving to skip taking birth control pills can disrupt your menstrual cycle. If this is the cause of your late menstruation, you should first stop using birth control pills for a month or at least 6 months. However, make sure you consult a doctor first, yes!

Late menstruation is only one of the symptoms that appear when using hormonal contraceptives. If you become menstruating less frequently after just taking birth control pills, consult your doctor again. Maybe your doctor will recommend other contraceptives that won't interfere with your menstrual schedule.

7. The disease suffered

Late menstruation can also be caused by various diseases, such as hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. Both of these diseases are related to the thyroid gland which plays a role in regulating the body's metabolic system.

In addition, diabetes and Celiac disease can mess up your menstrual cycle. Uncontrolled diabetes can cause irregular menstruation. Meanwhile, celiac disease can prevent the body from absorbing essential nutrients, leading to delayed menstruation.

For late menstruation that occurs due to disease, the symptoms that arise are not singular. This means that you will experience a variety of other symptoms. For that, try to note a variety of unusual symptoms in the body, such as frequent dizziness or other.

Then, consult your doctor by providing notes about other symptoms you feel. The doctor will make a diagnosis to find out the disease that causes late menstruation that you are experiencing.

8. Perimenopause

Perimenopause is a period of transition from childbearing age to old age and no longer fertile). Usually perimenopause occurs 2 to 8 years before menopause.

Women generally begin menopause between the ages of 45 and 55. This means that before 2 to 8 years before reaching that age, the menstrual cycle will start to look messier than ever.

In this phase, your body begins to produce a little of the hormone estrogen, so you may experience changes in your menstrual cycle. Apart from that, you can also experience hot flashes, frequent night sweats, difficulty sleeping, vaginal dryness, and mood swings.

9. Activities that are too strenuous

Apart from creating fatigue, strenuous physical activity can also hamper your menstrual cycle.

The stress caused by too much physical activity can affect the production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which in turn causes your menstrual cycle to be delayed.

In addition, drastic loss of too much body fat due to excessive exercise can also hinder the ovulation process. Exercise is good for health. However, make sure you don't overdo it.

When to see a doctor?

Late menstruation is not always a sign of danger. However, there are many causes of late menstruation that also need special handling. For that, it's good to see a doctor if:

Have not menstruated for 90 consecutive days
When menstruating, the duration can be more than a week with very heavy blood flow
Menstruation feels so painful that it interferes with daily activities

There is no harm in seeing a doctor when this one menstrual problem makes you worried. The sooner it is checked, the sooner it is necessary to find out the cause and treat it if necessary.