“I’m late.” “It hasn’t gone down yet” These words can be a reason for emotion and/or concern for a large number of people, who generally associate it with a possible pregnancy.
However, the truth is that although possible pregnancy is a possibility, in the vast majority of cases there are many other factors that can explain why you have not yet menstruated. In this article we are going to review fifteen possible reasons why this has not happened yet.
The biological and natural process in which the woman’s body expels the remains of unfertilized eggs and the mucous lining of the uterus (or endometrium) are expelled from the vagina in the form of blood flow.
This process usually occurs once a month and lasts up to about a week, forming part of a continuous cycle from female puberty to the climacteric, in which the female reproductive system loses its function to conceive.
Different reasons why the period does not go down
The menstrual cycle generally follows a certain temporality that allows an approximate calculation of when the period will arrive, but this does not imply that it is identical and always appears on the same dates.
There are a large number of factors that can alter it and make that the period, period or menstruation do not appear when in principle they should Below we will see about fifteen possible causes that can explain why a woman’s period does not come.
1. Pregnancy
This is the option that most people think of when menstruation does not appear at the usual time. And indeed it is one of the options to take into account, despite the fact that a delay or even the absence of a period does not have to imply being in a state. To verify this it will be necessary to do a pregnancy test at least fifteen days after the last sexual intercourse since before that it could give a false positive.
2. Breastfeeding period
Some women who have just given birth may think that since they have already given birth they will quickly begin to menstruate again. But the truth is that this is not the case since during breastfeeding hormones such as prolactin, of great importance when it comes to increasing and allowing the secretion of breast milk, inhibit estrogens and the rest of the hormones responsible for the menstrual cycle. It is not strange since there is no menstruation until the breastfeeding period ends.
Many young adolescents are very concerned about the fact that they have not yet gotten their period, even though most people their age have already started having their period some time ago. It is necessary to remember that each person has their evolutionary rhythm and some girls have late puberty, so menarche or first menstruation can appear even later than the age of 15.
This does not have to imply anything bad, although in some cases there could be an underlying problem. In general, unless there is some type of organic cause, this does not require any treatment, although if the doctor considers it necessary, hormonal therapy may be used.
4. First rules
It is also important to keep in mind that having your first period does not necessarily imply a completely regular cycle: it is not impossible that during the first years, because the reproductive system is still developing there are alterations in the menstrual cycle.
5. Menopause (normative or premature)
Another reason why the period stops coming is due to the possible arrival of menarche and climacteric. In other words, the arrival of menopause. This generally occurs from the age of 45 (in fact, it generally appears from the age of 50), but in some cases the so-called premature or early menopause may occur in which the end of the menstrual cycle arrives before the age of 45.
Usually before the imminent cessation of menstruation There is usually a period when the menstrual cycle acts irregularly It is a regulatory biological process that does not require any treatment.
6. Feeding and/or starvation problems
Menstruation is strongly linked to the state of health of the body, and is profoundly altered by aspects such as the presence of sufficient nutrients in the body. If the human body is in a situation where it does not have enough nutrients, the period will not appear. An example of this is found in women with eating disorders, especially in anorexia (in which in fact amenorrhea is one of the most frequent symptoms).
In addition, other circumstances or diseases in which the body cannot adequately process nutrients and enters a state of anemia can cause a woman to stop or delay menstruation. Menstruation also stops appearing in people in situations of extreme starvation due to lack of food resources.
7. Sudden weight changes
Not only the presence or absence of nutrients in the body can affect menstruation, but also the fact of suddenly gaining or losing a lot of weight. This is because even if it has sufficient nutrients, a sudden change in weight and especially body fat can generate changes in the body’s estrogen levels varying the menstrual cycle.
8. Hormonal imbalances
The period or menstruation is a biological process that depends on the hormones present in the woman’s body. Alterations in these hormones or the presence of others that inhibit or alter them can generate changes in the menstrual cycle, including its advancement, delay or even cessation. These imbalances may be regulatory, related to psychosocial stress, or linked to hormonal, thyroid, ovarian or brain problems. Treating these problems will return the cycle to its normal functioning
9. Taking or stopping contraceptives
As we have said and being something deeply related to the previous point, hormones are the key to the existence and maintenance of the menstrual cycle. In this sense, taking certain contraceptives or stopping their consumption can cause your period not to decrease within the usual period.
10. Consumption of other drugs or medical treatments
The consumption of different drugs, not necessarily contraceptives, can cause the presence of an altered or delayed menstrual cycle. Examples of these are some psychotropic drugs If this effect occurs, it is advisable to go to the doctor first to check if it really is a possible side effect of the medication and if so, to evaluate (depending on the case) possible alternatives.
A problem with menstruation could also appear with certain non-pharmacological medical treatments, such as surgical interventions in some areas of the brain or in the reproductive system or the application of radiotherapy.
11. Stress and anxiety
Until now we have talked about mainly organic elements, but we cannot forget the importance of psychosocial factors in menstruation. The presence of continued stress or anxiety is another of the main reasons why your period may be delayed. An example would be work stress Another example may be somewhat paradoxical, but more common than it appears: it is common for the anxiety experienced due to a late period to generate even more delay.
Given this, it is advisable to use relaxation techniques, such as breathing or progressive muscle relaxation, and avoid becoming obsessed with the subject.
12. Extreme physical activity
Athlete women, especially high-performance women, may have irregular or delayed menstrual cycles due to the high level of physical activity they perform. This is because very intense physical exercise causes a drop in estrogen levels. In this case It may be advisable to go to doctors specialized in sports
13. Ovarian alterations
Another of the main causes of a delay in the arrival of the period is the presence of problems in the reproductive system, one of the most common parts being the ovary. Polycystic ovarian syndrome or endometriosis are examples of this, and treating these causes (for example with contraceptives) can make the cycle more regular.
14. Medical conditions
Not only gynecological problems can cause delayed periods, but also other medical problems such as different infections (both genital and other types), metabolic problems such as diabetes, obesity or thyroid disorders Certain tumors could also affect. A specific treatment of the cause will be required, so that the symptomatological improvement can generate a recovery of the usual cycle (although depending on the cause it will not always be possible).
15. Psychological pregnancy
One reason why menstruation may disappear in a woman is the alteration known as pseudocyesis or psychological pregnancy. In this case we are faced with a person who begins to manifest all the typical symptoms of pregnancy, including the cessation of menstruation, even though there is not actually a developing fetus It can appear in depressed women, with a great desire to be a mother or extreme fear of becoming pregnant, in people who have suffered abuse or in various types of situations. The treatment of this type of condition is usually delicate and complex, requiring psychological treatment in most cases.
Conclusion: why isn’t my period coming off?
Like any other biological process, menstruation depends on many factors and processes carried out by the body in a relatively parallel manner. There is no single reason why your period does not stop, but knowing the main ones is useful to know what to do depending on the symptoms and the clues that we obtain through our habits and through the characteristics of our own body.
