Late periods can be caused by pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause, medication side effects, weight changes, illness, and physical or mental stress. Consult a doctor if irregular or late menstruation occurs, especially if ill or pregnant. Hormonal changes during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopause are common causes. Medications, stress, weight changes, and diet and exercise can also affect menstrual cycles.
Late periods could be the result of many different factors. Common causes include pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause, medication side effects, weight gain or loss, illness, and physical and mental stress on the body. While normal periods generally occur between 11 and 13 times a year for most women, others naturally have longer cycles. It is best to consult a doctor if irregular or late menstruation occurs, especially for patients who may be ill or pregnant.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause are the most common natural causes of late periods. During pregnancy, the body retains the endometrium, or uterine lining, which develops into the placenta to provide nourishment for the growing fetus, instead of being shed during the menstrual process. Breastfeeding women might also have irregular periods, as hormones involved in breastfeeding suppress ovulation and endometrial growth. Menopause, the process by which women gradually stop ovulating and menstruating, can be another common cause of delayed periods in perimenopausal women, often between the ages of 45 and 55.
For women who are not pregnant, breastfeeding, or in perimenopause, new medications or dosage changes may be the main cause of late menstruation. Many medications, including hormonal birth control pills, can interfere with a woman’s natural hormone cycles and initially delay menstruation. Some birth control pills are designed to suppress menstruation completely, while others can do so inadvertently. Other medications, especially those related to hormones, can also create irregularities in a woman’s cycle.
Stress is also a common cause for a missed period, whether it’s from mental stress, such as anxiety, or physical stress, such as illness or changes in diet and exercise. Weight gain and weight loss can also sometimes cause a late period. Any amount of weight loss can deplete your body’s fat stores, reducing the amount of estrogen in your bloodstream and potentially delaying your period. Sudden weight gain could be a symptom of another disease, such as hypothyroidism or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which can cause periods to be delayed.
Changes in diet and exercise can not only cause weight loss and gain, but also malnutrition or altered hormone levels. Diets low in nutrients can often lead to suppressed ovulation and menstruation, as the body focuses its energies on survival rather than reproduction. Other stressors, such as travel, work-related pressures, sleep changes, or difficult emotional situations, can also lead to delayed periods. These situations can activate the body’s stress response or interfere with the body’s ability to maintain certain hormone levels.
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