5 Reasons You Might Have a Late Period, Other Than Pregnancy

Suddenly missing your period when babies aren’t on the agenda can be a real freak-out moment, but there are a few other factors that may be to blame.

1. Major Weight Loss or Excessive Exercise
Serious conditions like anorexia and bulimia can cause a missed period, but so can training for a marathon or some other major event that requires you to exercise more than usual. Nature has a way of protecting you from getting pregnant if your body is under such extreme stress. Your body prevents ovulation so you don’t have a lot of estrogen, don’t build a big uterine lining, and then don’t get a period

2. Stress
if you’re dealing with a big move, death in the family, huge breakup, or any other life event that’s shaking you up, it could be the cause of your late period or missed period.

 3. A Thyroid Irregularity
The thyroid gland, located in your neck, regulates your metabolism. It also interacts with many other systems in your body to keep things running smoothly. If you’re dealing with any type of thyroid imbalance, whether it’s hypo- or hyperthyroidism, that can have implications for your period. If you notice othersymptoms of a thyroid disorder, check in with your doctor for an official diagnosis.

 4. Your Birth Control
A missed period or late period can actually be a harmless byproduct of the measures you take to avoid pregnancy. Some low-dose pills will cause a lack of menses that isn’t dangerous and is many times a welcome side effect. The same goes for methods like hormonal IUDs, implants, or shots. It can also take some time for your period to come back if you’ve stopped birth control, but it will usually resume without issue in a few months.

 5. Premature Menopause
When women under 40 have hormones misfiring in a significant way, they can go through premature menopause, also known as premature ovarian failure. Along with a missed period, signs of it include hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness.