Primary and secondary amenorrhea
The absence of menstruation for several cycles is called amenorrhea. It can be primary and secondary.
The primary form is diagnosed in 14-16 year old girls and is associated with impaired patency of the vaginal opening, cervical canal, damage to the gonads (organs that produce germ cells), extragonadal pathology (adrenal hyperplasia, delayed menarche). Anatomical disorders can be corrected through surgical intervention, but even after this, the cycle may be disrupted for several months.
The secondary form of amenorrhea is diagnosed in women who menstruate regularly. It is based on anatomical, psychological reasons, and health problems. The absence of menstruation is not a disease, but serves as a pathological symptom. It does not interfere with going to the beach, playing sports, wearing light clothes and being sexually active all month long. On the other hand, this is an unnatural situation for the female body, which requires identification and treatment.
Factors that lead to amenorrhea
If the absence of menstruation is not associated with pregnancy and menopause, we are talking about menstrual irregularities. This is alarming and indicates a serious malfunction in the reproductive system. You need to find out why it happened and what to do as early as possible, because everything in the body is interconnected, and one problem leads to other, more serious ones. Among the main reasons for the absence of menstruation (amenorrhea) for two, three or more months, medicine considers:
- Recent termination of pregnancy, spontaneous abortion: Hormonal imbalances and injury to the walls of the uterus can lead to delays of three months. The body needs restoration, and as soon as hormonal balance returns, reproductive function will be restored. But if there is no menstruation for more than a quarter, medical attention is required;
- A sharp increase in physical activity, a strict diet, strong weight fluctuations over a month: Intensified exercise in the gym after a long break requires a restructuring of the body. The result may be a temporary absence of menstruation. The same thing happens with diets and poor nutrition. Lack of vitamins and sudden weight loss are quite often accompanied by loss of menstruation - the body needs to accumulate strength;
- Infectious, endocrine, gynecological diseases, polycystic ovaries: Ovarian cysts, fibroids, tumors, problems with the endocrine glands are common phenomena of our time. They manifest themselves as infertility and cycle disruptions. With polycystic disease, ovulation is delayed or does not occur at all. This leads to long delays in menstruation from a week to 2-3 months.
- Stressful situations, climate change: Stressful situations disrupt the functioning of the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for the functioning of the ovaries. The result is a prolonged absence of menstruation, which requires therapeutic correction. The same thing happens with climate change. Multiple moves and flights in one month negatively affect the cycle and cause a delay while the body adapts;
- Taking hormonal medications: Protection with modern oral contraceptives provides an almost one hundred percent guarantee of protection against pregnancy. But if they are replaced or completely abandoned, the body undergoes a restructuring. It can last 2-3 months and is manifested by the absence of menstruation.
What to do if you haven't had your period for months
Missing your period for a few days usually does not pose any danger. But, if the delay is long and after three months the cycle has not returned to normal, then this can be caused by serious and even dangerous diseases.
If the cycle failure is not associated with pregnancy, then we are talking about amenorrhea. Amenorrhea refers to the absence of menstruation for three months or longer. This pathology is divided into two types:
- primary amenorrhea (occurs in adolescence);
- secondary amenorrhea (occurs in mature women).
Primary amenorrhea occurs more often in adolescence and is associated with puberty. Secondary amenorrhea occurs in women with a formed menstrual cycle of reproductive age.
A delay in menstruation in itself is not dangerous; the reasons that provoke it are much more dangerous. Therefore, if you have not had your period for 3 months, then, to determine the reasons, you urgently need to visit a gynecologist and undergo a comprehensive diagnostic examination, which consists of the following steps:
- taking a blood test for hormones;
- Ultrasound examination;
- at the discretion of the doctor, undergo an MRI, CT scan (to exclude the development of tumors).
After the examination, the gynecologist will prescribe the appropriate treatment for you, or refer you to another doctor (oncologist, endocrinologist).
A pelvic ultrasound is usually prescribed to determine the causes of the delay.
Natural reasons for missing periods
The so-called “primary amenorrhea” is diagnosed more often in the first two years of the onset of menstruation, when the hormonal levels gradually stabilize and the young body adapts to the cycle. During this period, delays even lasting three months are the absolute norm and do not pose a threat. Usually after two years everything gets better, and menstruation occurs at regular intervals.
Secondary amenorrhea most often occurs during the premenopausal state of the body, which occurs in women at 45-55 years of age. The general condition is accompanied by sudden mood swings and hot flashes. In this case, there is nothing terrible, since irregular menstruation during this period is the norm. Some women get their periods even after a year of delay. But it’s still worth visiting a gynecologist, since only he will determine the exact cause of aminorrhea. And, if the premenopausal state is confirmed, he will prescribe special medications to help prolong your youth.
After childbirth, the female body blocks reproductive function, which results in the absence of menstruation. Usually the menstrual cycle is restored after a certain time after the cessation of lactation.
Primary amenorrhea is usually diagnosed in the first two years of the cycle.
Pathological causes of absence of menstruation
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder associated with dysfunction of the ovaries, thyroid gland, or pituitary gland. External signs of PCOS include increased body hair, oily hair, acne, and excess weight. But hormonal imbalance will not always be accompanied by external changes in the body.
Tumor formations: uterine fibroids, cysts, cervical cancer. These diseases can cause both the absence of menstruation for a long period of time, and, conversely, very frequent or prolonged menstruation. In these situations, timely diagnosis is very important, since only a doctor will make an accurate diagnosis and prescribe adequate treatment.
Pathological causes also include the following: endometriosis, inflammation.
Any pathological causes affect the reproductive system and can cause disruption of its normal functioning. In this case, you need to do the following: go to a medical institution and see a qualified doctor and follow his instructions.
Cyst is one of the reasons for lack of menstruation
Other reasons for missing periods
If you don’t have your period for a long time, it often has no pathological basis, and after 2-4 months menstruation resumes on its own. Therefore, you should never overwhelm yourself ahead of time. Let's look at the reasons.
- Stress and mental disorders. Often it is stress and anxiety that cause deterioration in the functioning of the ovaries, and as a result this manifests itself in the fact that menstruation does not come for three or more months. Usually, after a certain time after the woman’s psycho-emotional state has normalized, the menstrual cycle is restored.
- Exercise stress. Often, heavy physical work or sports lead to overstrain of the entire body, and it simply does not have enough energy to maintain the menstrual cycle normally. In this situation, it is necessary to correctly distribute the load and not allow the body to overwork, and then after a couple, maximum three months, your cycle will normalize.
- Change of climatic conditions. Some women have a very sensitive body to moving, which is accompanied by changes in climatic conditions. Also, the reasons for the delay include long exposure to the sun or visiting a solarium.
- Taking medications. Delayed menstruation often occurs due to medications, especially antidepressants. If you are faced with a problem of this kind, then you need to do the following: consult a doctor and change the drug to another. If after a while the cycle has not been restored, then you need to look for another reason.
- Hormonal drugs. Long-term use of hormonal contraceptives often leads to menstrual irregularities. The absence or failure of menstruation may continue even after the end of their use. Usually nothing should be done, and after three months the body itself restores the regularity of the cycle.
- Miscarriage or abortion. After termination of pregnancy, the menstrual cycle does not improve immediately, but only after several months.
- Weight problems. It has been scientifically proven that adipose tissue is directly related to all hormonal processes in a woman’s body. Because it leads to the accumulation of estrogen, which negatively affects hormonal levels. But not only excess weight can cause aminorrhea, but also its lack. Losing weight below 45 kg or starving is extremely difficult for the body. Naturally, in such a situation, the regularity of the cycle will be restored only after some time has passed after the weight has normalized.
- Family inheritance. It happens that several women in one family (mother, grandmother) also experienced similar failures, then we are talking about heredity. Often, in such a situation, it is not always possible to determine the problem.
But, despite the fact that sometimes the reasons for delayed menstruation are only temporary and not dangerous to health, never make your own diagnoses or self-medicate.
Remember that regular visits to the gynecologist and a healthy lifestyle are the main guarantee of women's health.
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Examination for delayed menstruation 2-3 months
Examinations that complement the examination of a gynecologist will help determine the cause of a missed period:
• measuring basal temperature, keeping a chart for a whole month, which allows you to find out the presence of ovulation; • blood test for hCG, estrogen, progesterone and other hormones produced by endocrine glands; • Ultrasound to determine pregnancy, tumors of the reproductive system and other causes of delay; • CT, MRI of the brain to exclude tumors of the ovaries and pituitary gland.
Identification of diseases associated with delayed menstruation requires consultation with an endocrinologist, psychotherapist, and nutritionist. An integrated approach and adequate therapy make it possible to resolve the situation within a month and improve the functioning of the body. Women's nature will take its toll. But only competent doctors can help her, and not self-medication.
Why do girls have late periods?
If a girl under 15 years of age has never had a period, gynecologists call this an abnormal delay in physiological development. If menarche was timely, but the next menstruation did not begin as scheduled, it is important to establish the reasons for the delay and take therapeutic measures.
Factors that influence the stability of menstruation in adolescents:
- Hormonal imbalance. A rough voice, lack of mature mammary glands and male-pattern hair indicate a predominance of male hormones in a girl’s body. Unstable periods indicate estrogen deficiency.
- Underdevelopment of the genital organs and trauma/surgery. Improperly formed organs, as well as damaged ones, can affect the timing of menstruation. The pathology is easily diagnosed during a gynecological examination. The optimal age for examination is from 15 years.
- Increased mental or physical stress. An active lifestyle, the desire to be on time everywhere, doing a large number of lessons every day and visiting a tutor provoke a lack of free time and burn fat. Its lack forces the brain centers to block ovulation.
- Bad habits. Smoking, taking drugs and drinking alcohol delays the onset of menstruation in young ladies.
- Medicines. Taking some medications can disrupt the smooth functioning of the reproductive system. The main culprits are synthetic hormones. Young girls cannot use hormonal contraceptives, as they affect menstruation.
- Psycho-emotional status. As a child grows up, relationships with parents and classmates may become difficult, and this affects the cycle. The situation is aggravated by first love, especially unrequited love. Experiences force the girl to withdraw into herself. Lack of timely bleeding increases stress. Menstruation improves on its own only after this factor is eliminated.
- Sex. The onset of sexual activity during puberty causes a delay in menstruation in a 14-year-old girl (age deviations are allowed) and pregnancy. When a young lady is developing her personality, it is important for parents not to miss this moment and build a trusting relationship with their daughter. Proper sex education and knowledge of simple contraceptive methods will prevent the consequences of early sexual activity in a growing child.
The desire to lose weight sometimes drives teenagers to exhaustion. A limited intake of nutritious foods and an unbridled desire for slimness cause anorexia nervosa. This condition disrupts the functions of the entire body and negatively affects the sexual sphere.
https://youtu.be/wR05cIabLnk
Who is at risk for developing amenorrhea?
Risk factors that explain why there is no menstruation for 2, 3 or more months include constant physical activity, stress, changes in eating habits, and poor diet. This fully corresponds to the rhythm of life of modern ladies who have to pay with their health for their built career. Also at risk for the development of amenorrhea are women suffering from anorexia, polycystic ovary syndrome, and premature decline of their function. These pathologies lead to infertility, deterioration of health and require correction.
Complications in the absence of menstruation
The absence of menstruation and severe anxiety symptoms is not a reason to let the situation go.
Amenorrhea has serious complications:
• miscarriages within 1-2 months; • risk of endometrial hyperplasia, uterine cancer; • vascular and heart diseases; • migraines, vision changes; • diabetes; • osteoporosis; • infertility.
It is important to remember that advanced cases of amenorrhea are difficult to diagnose and treat. But lost or impaired reproductive function means loss of hope for motherhood. Only a visit to the doctor can free you from worries and worries, because knowing your diagnosis, you can achieve success in treatment even within a month. In families with daughters, mothers need to provide competent sex education, teach them to keep a monthly calendar and not shy away from scheduled gynecological examinations.
There are unforeseen cases when regular female bleeding does not appear for a long time. The first thing that comes to the mind of any representative of the fairer sex is pregnancy. But there are many more different reasons for such a violation. Therefore, in this article we will study from all sides the reasons for delayed periods in the fairer sex.
How to treat absence of periods
If you have not had your period for a long time, you should not try to induce it yourself. Such attempts may result in life-threatening uterine bleeding. Therefore, if there is no menstruation for three months, a gynecological examination is necessary. Depending on its results, to resume the cycle, the doctor may prescribe surgery or drug therapy, supplemented by physical procedures:
With the help of medications
Treatment of diseases leading to amenorrhea (pathologies of the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, pituitary tumors) is being carried out. In case of ovarian dysfunction, hormonal therapy is carried out using progesterone, which stimulates the maturation of the egg. Progesterone stimulation is indicated when it is low: it restores the cycle if the reason for the absence of menstruation for three months is stress or diet. For pituitary tumors there is no point in this therapy;
Surgery
It is carried out in case of vaginal pathology, absence of the uterus, pituitary tumor:
- if the hymen is too thick, a small incision allows you to find the exit of menstrual blood;
- when there is no uterus or vagina, but a woman wants to be sexually active, an artificial vagina is created for her;
- For pituitary tumors, surgical intervention and drug therapy are performed.
Delayed menstruation - why is it dangerous?
Delayed menstruation is an extremely dangerous phenomenon in the body of an adult woman. It is characterized by the cessation of menstrual bleeding for more than a month. Anything can serve as an impetus for its development. These include physiological changes, such as pregnancy or menopause, and disruptions in the functioning of body systems caused by serious pathological conditions.
Suspension of critical days occurs at any period of life. If there is no discharge for a week from the expected date of its onset, then it is worth visiting the clinic on the same day, where the doctor will order tests to identify the causes, establish a diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment.
The menstrual cycle is a mechanism that indicates a woman’s health and her ability to reproduce, so the slightest irregularities should be detected as quickly as possible.
Menstrual cycle
The female body is designed in such a way that there are some patterns that manifest themselves in the repetition of the same cycle every month. Blood discharge is the final stage of this process.
This confirms that the egg was not fertilized, that is, the woman did not become pregnant. Regular periods are confirmation that all body systems are functioning normally. The slightest changes may indicate serious violations.
What delay period should be considered normal?
Each woman keeps a special diary in which she notes the regularity of her periods. If there are no delays, then the reproductive system is working smoothly. At different periods of life, certain time periods are allowed when a delay may occur.
Reputable doctors say that a week's delay is normal. This is true only when there are no other abnormalities in the woman's health. If she feels great and does not experience any changes or discomfort, then we can assume that everything is normal. But each age category has its own normal values for delay.
For the first time, menstruation appears in girls aged 11 to 15 years. During this period, the cycle has not yet been established, which can also cause delays. If after a few years the cycle has not returned to normal, it is better to immediately consult a doctor for advice.
If bleeding does not become established before the age of twenty, this may indicate serious pathological processes: delayed development, hypoplasia or immaturity of the ovaries.
Typically, for a healthy woman or girl, the dry period averages about thirty days. Therefore, your period should begin within the specified period.
Why no periods for 3 months: reasons
What to do when a banal delay turns into something more and is it worth worrying if you haven’t had your period for 3 months ? The site Shtuchka.ru will help you understand this issue and tell you how to protect yourself from such unpleasant moments.
Should you worry?
The first thing I would like to note is that you should worry, but not sitting at home and crying into your pillow. The best and most correct decision is to contact a gynecologist. No matter how much we would like, even with an abundance of necessary and useful information, at home, without tests and a doctor’s opinion, it is impossible to establish the cause. A normal delay is considered to be seven, and in some cases fifteen days. But, if the delay is more than a month (three!), then you need to immediately run to the doctor.
Reasons: no periods for 3 months
Despite the fact that many experts set certain limits, today we can safely say that problems with the cycle are more often experienced by girls and women under the age of eighteen (twenty) and after thirty-five (forty) years. Let's call the first group “teenagers.”
Why do teenagers not have periods for 3 months?
During this period, a cycle is established, so violations may occur. And for quite a long time, at least several years.
Early sexual life. For an unprepared body (in terms of development), this is real stress and a blow to hormonal levels. A glitch in the program, so to speak. After all, primary sexual characteristics (hair growth, breasts, rounded hips) cannot be evidence of what is happening inside.
Early sexual activity entails the use of emergency contraception, which only adds problems to the body. Moreover, this contraception is most often taken on the advice of a friend or similar acquaintances. And no matter what they say, most girls at this age (14 – 18) are still afraid to visit a doctor and talk about “this” topic with adults and experienced people. As a result, I haven’t had my period for 3 months, and we remain silent.
Let's add to this sexually transmitted diseases, from which, by the way, magic pills that prevent pregnancy do not protect in any way. Again, many do not want to, are afraid, endure until the last, are ashamed to go to the doctor, or, even worse, do not even suspect that they are sick. Any diseases of this kind can cause complications and disruptions in the functioning of the reproductive system.
Congenital anomalies of the uterus, fusion of the vagina or hymen.
Another important factor influencing the cycle is the influence around us. At this age, you are worried about an ocean of problems:
- studying - sleepless nights and malnutrition;
- relationship with family and loved ones - misunderstanding, mistrust, quarrels;
- position in society;
- gossipy friends;
- weight and figure - either overeating due to stress or a strict diet and severe weight loss;
- moving, changing schools and a lot of everything.
All of the above factors can affect the cycle and cause a delay. For a more accurate “diagnosis,” the right decision would be to go to the doctor.
Why do those over thirty not have periods for 3 months?
The reasons for delay in women are, in principle, no different from those in adolescents. Except for setting the cycle, it has already formed.
Let's start with sex life. If you have stable, and this is at least several times a week, and high-quality intimacy, then this problem can be eliminated. The absence of intimacy for a long time, as well as its abundance, after prolonged abstinence, can easily affect the cycle.
Long-term use of contraception in every second woman causes a delay of more than one month. Especially after the drug is stopped.
No period for 3 months? This may cause failure to take hormonal contraception
“Love” pains, as a result of the fact that there have been no periods for almost 3 months. No one is immune from casual relationships: I met, fell in love, and spent the night together. If you are afraid and unsure of your “disposable” lover, it is better to go to the doctor.
A woman does not experience much less stress than teenagers. Only her worries are about a completely different matter: work, figure, family, children, home, relationships and much more. As an example, a busy work schedule, with lack of sleep, malnutrition and all other ensuing consequences, is reflected in most cases on health and the cycle.
Menopause, no matter how implausible it may sound, medicine is familiar with cases when menopause occurs prematurely.
Reasons (regardless of age) if there are no periods for 3 whole months:
- Of course, pregnancy is a valid and no less dangerous reason if the pregnancy is ectopic. Complicated course of childbirth and the postpartum period. This includes abortion (surgical or medical), especially frequent complicated abortions.
- Heredity. Some women testify that the delay was observed in women in their family.
- Hormonal and other medications can also affect your cycle.
- Tumor, fibroids, cancer, inflammation, chronic diseases of organs and organ systems can cause the absence of menstruation. But we will not write about them in detail. Because only a doctor can make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment.
Any long-term exposure can be the reason that you don’t have your period for 3 months: you moved, you got sick, you broke up with your loved one, you also lost your job, life is unbearable, and you really want peace, quiet and just a good night’s sleep. Therefore, it is better to have a healthy lifestyle (try your best) and regular visits to the gynecologist.
Bruslik Maria – especially for the site Shtuchka.ru
Under what circumstances is it normal to have a delayed period?
During puberty, when a girl’s reproductive system has not yet formed, disruptions in the cycle are quite a typical phenomenon. This may continue for several years. If the delay increases, it may indicate a serious illness.
When periods do not appear until age 15, you should immediately consult a doctor. If excess weight appears, changes in voice, appearance, or increased hair growth, you should visit a doctor much earlier. This indicates a hormonal imbalance and a serious disorder of the reproductive system.
In a normal case, by the age of 15, a cycle is formed, and in the future menstruation occurs without delay.
If there is a delay of more than three days, then it makes sense to take a pregnancy test at home. If the result is negative and your period has not started, then you should contact a gynecologist for testing. When performing an ultrasound and the level of hCG increases several times, there is a possibility of detecting intrauterine pregnancy.
After the birth of a child, a woman’s cycle does not recover immediately. This is especially pronounced during breastfeeding. The hormone, which affects the production of mother's milk, inhibits the production of progesterone, and therefore affects the menstrual cycle.
Therefore, it usually takes about a year to normalize the entire process and establish a regular cycle. If after this period the reproductive system does not improve, most likely the woman became pregnant again.
The problem of delayed menstruation in girls and women
A delay in menstruation is considered to be a disruption in the menstrual cycle when the next bleeding does not occur at the right time. The absence of menstruation for 5 to 7 days is not considered pathological. This phenomenon occurs at any age: adolescence, childbearing and premenopause. The reasons for a delay in menstruation can be both physiological and abnormal reasons.
Natural causes during puberty include irregular menstruation for 1-1.5 years during the formation of the cycle. In childbearing age, the physiological causes of delayed menstruation are pregnancy and breastfeeding. During premenopause, the menstrual cycle gradually decreases, frequent delays turn into complete extinction of reproductive function in the female body. Other reasons for delayed periods are not physiological and require consultation with a gynecologist.
Reasons for missed periods
Most often, a delay in menstruation among representatives of the fair sex who are sexually active is associated with pregnancy. Also, in the short term, nagging pain in the lower abdomen, enlargement and tenderness of the mammary glands, drowsiness, changes in taste preferences, morning sickness, and fatigue may occur. Rarely, spotting brownish discharge appears.
Pregnancy can be determined using a pharmacy test or a blood test for hCG. If pregnancy is not confirmed, then a delay in menstruation could be caused by other reasons:
- Stress. Every stressful situation, for example related to conflicts, work problems, worries about school, can provoke a delay in menstruation by 5-10 days or even longer.
- Overwork, which is often combined with a stressful situation. Physical activity is, of course, good for the body, but if it is excessive, it can affect the regularity of menstruation. Overwork, especially in combination with an exhausting diet, negatively affects estrogen synthesis, which can cause a delay in menstruation. Signs of overwork also include migraines, rapid weight loss, and deterioration in performance. If your period is delayed due to physical fatigue, this means that the body is signaling the need for a break. A delay in menstruation is observed in women who work at night or with a flexible work schedule, which involves overtime on days when it is necessary. The cycle normalizes on its own when the balance between diet and physical activity is restored.
- Underweight or, conversely, overweight. For normal functioning of the endocrine system, a woman must keep her BMI normal. Delayed menstruation is often associated with underweight or excess weight. At the same time, the cycle is restored after normalization of body weight. In women suffering from anorexia, menstruation may disappear forever.
- Change of usual living environment. The fact is that the body's biological clock is very important for the normal regulation of the menstrual cycle. If they change, for example, as a result of flying to a country with a different climate or starting work at night, a delay in menstruation may occur. If a change in the rhythm of life causes a delay in menstruation, it will normalize on its own within a couple of months.
- Colds or inflammatory diseases can also affect menstruation. Each disease can negatively affect the regularity of the cycle and cause a delay in menstruation. This could be an acute course of chronic diseases, acute respiratory viral infections, or any other health problems in the previous month. The regularity of the cycle will be restored within a couple of months.
- Polycystic ovary syndrome is a disease accompanied by hormonal imbalance, which causes irregular menstrual bleeding. Signs of polycystic disease also include excessive hair growth in the area of the face and body, problematic skin (acne, oiliness), excess weight and difficulty with fertilization. If the gynecologist determines polycystic ovary syndrome as the cause of the delay in menstruation, he will prescribe a course of oral hormonal contraceptives, which helps regulate the menstrual cycle.
- Any inflammatory or tumor disease of the genital organs. In addition to delayed menstruation, inflammatory processes are accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen and uncharacteristic discharge. They must be treated without fail: such diseases are fraught with complications and even the development of infertility.
- Corpus luteum cyst of the ovary. To get rid of it and restore the menstrual cycle, the gynecologist prescribes a course of hormonal medications.
- Postpartum period. At this time, the pituitary gland produces the hormone prolactin, which regulates the production of breast milk and inhibits the cyclic functioning of the ovaries. If there is no breastfeeding after childbirth, menstruation should occur in approximately 2 months. If lactation improves, then menstruation, as a rule, returns after its completion.
- Artificial termination of pregnancy. In this case, a delay in menstruation is common, but not normal. In addition to a sharp change in hormonal levels, its causes can be mechanical injuries, the presence of which only a doctor can determine.
A malfunction of the thyroid gland also provokes irregular menstruation. This is due to the fact that thyroid hormones affect metabolism. With their excess or deficiency, the menstrual cycle is also disrupted.
Elevated levels of thyroid hormones are characterized by:
- decrease in body weight;
- increased heart rate;
- excessive sweating;
- unstable emotional background;
- sleep problems.
With a lack of thyroid hormones, the following symptoms appear:
- weight gain;
- the appearance of swelling;
- constant desire to sleep;
- causeless hair loss.
If there is a suspicion that a delay in menstruation is caused by a malfunction of the thyroid gland, you should consult an endocrinologist.
Taking certain medications can also cause a delay in menstruation. The main ones:
- Oral hormonal contraceptives are the most common drug-related cause of menstrual irregularities. The norm is a delay in menstruation during a break in their use or when taking inactive medications.
- Emergency contraceptives can cause absence of menstruation for 5 to 10 days, which is due to the high content of hormones in them.
- Chemotherapeutic agents used in the treatment of oncology.
- Antidepressants.
- Corticosteroid hormones.
- Calcium channel blockers prescribed for the treatment of hypertension.
- Omeprazole for treating stomach ulcers causes a side effect in the form of a delay in menstruation.
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Between the ages of 45 and 55, most women enter menopause. This is evidenced by the absence of menstruation for a year or more. But menopause never occurs suddenly: for several years before this, irregular menstruation and frequent delays are observed.
There are some other signs that menopause is approaching:
- insomnia;
- dryness of the vaginal mucosa;
- increased night sweats;
- unstable emotional background;
- hot flashes.
What are the types of delay?
Usually delays are divided by their duration. If a woman takes contraceptives, her period may be delayed for up to two weeks. The same is true when taking medications containing progesterone: the delay can last about a week.
If a woman is pregnant, white discharge is observed. They are usually a defense mechanism against the entry of various microorganisms. If brown discharge occurs, you should immediately contact a gynecologist, as a miscarriage is possible.
With diseases associated with the genitourinary system, menstruation may be delayed. Usually there is a brownish discharge with a sour odor. All this is accompanied by severe nagging pain in the lower abdomen.
If your periods are delayed for a long time, you should think about diseases of the genital or internal organs. You can distinguish: inflammation, cyst, erosion and many others.
If there are no periods for more than two months, inflammatory processes of the pituitary gland, adrenal glands, hypothalamus or pancreas are possible. Because of this, female hormones are produced in insufficient quantities, which has a negative impact on the maturation of the ovaries.
Symptoms for various disorders
To highlight the main signs of disorders, you need to know how long your periods normally last. They should last no more than 1 week, with copious bleeding possible only in the first days. If the regulation goes longer than expected, and blood loss reaches 150 ml, you should definitely see a doctor.
The main symptoms of disorders include:
- Pain in the lower abdomen and pelvic area;
- Heavy or scanty menstruation;
- The appearance of atypical discharge;
- Intermenstrual bleeding;
- Increased body temperature.
Regulations that last for more than 2 weeks in increased quantities are dangerous to a woman’s health. Sometimes they are difficult to distinguish from uterine bleeding, so the patient needs urgent diagnosis. Only after this the doctor will make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment.
Pregnancy
The main reason for delayed menstruation in adult women with a normally functioning reproductive system is pregnancy. This may be evidenced by the following symptoms: constant drowsiness, chronic fatigue, severe chest pain and other equally unpleasant symptoms.
If there is a delay, you can determine whether the uterus is fertilized or not using special tests. Their operating principle is the same: the amount of hCG hormone is measured in the urine, which takes effect and begins to be actively produced a week after the fertilization of the egg.
https://youtu.be/C2U1POteu8k
Negative pregnancy test and missed period: what is the relationship?
At the first sign of a missed period, women run to the pharmacy for a test. But what if the test shows a negative result? In this case, you feel discomfort in the lower abdomen.
Sometimes tests can be wrong. This is caused by non-compliance with instructions or low-quality products. Many tests may be incorrect if you have kidney failure or other conditions. The integrity of the packaging and the expiration date of the test may affect the result. Late ovulation can also cause an error. For greater accuracy of the test, you should do it during morning urination.
Normal delay in menstruation
The delay in regular discharge in a healthy adult woman can last up to a week. In older women, with major changes in the body caused by menopause, this phenomenon can be observed for about half a month. After the first sexual intercourse, a delay of two to four days is considered normal.
What other reasons are there for the delay?
In the worst case, the absence of menstruation may be evidence of serious illnesses:
- swelling or inflammation of the reproductive organs, which are accompanied by atypical discharge and sharp pain in the lower abdomen;
- hormonal imbalance, which can cause polycystic ovary syndrome;
- ovarian corpus luteum cyst;
- abortion;
- ectopic or frozen pregnancy;
- diseases associated with sudden weight loss.
Abortion
It is worth paying special attention to the fact that after a forced termination of pregnancy occurs, almost every woman’s critical days are restored at different times. This is significantly influenced by the individual characteristics of the body of the fairer sex, as well as the timing and method of abortion.
If the operation is successful, your periods should resume after a month.
The relationship between breastfeeding and delay
For mothers, the return of their periods depends on how long it takes to produce breast milk. If for some reason the natural process of lactation does not occur, then the cycle should resume a month after birth.
Two months should be considered an acceptable delay period. It may take several years for the cycle to completely normalize. In order to approximately calculate the recovery time, you should consider:
- type of feeding;
- regularity of feeding.
If feeding occurs regularly, then the process of returning critical days can take almost a whole year. With a mixed type, the reproductive system begins to function normally within a few months after birth.
Causes of menstrual cycle disruption
The reasons for slight delays in menstruation (up to a week) are mostly completely harmless. However, if there are no periods for 3 months or more, then the cause of such a failure may be very serious gynecological diseases (if pregnancy is excluded).
Regulators of menstrual function are the cerebral cortex, endocrine glands, which are located precisely in the brain, and the genitals. All of the above organs are interconnected and a malfunction of one of them inevitably entails a delay in subsequent menstruation.
Another of the most common reasons that provokes a delay of menstruation for 3 months is a malfunction of the endocrine system. If a woman has thyroid disease or abnormalities in the functioning of the endocrine system as a whole. The gynecologist is obliged to exclude in advance the possibility of work pathologies: the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, ovaries, etc.
Such a long-term delay in medicine has its own name - amenorrhea. If a pregnancy test shows a negative result, but your period has not started, you urgently need to make an appointment with your doctor.
If you receive positive results from hCG tests and a pregnancy test, an urgent trip to the doctor and a detailed examination is also necessary. Such methods are used to exclude a possible ectopic pregnancy that is too dangerous for the woman’s health.
There are cases when, after receiving a positive test result, discomfort or pain appears in the lower abdomen, which is accompanied by bloody spotting. Such symptoms may signal a premature termination of pregnancy (miscarriage). In this case, you will also need the intervention of a gynecologist and as quickly as possible to prevent intoxication of the body and other complications.
Regular and painless periods in a woman indicate her health. Therefore, if regular delays in the menstrual cycle occur or menstruation does not occur at all, this indicates serious problems in the functioning of the female body.
The absence of menstruation (amenorrhea) is most often associated by doctors with natural physiological processes. An inappropriate lifestyle, heavy physical work, stress, or simply the onset of menopause can cause the absence of menstruation.
Amenorrhea is not just a delay, but a prolonged or complete absence of menstruation. If there are no periods for 3 months, then doctors confidently call this pathology amenorrhea. This disease is divided into two types: primary and secondary.
Primary (adolescent), diagnosed in young girls who have not had menstruation before the age of 16.
Secondary is diagnosed during a prolonged delay, after menstruation has already occurred at least a couple of times.
Why do long delays happen? Those who do not know all the nuances of how the female body works should be concerned, and they are as follows:
- Amenorrhea, developed when the female body enters the menopausal phase, is also considered to be a physiological component. This can happen upon reaching 45–50 years of age and should not cause concern to a woman;
- hormonal disruptions that occur during frequent stressful situations: strong worries and experiences associated with life events of a personal or social nature. They are also capable of delaying menstruation for three months. Amenorrhea of a psychogenic nature recedes after mental balance is restored;
- postpartum delay of menstruation is a normal phenomenon for every woman in labor, which can easily be explained from a physiological point of view. After childbirth, the female body begins to produce the hormone prolactin, which helps to prepare for long-term lactation, which delays the onset of menstruation until the time when the mother stops breastfeeding. In cases where a woman does not breastfeed her baby or has not breastfed him for long, the menstrual cycle may improve during the third month after birth.
But there are still exceptions, when there are no periods for 3 months, and the woman is not pregnant, is not breastfeeding, is not subjected to excessive nervous stress and has not yet reached the age when menopause should occur, but there are still no periods. What could be the problem in this case?
The following list of seemingly completely unrelated things can also have a strong impact on the delay of menstruation:
a large number of representatives of the fairer sex, who are very worried about problematic excess weight, simply exhaust their bodies with cruel diets and constant malnutrition. Such an irresponsible attitude can provoke the occurrence of amenorrhea, and a lack of nutrients and a complex of vitamins necessary for the normal functioning of the body and its subsequent vital activity will immediately affect the regularity of the menstrual cycle;
Victims of a long delay in menstruation include women who are forced to work hard physically. Professional female athletes can also be considered this risk factor.
If for any reason you are taking hormonal medications, they can also cause a delay of menstruation for 3 months. Disruptions in the menstrual cycle may continue for two months after you stop taking the pills. In this case, you just need to wait and the process should normalize.
When is the best time to see a doctor?
If your period is not observed within a week, then you should go to the clinic. The gynecologist may conduct a general examination or prescribe additional tests.
Conducting a survey
In addition to the standard examination by a gynecologist, the following studies are carried out:
- basal temperature measurements;
- blood analysis;
- ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs;
- MRI of the brain.
What diseases can occur?
Constant delays are the first signs of dangerous pathological diseases in the fairer sex. For example, these could be ovarian diseases or uterine anomalies.
Diseases of the blood, chest, epilepsy or mental disorders have a huge impact on the frequency of discharge during menstrual periods.
Folk remedies
In order to restore the cycle, you can use tips that have been proven over the years:
- Making settings from rosehip, nettle or oregano. The products can be purchased at any pharmacy. Take a few teaspoons of the herb, pour boiling water over it and leave for a while.
- A decoction of onion peels, which must be boiled for half an hour.
- Ginger decoction.
- To improve the functioning of the nervous system, make a decoction of angelica.
- To improve the functioning of the heart and uterus, take motherwort.
- White peony improves blood circulation.
- Including celery in your diet.
- Bathing in hot water and using heating pads.
- Vitamin C intake.
How to get your period back and is it possible to do it?
In order to stimulate menstruation, you need to be constantly under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs for restoring the menstrual cycle contain high levels of hormones. Therefore, you should take them carefully so as not to cause major complications and deterioration of your health.