Based on your answers, you may be able to take care of this problem at home. Many prescription and nonprescription medicines can affect the menstrual cycle. A few examples are:. Based on your answers, you may need care soon. The problem probably will not get better without medical care. Based on your answers, you may need care right away. The problem is likely to get worse without medical care. Sometimes people don't want to call They may think that their symptoms aren't serious or that they can just get someone else to drive them.
Or they might be concerned about the cost. But based on your answers, the safest and quickest way for you to get the care you need is to call for medical transport to the hospital. There is no home treatment for missed or irregular periods. But the following information may help you find the cause of your missed or irregular periods:. Do a home pregnancy test if you have had sex since your last period.
If the result is positive, practice the following good health habits until you see your doctor:. If the home pregnancy test is negative but you continue to have pregnancy symptoms, it is a good idea to see your doctor to confirm the results. Practice good health habits until you see your doctor.
Call your doctor if any of the following occur during home treatment:. If you participate in endurance sports , you may miss periods or stop menstruating. Eat a healthy, balanced diet, and keep track of your periods. Tell your doctor about any changes in your menstrual periods.
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment. You can help your doctor diagnose and treat your condition by being prepared to answer the following questions:. Blahd Jr. Author: Healthwise Staff. Medical Review: William H. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor.
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Topic Overview Most women have between 11 and 13 menstrual periods each year. If you are not pregnant, other causes of missed or irregular periods include: Excessive weight loss or gain. Although low body weight is a common cause of missed or irregular periods, obesity also can cause menstrual problems. Eating disorders, such as anorexia or bulimia. For more information, see the topic Anorexia Nervosa or Bulimia Nervosa.
Increased exercise. Missed periods are common in endurance athletes. Emotional stress. Medicines such as birth control methods, which may cause lighter, less frequent, more frequent, or skipped periods or no periods at all.
Hormone problems. This may cause a change in the levels of the hormones that the body needs to support menstruation. Illegal drug use. Problems with the pelvic organs , such as imperforate hymen , polycystic ovary syndrome , or Asherman's syndrome. Many women do not resume regular periods until they have completed breastfeeding. Check Your Symptoms Have you missed any periods, or have your periods been irregular?
Irregular means different than what is normal for you more or less often, longer or shorter, heavier or lighter. How old are you? Less than 15 years. Are you male or female? Why do we ask this question? The medical assessment of symptoms is based on the body parts you have.
If you are transgender or nonbinary, choose the sex that matches the body parts such as ovaries, testes, prostate, breasts, penis, or vagina you now have in the area where you are having symptoms. If you have some organs of both sexes, you may need to go through this triage tool twice once as "male" and once as "female". This will make sure that the tool asks the right questions for you. Are you pregnant? Yes, you know that you're pregnant.
No, you're not pregnant, or you're not sure if you're pregnant. Do you have symptoms of shock? Do you feel lightheaded or dizzy, like you are going to faint? It's normal for some people to feel a little lightheaded when they first stand up. But anything more than that may be serious.
Do you have new pain in your lower belly, pelvis, or genital area that is different than your usual menstrual cramps? How bad is the pain on a scale of 0 to 10, if 0 is no pain and 10 is the worst pain you can imagine? But don't panic — those are rare, and it's much more likely that a missed period is from something significantly less concerning. It's also possible that your medications, such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, and certain oral contraceptives birth control medication , are the cause.
If you're receiving radiation or chemotherapy for cancer treatment — especially in your pelvic area — those can halt your period, too. If it's only been one month, and you're definitely not pregnant, you can still always talk to your provider — but you can probably just sit back and go with the flow.
Pun totally intended. If you have been missing periods and would like to discuss with a physician, call to find a provider near you. Chester County Hospital's Health e-Living Blog offers a regular serving of useful health and lifestyle information for the residents of Chester County, PA and the surrounding region. Health e-Living Blog. You're a day late getting your period.
Then two. Then three. Before We Continue To understand your M-I-A period, let's start with how menstruation normally works. Menopause Menopause is when your period stops completely for at least 12 months. If you're younger, don't rule menopause or perimenopause out just yet. PCOS can have several causes: High levels of insulin the hormone that controls how food is turned to energy in your body Too many androgens male hormones that all women produce in small amounts Family history of PCOS Regardless of the cause, PCOS can interrupt your cycle and cause you to miss periods.
Eating Disorders Eating disorders are diseases that disrupt your eating habits and weight. While there are several types, two that are known to cause hormone issues that affect periods are anorexia and bulimia: Anorexia is when you do not eat enough, causing you to become severely underweight.
When you have anorexia, your body might not produce or circulate enough hormones to cause ovulation. Bulimia is when you binge eat a lot at once and then purge making yourself get rid of the food, often by vomiting or taking laxatives.
Binges usually involve foods that are high in fat and carbohydrates, which can cause high levels of insulin — something that's known to influence ovulation and cause irregular periods. Thyroid or Pituitary Gland Problems The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland at the bottom of your neck. Stress You've heard it before: Stress can actually take a toll on your physical health.
This is because oestrogen levels start to decrease, and ovulation becomes less regular. After the menopause, your periods stop completely. The menopause is a natural part of ageing in women, which usually happens between the ages of 45 and The average age for a woman to reach the menopause is 51 in the UK. However, around 1 in women go through the menopause before the age of This is known as premature menopause or premature ovarian failure.
Polycystic ovaries contain a large number of harmless follicles, which are underdeveloped sacs in which eggs develop. If you have PCOS , these sacs are often unable to release an egg, which means ovulation does not take place. The condition is responsible for as many as 1 in 3 cases of stopped periods. See your GP if you're not pregnant — you've had a negative pregnancy test — and you've missed more than 3 periods in a row. If you're sexually active and you have not taken a pregnancy test, your GP may advise you to take one.
Your GP may recommend waiting to see whether your periods return on their own. In some cases you may need treatment for your periods to return. You should also see your GP if your periods stop before you're 45 or if you're still bleeding when you're over If your GP thinks a medical condition might have caused your periods to stop, they may refer you to a consultant who specialises in the condition.
If test results show a medical condition has caused your periods to stop, you may be offered treatment for your condition. For example, if the cause is PCOS, you may be advised to take the contraceptive pill or tablets containing a hormone called progesterone. Read more about the treatment of PCOS. If the cause is early menopause premature ovarian failure , this means the ovaries no longer function normally. Hormone medicine is usually recommended. Treatments may include the contraceptive pill or hormone replacement therapy HRT.
If you have an overactive thyroid gland, you may be given medication to stop your thyroid producing too many hormones. Read more about treating an overactive thyroid gland.
Page last reviewed: 02 August Next review due: 02 August Stopped or missed periods. Why your periods might stop There are a number of reasons why your periods can stop. The most common reasons are: pregnancy stress sudden weight loss being overweight doing too much exercise taking the contraceptive pill the menopause polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS Periods can also sometimes stop as a result of a medical condition, such as heart disease , uncontrolled diabetes , an overactive thyroid , or premature menopause.
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