Causes of missed periods

Causes of missed periods.

missed periods

If you get a negative pregnancy test the result then still you missed your periods then there are several other causes of missed periods some of them are.

• Microadenoma of the pituitary gland
• Thyroid problem
• Hormonal imbalance in the body
• Medication
• Stress
• Heavy exercise
• Menopause
• Breastfeeding
• PCOS / PCOD
• Ectopic pregnancy
• Low body weight
• Improper sleep schedule

If you are young, healthy and mated (having sex) before some days or weeks and you missed your periods then there is a chance of being pregnant bit still these may be the causes of missed periods.

1)Microadenoma of the pituitary gland.

Microadenoma

Pituitary tumors are abnormal growths that develop in your pituitary gland. Some pituitary tumors can cause your pituitary gland to produce lower levels of hormones.
If the tumor causes more compression on the pituitary gland then in the case of the pre-menopausal women, non-functioning pituitary adenomas can cause menstrual periods to become irregular or stop completely and can cause infertility.

2)The thyroid problem may causes missed periods.

photo showing thyroid

Your thyroid helps control your menstrual cycles it affects ovulation. This can make it harder for you to get pregnant. Too much or too little thyroid hormone can make your periods very light, heavy, or irregular. Thyroid disease also can cause your periods to stop for several months or longer, a condition called amenorrhea. If your body’s immune system causes thyroid disease, other glands, including your ovaries, may be involved. This can lead to early menopause (before age 40).
Thyroid problems during pregnancy can cause health problems for the mother and the baby.

3)hormonal imbalance in the body may causes missed periods.

hormonal imbalance can cause several problems in the body.

Hormones regulate appetite and metabolism, sleep cycles, heart rate, sexual function, mood, stress levels, and body temperature. Women may experience imbalances in insulin, cortisol, thyroxin, androgens, estrogen and progesterone levels, etc because of her improper daily routine like sleep, food, etc. If the hormonal imbalance is not treated on time it can lead to decreased sexual desire & infertility.
some other effects of hormonal imbalance are mood swings, acne of the face, sweating, hair loss.

4)Medication may causes missed periods.

Intrauterine devices and pills

Birth control pills or hormonal IUDs(intrauterine devices) typically make your periods lighter, shorter, and more regular.

• Warfarin (Coumadin)– If you take this and your menstrual flow is extremely heavy or you bleed in between your periods. this medicine is prescribed to prevent blood clots.
• Anticancer drugs can also cause some alteration in the regular menstrual cycle.
• Women who have epilepsy and take anti-epilepsy drugs have shown that many have missed or irregular periods.
• Medicine like antidepressants can also cause menstrual disorders like painful cramps, heavy bleeding, or missed periods as side effects.
• Aspirin and NSAIDs-if you take aspirin regularly, you may notice that your periods are heavier or longer than usual. It is prescribed after a heart attack or stroke, which can happen if a blood vessel becomes blocked by a clot.
• One drug people take to treat hypothyroidism is called levothyroxine. It can cause changes in your period.
• Painkillers such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which include ibuprofen and naproxen, also affect periods. They can make the flow lighter during your period.

5)Stress may causes missed periods.

tension and stress can affect the body in several ways

Stress affects our hypothalamus(part of the brain) which Produces Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH), interfering with ovulation and regular menstruation. Sometimes it may take a few months or more for your cycles to become regular again.
Excessive levels of stress, whether physical or mental, can be detrimental to your health. One of the effects of stress is a spike in cortisol, sometimes called “the stress hormone.”
Progesterone prepares the uterus for fertilization by thickening the uterine lining, or endometrium. If fertilization does not occur, your progesterone levels drop, and you get your period. If your progesterone levels were too low to complete this phase of the menstrual cycle, your period might be delayed.
To get rid of this practice yoga and Cut back on caffeine and alcohol.

6)Heavy exercise 

 heavy exercise can affect the body in several ways

Don’t worry about exercise causing you to miss your cycle if you work out for one or two hours per day. The irregular cycle is seen only when women do heavy exercise for hours and hours every day to produces these hormonal changes. Missing periods due to excessive exercise is called exercise-associated amenorrhea.
excessive exercising could lead to lower levels of estrogen, this leads to irregular periods. some woman misses periods even more than 6 months.

6)Menopause may causes missed periods.

menopause leads to several changes in body

Perimenopause—the first stage of menopause—you may notice your periods occur more infrequently. The decrease in periods is caused by a decrease in the estrogen hormone. This means your egg supply is winding down, and the result will be missed periods and eventually the end of menstruation. This is seen mostly in the woman having age 45+.

7)Breastfeeding may causes missed periods.

mom nourishing baby

A woman may not have periods at all or you may have infrequent or very light periods when breastfeeding, particularly if breastfeeding provides your baby with all or almost all of his or her caloric intake.

{NOTE:-} Many women believe that breastfeeding is a form of birth control, but it’s is not. Even if you don’t have periods when you are breastfeeding, you can get pregnant, so use another form of birth control if you are not ready for another little one.

The symptoms of perimenopause include:

• irregular periods
• heavier or lighter periods
• hot flashes
• problems sleeping
• mood swings or irritability
• vaginal dryness
• less interest in sex

8)PCOS(Polycystic ovary syndrome).

Polycystic ovary syndrome

It is a hormonal disorder common among women of reproductive age. Women with PCOS have regular periods, high levels of androgens (‘male’ hormones) and excess insulin can disrupt the monthly cycle of ovulation and menstruation. In PCOS ovaries may develop numerous small collections of fluid (follicles) and fail to regularly release eggs. For a woman, it is necessary to have at least 4 cycles in a year.

 An ‘irregular’ period cycle is defined as either.

1} Eight or fewer menstrual cycles per year.
2} Menstrual cycles are longer than 35 days.

Signs and symptoms of PCOS

• Irregular periods.
• Excess androgen.
• Polycystic ovaries.
• Facial hairs.

9)Ectopic pregnancy.

Blue dots showing the site of implantation(ectopic pregnancy)

An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants outside the uterus (womb) like it may attach to the fallopian tube, abdominal cavity, or cervix. An untreated ectopic pregnancy can be a medical emergency.risk of complications from the ectopic pregnancy, increases your chances for future, healthy pregnancies, and reduces future health complications.

Signs and symptoms.

• vaginal bleeding
• lower left or right side abdominal (stomach) pain
• feeling light-headed or faint.
• inflammation and scarring of the fallopean tubes
• birth defects
• Nausea and vomiting with pain
• Sharp abdominal cramps
• Pain on one side of your body
• Dizziness or weakness
• Pain in your shoulder, neck, or rectum

9)low body weight.

Excessively low body weight — about 10 percent under normal weight — interrupts many hormonal functions in your body, potentially halting ovulation. Women who have an eating disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia, often stop having periods because of these abnormal hormonal changes. The more weight you lose and the faster you lose it, the more likely your period will be affected.

10)Improper sleep schedule.

sleeplessness

Lack of sleep can disrupt our body’s circadian rhythm (internal body clock) which controls a variety of biological functions including menstrual cycles.

A variety of hormones, including melatonin, cortisol, TSH and Prolactin vary across the 24 hr in a day and are highly regulated by the circadian rhythm. All these hormones directly or indirectly affect menstruation.

 In any of these cases consult a doctor so that you can live a healthy life.

because being healthy is everyone’s right.