Do you also experience that "mini heart attack" when you missed your monthly menstruation? Are you 7 days late on your period but you don't have any pregnancy symptoms? Here are the possible answers for you.
Waiting for your monthly period might be stressful especially if you are sexually active and don't use any contraception with your hubby. It will be hard for you to think about whether you have a growing baby inside your tummy and you might be overthinking right now.
According to the OB-GYN, Doctor Karen Carlson,
"There are many reasons why a woman's period can be late, ranging from common hormonal imbalances to stress to pregnancy.
Additionally, it is quite common to have late cycles both right after a teen begins having periods and when a woman is about to end or near menopause."
To ease what you are feeling, pregnancy is not always the reason why your period is late. Yes, you do not always have to take a pregnancy test kit. To save time and effort for you, we listed the different reasons why women miss their period:
Reasons why women missed their period except for pregnancy
1. You have birth control that you are currently taking
Women who take birth control often missed their period, especially those who are taking hormonal birth control. Some of these are intrauterine devices or IUDs and the Depo-Provera shot. This can be the reason why you are 7 days late on your period but you do not have any pregnancy symptoms.
However, experts say that there are no proven contraceptives that can prevent pregnancy at a 100% rate.
2. You are stressed
Are you feeling stressed and having headaches? Or having a hard time managing your daily tasks? You might be stressed out.
Every person has a unique way on how they manage their stress. Some can handle this as easy as eating a piece of cake, while others may take this as a large rock choking on them. This is why stress can have an effect on the menstrual period and can be also highly subjective.
One thing is for sure here, researchers say that emotional distress has an impact on the brain where the pituitary gland is being controlled. This region is where the hormone is being regulated which stimulates the person's ovaries.
That is why stress might be the reason why your period is late.
3. You might be losing or gaining some weight
Losing or gaining some weight can also be the reason why you are 7 days late on your period but you do not have any pregnancy symptoms. According to experts, anorexia and severe weight loss can be the reason why the regulation of ovaries changes.
This is because it can shut down the production of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) by the brain's hypothalamus.
4. You are now in your perimenopause stage
Most women experience menopause at the age of 45 to 50 years old. Before they go to this stage, they often go through a transitional period. This transition period is called "perimenopause."
This time, your ovulation becomes unpredictable which is why your periods may change from longer to shorter days or vice versa. If you normally get your menstrual cycles within 28 days, perimenopause can cause you to have it within 36 to 48 days.
If ever your period stops at the age of 45 and below, there is a big possibility that you are going through your menopause earlier or even premature ovarian failure.
You can also expect to experience light to heavy flow during perimenopause.
5. You have a Polycystic Ovary Syndrome or (PCOS)
People with polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS often experience a late to missed period. Additional follicles due to PCOS are the main reason why your menstrual cycle takes longer.
Usually, there are five follicles in your ovary that develops. These dominant follicles will release a mature egg at ovulation. So if you have PCOS, the egg can be released later. If your ovary does not release an egg you will miss your period.
Other symptoms of PCOS that you should take a look at are:
- Weight gain
- Increased levels of the androgenic hormone or testosterone
- Oily skin or acne
- Excessive hair growth usually on your face, chest, buttocks, or back
- Thinning of hair or hair loss
- Can not get pregnant
How can you know if your period is already late
It's simple to forget when to expect the beginning of your period when you're busy or simply have a lot on your plate. It may be difficult to see when your period appears late if you do not even know when to expect it.
There is a lot of period tracking apps out there, that can be beneficial. By using dates from your normal menstrual cycles, these apps can forecast when you can expect your period.
If you miss your period and must visit your doctor, this information can also be very valuable. Understanding your cycle can assist them in better understanding what's going on within your body.
Should you be worried about a 7-day late period?
Still worried about your period being 7 days late but you do not have any symptoms of pregnancy?
How late can a period be? Everyone has a different cycle. Healthy cycles can last somewhere between 21 and 35 days, and the length of a cycle can vary from cycle to cycle.
You probably know at least a general timeline for when your next period will arrive, barring any medical conditions that cause you to have irregular cycles.
If a period does not always begin within seven days of when you expect it, it's considered to be late. By the moment your period is past due, the majority of pregnancy tests can deliver accurate information.
You may want to talk to your physician to understand what to do if you receive a negative pregnancy test after missing a cycle and your menstrual period is more than a week late.
When to visit your doctor?
A number of variables might affect you when you regularly experience late periods, thus the cause of a late period every so often might not be apparent. Nevertheless, if it happens frequently or you have other symptoms, consult a healthcare professional.
If you are not able to determine the cause of a late period, schedule a visit with your doctor; doctors might need to rule out whatever underlying medical issues. It's also crucial to remember that vaginal bleeding after a skipped period may not be your regular monthly visitor.
Here at theAsianparent Philippines, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advise or medical treatment. theAsianparent Philippines is not responsible to those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend to consult your doctor for clearer information.