A study carried out among Zagazig University students in Egypt revealed that 7.8 percent of women continued to have irregular periods beyond the first year after menarche. The study took into account 283 questionnaires. The study findings were published in the Middle East Fertility Society Journal in September 2015. Any abnormality in your menses might be a result of abnormal bodily functions. Normal menses are one of the most important indicators of a healthy female body. The menstrual cycle not only includes the discharge of unfertilized eggs and the uterine lining, but also includes the release of important female hormones.
Causes of DelayThe first thing that might come to your mind in case of a delay of menses is pregnancy. However, if you are unmarried, then this may send you into a state of panic and confusion as pregnancy is out of the question. Apart from the inevitable cause of pregnancy, there are many other reasons that can cause a delay in your periods. Here are some of them.
Causes of DelayThe first thing that might come to your mind in case of a delay of menses is pregnancy. However, if you are unmarried, then this may send you into a state of panic and confusion as pregnancy is out of the question. Apart from the inevitable cause of pregnancy, there are many other reasons that can cause a delay in your periods. Here are some of them.
- Stress – This is the most common cause that can affect the workings of your reproductive system. When you are stressed, the body increases the supply of blood to the lungs and muscles, while it may shut down some bodily functions, including your reproductive system, temporarily until you are mentally and physically out of stress.
- Sickness – In case you have been sick at the time of ovulation, even if it is was a common cold, chances are that your periods might be delayed or even skipped. Things will return to normal as soon as you resume sound health.
- Eating Disorder and Weight Issues – Being both underweight and overweight affects the release of estrogen, which is responsible for ovulation. Being underweight may delay the release of estrogen and thus delay your periods. On the other hand, in case you are overweight, the body releases too much estrogen, which may result in heavy and irregular periods, as you can go for months without ovulating.
- Exercise – Excessive physical activity, especially when you are trying to lose weight and the exercise is coupled with a restricted diet, may hinder the completion of your monthly cycle. Athletic women may experience a delay in their menses and are at a higher risk of missing one as well.
- PCOS or Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome – This is a reproductive disorder during which your body produces high levels of male hormones and affects the production of other female hormones, which in turn affects your periods.
- Thyroid Disorder – Abnormalities in the thyroid gland can affect your menstrual cycle. Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism affect your periods and blood flow.