8 Reasons Your Period Is Late But You’re Not Pregnant

A delayed period is the first real indication that you may be pregnant. But there are cases where menstruation is skipped without being pregnant.

A menstrual delay can be a problem for various reasons, not only because it can worry those who are not looking for a pregnancy, but it also creates further stress for those who want that pregnancy but, despite the delay, do not get a positive test.

Let’s first of all clarify what a menstrual cycle delay is.

What does menstruation delay mean?

A delay is defined as when more than 16 days have passed since ovulation has been ascertained (attention when we say ascertained we do not mean with the use of calculators , but verified with the observation of ovulatory symptoms, by positive ovulation tests , or by monitoring the menstrual cycle with basal body temperature ).

Many times a delay is not such as either you didn’t ovulate or you ovulated much later than usual, and consequently your period is also delayed.

Remember that menstruation always comes 12-16 days after ovulation. If you ovulate late, your periods will also move forward.

Excluding pregnancy (to exclude it, just take a normal pregnancy test with the first pee in the morning, from the first day of delay), there are various reasons why menstruation does not arrive, let’s see which ones.

1. Too much exercise

Moderate exercise is good for your health, but too much exercise can have short-term negative effects. If the body is over-exercised, it fails to produce enough estrogen to be able to sustain the normal menstrual cycle, resulting in high or missing periods.

Gymnasts, professional athletes, and dancers are at increased risk of hormonal imbalances resulting in amenorrhea , which is defined as the absence of three consecutive menstrual cycles.

2. Weight (too much or too little)

A drastic change in weight, such as being too underweight or overweight, can cause hormonal imbalances and lead to the absence of ovulation and therefore no menstruation.

See also: How weight affects male and female fertility 

Weight loss, very low calorie intake, and being underweight make the body unable to synthesize needed estrogen. This also happens in the presence of eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia nervosa.

Being overweight can also prevent a regular menstrual cycle, but in this case it is due to the body producing too much estrogen . This leads to overgrowth of the endometrial lining, which initially results in very heavy periods, but could eventually lead to amenorrhea as well.

3. Stress

Stress is a very common condition but in some situations it can lead to the absence of menstruation. Why?

Stress from an emotional condition, or problems at work, or a troubled family life can cause a condition called hypothalamic amenorrhea (AFI). It is a form of chronic anovulation with no identifiable organic cause associated with stress, weight loss, excessive exercise, or a combination thereof.

This can cause late or no periods.

4. Indisposition

A simple ailment such as a cold or something more serious could actually temporarily prevent you from ovulating and therefore from having regular periods. In fact, the body may have to decide which functions are most important to sustain until it is well.

This in a sense means that the body temporarily “sacrifices” the menstrual cycle to fight off infections and keep itself as healthy as possible.

5. A change in lifestyle

Changing lifestyle can cause stress, but not only. Moving house, changing hours at work, traveling or waking up earlier can lead to alterations in the menstrual cycle. These changes can in fact interfere with a woman’s biological clock, which helps regulate her hormones .

This usually causes, if it does, only an altered cycle (perhaps the skipping of a single menstrual period), since once the body has become accustomed to the new situation (our body has a great ability to adapt), the cycle menstruation will return to normal.

6. Medicines

One of the most common reasons for having one or more menstrual cycles disrupted is the use of medications, especially contraceptives. Some hormonal contraceptives, such as the pill, work by preventing the body from ovulating. You will have regular blood losses which in the long run can also be greatly reduced. Once you stop taking it, your cycles may struggle to get back to regular right away.

Other drugs that can block or delay a period are antidepressants, chemotherapy drugs and antipsychotics.

7. Polycystic ovary syndrome

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a condition that affects how well the ovaries work. Polycystic ovaries contain a large number of follicles which, however, do not mature and do not release oocytes. Many women suffering from PCOS have non-ovulatory cycles.

8. Early menopause

Some women may experience early menopause (click on the link to read the endocrinologist’s insight)  which will prevent them from having a period for the rest of their lives. Premature menopause is defined as when a woman is no longer fertile before the age of 40.