Menstruation Period, Late or Missed Period and Change Menstrual Cycle

Menstruation period may vary from one woman to another, it all depends on the body conditions and also can be hereditary. However, periods do occur once in a month. Though regular period is preferable but in rare cases there are women who have irregular periods and they have successfully adjusted to it. A missing period is a very common occurrence, in women of all ages the world over. In some women, it could be a one off occurrence of a missed menstrual period. Some women end up missing their period for 2 months, if they are going through any lifestyle changes. However, there are several women who have a long term problem with an irregular menstrual cycle, where they may end up missing their periods quite frequently. When a woman is sexually active, it is only natural for her to chalk down her missed period causes to either pregnancy or the contraceptive method she is using. Women who are not sexually active, generally tend to ask their doctors “what can cause a missed period besides pregnancy?” It is important for all women to realize that there are several other factors that could cause them to experience irregularities in their menstrual cycle causing certain menstrual cycle symptoms.

The menstrual period normally lasts for two to seven days but generally three to five days is more common. The menstruation cycle is generally 28 days long but depending on the age and body conditioning it may vary from 23 days to 35 days. Once the period has occurred there is a gap of about three weeks till the next period occurs.

What can cause a missed period?

Most women tend to get all worked up when they miss their period, unless they are trying to get pregnant. There could many other missed period causes considering the face that the woman is not pregnant. However, apart from birth control and pregnancy, there are several other factors that can affect a woman’s system, thereby causing her to miss her period. It is quite common for women to experience missing periods due to stress, obesity, being underweight, lack of a healthy diet, an illness, use of certain medication or steroids, exercising strenuously, changes in schedules, menopause and peri-menopause. At times, a missed period could also be an indication of more serious health problems, such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), inflammation of the uterus, cervical infections or even tumors. Hence, as soon as any of the missed menstrual cycle symptoms are seen, it is important that the woman consults a doctor.

Menstrual Cycle Symptoms

There are quite a few women who do not really keep a track of their due date, but rely on menstrual cycle symptoms like bloating, breast tenderness, weight gain, cramping, loss of appetite, backaches, pain in the abdomen, decreased activity levels, lack of energy, water retention, sleeping problems and so on, to let them know that their period is due. What could cause a woman to get worried is experiencing menstrual cycle symptoms but no bleeding or period. Therefore, when this happens more than once, it is best to have a physical checkup done in order to identify the cause of the problem, so that it can be treated without any delay. The age of menstruation varies from 8 years to 16 years in females but generally the age 12 is considered to be the average menstruation age. Menstrual cycle also varies from girls to girls; some girls may have 28 days menstrual cycle, some may have 30 days menstrual cycle while others may have 35 day cycle. The body requires time to adjust itself to the changes which are taking place; this is one of the major reasons why during the initial years of menstruation, irregular menstrual period becomes a norm.

So a girl may have 30 day cycle for two months and then the next month she may have a 28 day cycle. However in due course of time the menstrual period becomes regular while in some rare cases the irregularity may continue. But the body adjusts itself to this uniqueness. The period may continue up to the age of menopause which is generally 51. In many cases during period physical and emotional reactions such as tiredness, irritability, depression, mood swings, headaches, menstrual or abdominal pain occurs.

Treatment of Missed Period

Missed period causes might not always include the fact that the woman is pregnant or due to birth control. Soon after a woman who is sexually active misses her period, it is important for her to take a pregnancy test, to rule out the possibility of a pregnancy. Once it is confirmed that she is not pregnant, she could consult a doctor to identify the problem and address it directly. While there are herbs, injections and medicines to induce periods, most women prefer incorporating long term dietary and lifestyle changes, so that they can regularize their menstrual cycle in the future.

• Maintenance of proper body weight is very important for proper overall health. Hence, women are advised to follow a healthy diet, which is high in fresh fruit, vegetables, grains and cereal and also contains the adequate amount of dairy, meat and eggs. Foods that are high in fat, sugar and sodium should be avoided as much as possible.

• It is also beneficial for the woman to work out for 30 to 45 minutes a day. While it is alright to exercise for a longer period of time, it should not be overdone.

• In case of missed period due to stress, doctors usually advise women to practice relaxation techniques, like yoga, deep breathing, massage therapy, and so on.

• Women who are undergoing treatment for a particular illness or are on any type of medication should also keep the doctor informed about their problem, so that alternate treatment options can be adopted if necessary.