Some women have their periods arriving every month like clockwork, and then there are women for whom periods are as unpredictable as a surprise. Almost every woman has lived with the scare of missing their period at least once in their life when their period would be brutally late. While some worry about what is the use of menstrual cups, others start browsing about the possible causes of why their periods are late. Fortunately, late or missed periods necessarily don’t mean pregnancy. They might happen due to a wide range of medical issues and hormonal imbalances. Wondering why your periods are late? Well, we might have some reasons for you!

#1 Stress

This is one of the most common reasons why women experience a delay in their periods. If you are struggling with chronic stress, it can disrupt your daily routine, your hormones and the part of your brain that is responsible for regulating your periods: the hypothalamus. In fact, over time stress can also lead to sudden weight gain or illness which impacts your cycle and causes delays.

#2 Obesity

Living with obesity has many atrocious repercussions and one of them is period irregularities. Obese women suffer from the overabundance of estrogen, which is a key hormone regulating the reproductive cycle. Too much estrogen doesn’t just cause irregularities, it can also lead to stopping your periods altogether.

#3 Low body weight

Just like obesity, having a lower body weight can also cause period irregularities. If you have eating disorders like bulimia or anorexia nervosa, you might face irregularities in your cycle. In fact, losing too much weight can also stop your cycle altogether not having enough body fat can also pause ovulation.

#4 PCOS or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

PCOS is a well-known condition known to be the root cause of period irregularities. In this condition, the female body starts to produce androgen, a male hormone. This hormone imbalance leads to the formation of cells on the ovary which can delay periods or stop them. In fact, due to this condition, other hormones like insulin also become unbalanced, which leads to insulin resistance in the body.

#5 Birth control

Another reason why most women face period irregularities is birth control pills. Typically, birth control pills are known to contain estrogen and progestin that prevent ovaries from releasing eggs. If you are on birth control pills, it can take nearly 3 months for your menstrual cycle to become consistent once you stop taking the pill. In addition to the pill, other contraceptives like implants can also cause missed periods.

Conclusion

If you feel your periods are late, it might be a good idea to consult your healthcare provider. You can also visit your doctor if you find the bleeding to be lasting more than seven days and if it’s heavier. In fact, if you are scouring the internet for questions like menstrual cup insert, consulting professionals is always a good idea instead of beating behind the bush.