Reasons For a Missed Period, Other Than Pregnancy

When you’ve missed your period and don’t want to be pregnant, it seems like the whole world comes crashing down on you. This could change the path you’ve chosen for yourself and it’s normal to have a rush of emotions. Did you know there are reasons for a missed period, other than pregnancy?

At Thrive St. Louis, we know this can be a really hard, stressful time for you. Before you stress, take a good look at the reasons—other than pregnancy—that could cause your period to be late.

Other Than Pregnancy, Reasons You Could Miss Your Period

When your period is late, it’s possible you aren’t pregnant. Here are some of the reasons that can happen:

Stress or Anxiety: A lot of stress or anxiety—more than usual—can cause ovulation to be delayed and that will delay the date your period is due, but there is no way for you to know this ahead of time.

Weight Loss or Gain: If you have had significant weight loss or weight gain, it can cause you to miss your period.

Wrong Calculation: Maybe you made a mistake when you calculated the date your period was due. Go back to the first day of your last period (when you started bleeding) and using that date as the first day, count forward 28 days. If your cycle is regularly 30 or 32 days or some other number, use that instead of 28.

Irregular Menstrual Cycle: Do you have an irregular menstrual cycle? Do your periods vary in length between, bouncing back and forth, or are they consistently the same number of days apart? If they vary, it will be difficult to judge when you have missed a period.

You’re new to this: If you’ve had your period for less than a year, they are much more likely to be irregular from month to month. This makes it very difficult to know when/if a period is late.

Pre-menopausal: If you are pre-menopausal, then you already know that your periods are somewhat unpredictable. That makes it very difficult to judge if you have a late or missed period.

Come in for a Pregnancy Test

If you don’t think any of those reasons for a late period fit your circumstances, or if your period doesn’t come in a few days,  make an appointment to come see us at Thrive St. Louis Express Women’s Healthcare. We offer no-cost, confidential pregnancy testing and no cost ultrasound if the pregnancy test is positive. The ultrasound will check for viability of the pregnancy and the pregnancy due date.

We know that a positive pregnancy test can be hard news to get, but know that we’re here for you no matter what. Our advocates are kind and compassionate and cultivate a non-judgmental environment. They’ll give you critical information so YOU can decide which path is best for your future.