- Pregnancy- You’ll first want to rule out pregnancy by taking a test. Most home tests detect a pregnancy around the time a woman misses her period. For free pregnancy testing, make an appointment at Alternatives Medical Clinic.
- Stress- When you experience any type of stress, your brain may send your body into preservation mode and your period could temporarily stop.
- Breastfeeding- If you’re breastfeeding, your period may be irregular. However, be aware that you can still get pregnant again even while breastfeeding.
- Medications- Medications such as antidepressants, blood pressure medications, or allergy medications could alter your period. If a doctor recently prescribed these to you, make sure you ask questions about how the medication could affect your period.
- Low Body Weight- Women who experience rapid weight loss or have a low body weight could miss a period. If you’re concerned about your weight, speak to your healthcare provider.
- Medical Conditions- Conditions that affect the hypothalamus, pituitary, or thyroid could cause an irregular period.
- Gynecological Conditions- Some women who have a history of a cesarean section, a Dilation and curettage (D&C), or surgery for uterine fibroids could develop uterine scar tissue that could cause irregular periods. Also, some women who have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) experience irregular periods.
- Menopause- Around age 50, women’s bodies begin to change as they go through menopause and stop having periods. Early menopause can begin around age 40.
- Hormonal Birth Control- Hormonal birth control alters a woman’s cycle, and so sometimes she’ll miss a period. Make sure you talk to your doctor about what to expect. With some birth control, women should continue having a period.
- The Morning After Pill– Using emergency contraception could delay your period by a week or two.
Possible Causes for a Late Period with a Negative Pregnancy Test
If you’ve missed a period and don’t want to be pregnant, you may feel a little frantic. But, what if you’ve missed a period and you have a negative pregnancy test? Even if your negative pregnancy test brings relief, you may still have a lot of questions. Should you take another test? Why is your period still missing? Should you call a doctor?
Other than pregnancy, a variety of things could cause you to miss your period. So, take a deep breath and let’s talk about some of the possible causes.
What can cause a missed period?
Many women miss their periods. One in twenty-five women experience amenorrhea (a missing period for three months or more) in their lifetime. Even though it’s common, you’ll still want to explore possible causes: