Delayed menstruation: all possible causes

Delayed menstruation is one of the common problems that women voiced when visiting a gynecological office. Women's complaints may be the same, but the reasons for this deviation are very different. In order to consider the most common of them, first you need to turn to the physiology of a woman.

Normal menstrual cycle and delayed menstruation

By the age of 12-14 years, almost every girl begins a menarche - the first menstruation, which can be irregular for 1-2 years. At a young age, this is considered the norm - the body has not yet developed the right amount of hormones. It must be remembered that from this moment the girl can become pregnant and bear a child, even if the menstrual cycle is irregular. If by the time the hormonal background should already be established, menstruation delays continue - it is better to consult a gynecologist to look for the cause.

The intervals from the beginning of one menstruation to another should be the same, normally it is 21-35 days. If the cycle is extended by several days, you should look for the reason, this is already considered a delay. Most often, the menstrual cycle is 28 days (some see this as a connection with the lunar month). The amount of hormones in the body during the month is not the same. Immediately after the onset of menstruation, the level of the hormone estrogen rises, the endometrium in the uterus builds up to provide a fertilized cell with a comfortable development. In parallel, the egg begins to grow and mature.

Ovulation occurs on day 12-14 - a mature egg leaves the ovarian cavity and moves through the fallopian tubes, where fertilization can occur. Thanks to progesterone, a corpus luteum is formed. In some women, the level of progesterone may be insufficient - then there is a risk of miscarriage in the early stages of pregnancy. If fertilization has occurred, then the reason for the delay in menstruation will be pregnancy. Further, the fetus develops in the uterus. In the case when conception does not occur, the level of progesterone and estrogen falls, menstruation begins. If pregnancy does not occur, menstruation is most often associated with hormone levels.

Delayed menstruation during pregnancy and after childbirth

During the entire period of pregnancy, a woman does not have menstruation. After childbirth, their renewal occurs in different ways - it all depends on the individual characteristics of the body. Elevated prolactin levels when feeding a baby can prevent the eggs from starting to work. If a woman is breastfeeding, the delay in menstruation can last until milk is produced (this directly depends on the level of the hormone prolactin, which is responsible for lactation). Sometimes this can occur within 2-3 years. If milk is not produced, after about 6-8 weeks, new periods come. But sometimes there are exceptions when the ovaries begin to work even before the baby is stopped feeding, the egg matures, and the woman can become pregnant again. If this does not happen, a new cycle ends with the appearance of menstruation.

Delayed menstruation due to ovarian dysfunction

Ovarian dysfunction is often associated with delayed menstruation. Some doctors consider these terms synonyms. If a woman has constant delays in menstruation, then they talk about ovarian dysfunction. There are several reasons for this. It can be both pathologies of the endocrine system, and the ovaries themselves. In such cases, patients are referred for consultation with an endocrinologist and are recommended to do a number of other studies: brain tomography, ultrasound of the genitals, examination of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands.

Delayed menstruation - gynecological causes

Some gynecological diseases can also cause malfunctions of the menstrual cycle. If a woman has pathologies of female organs, disruptions in their work can be expected. This happens with uterine myoma, adenomyosis, endometriosis, inflammatory processes, cancer of the cervix or body of the uterus, etc. if there is a delay in menstruation for 5-10 days, the first thing is better to do a pregnancy test. With a negative result, inflammatory diseases of the internal genital organs are most often detected.

Delayed menstruation and polycystic ovary

PCOS - polycystic ovary syndrome occurs in girls most often. During an external examination of a woman, the gynecologist will not be able to make an accurate diagnosis, but his main signs can be noted - male-type hair growth (hair on the face, legs, inguinal region grow excessively), facial skin and hair quickly become oily. But these signs do not always signal abnormalities in the work of the ovaries, in many they are simply features of the body. The main indicator of PCOS is the testosterone hormone, which is considered "male".

With a high level of testosterone, ovulation does not occur. Its excess can upset the menstrual cycle, and the consequences can be quite serious, up to infertility. Today, such diseases are successfully treated. One of the treatment methods is to take birth control pills that can “even out” hormone levels. Special oral contraceptives are recommended specifically for women with high levels of testosterone, while they not only restore the correct menstrual cycle, but also have a beneficial effect on the woman's appearance.

What else could be the reasons for the delay of menstruation

Weight Abnormalities

Delayed menstruation for 5-10 days is often in women with overweight. You can check if you are at risk by weight using the formula for BMI (body mass index). Body weight (kg) is divided by height (m) squared. A result of more than 25 indicates excess weight, less than 18 - on the contrary, about its deficit. You can normalize the weight for several months, along with this, the regularity of menstruation is restored.

Hard physical work

Women who have a lot of physical activity at work may also have irregular periods. By eliminating these problems (moving to an easier job), your periods are restored.

Other causes of delayed menstruation are stress, hard mental work, nervous shocks, moving to another place with an unusual climate, and taking certain medications. Sometimes the delay in menstruation occurs even when taking contraceptives.

Delayed menstruation - what could be the consequences?

Many women from time to time observe minor delays in menstruation - this is nothing special. Danger can be the reason that causes these failures. For example, increased prolactin in connection with a developing brain tumor (microadenomas) can have dire consequences. Big problems are threatened by inflammatory diseases of the genital organs, tumors and endocrinological diseases, which can lead not only to infertility, but also to a deterioration of the physical condition.

With a regular menstrual cycle, a woman can live easier and calmer - it is easier to control her sex life, protect herself from pregnancy and detect it in time. Although irregular periods are not a disease in themselves, it is necessary to monitor this in order to eliminate the negative consequences that this can lead to. To normalize the cycle, doctors recommend using natural preparations that can solve the problem without harm to the body in a fairly short time. For example, the Time-Factor combination preparation, combining plant extracts of phytohormonal action, vitamins and microelements, not only delicately normalizes the various phases of the menstrual cycle, but also improves mood, alleviates the symptoms of PMS and maintains a good mood and performance.

Watch the video: How soon after a missed period is a pregnancy test accurate? (July 2024).