There is a question from home asking on the Ask Expert page: “My period has been missed since April until now it’s November, but I don’t have any pregnancy symptoms. Is this normal?” I believe that many girls have had the same experience, but may not know what caused it. So today, let’s find out the answer together.
Menstruation (menses) is the blood that flows out of the uterine cavity along with the dead uterine lining that sheds, falls off and breaks down, resulting in a normal menstrual cycle every 21-36 days (counted from the first day of menstruation).
Amenorrhea (Amenorrhea / Missed Period) is a condition where a period is absent or does not come as usual. A period must be absent for 3 months to be considered “amenorrhea”. If a period is absent for only 1-2 months, it is called late menstruation.
Missed periods can be divided into two types.
- Primary amenorrhea is when a woman is 18 years old and has not yet started menstruating. Generally, women will start menstruating as early as age 12.
- Secondary amenorrhea is when a woman who previously had a period misses her period for at least 6 months or 3 menstrual cycles.
Causes of amenorrhea
Pregnancy is a common cause and is the first ยูฟ่าเบท reason most people suspect when their period is missed. If you are of reproductive age and have had sexual intercourse before your period is missed, it may be the cause of your missed period, which is not considered abnormal. You can do a preliminary test yourself by testing your urine with a pregnancy test or by seeing a doctor to get a pregnancy test for clear confirmation.
Stress and anxiety can cause irregular periods. Periods may be missed for several months at a time because stress affects changes in hormone secretion related to fertility and menstruation.
Anxiety disorders, mood disorders cause missed periods, no sexual feelings.
Using birth control pills for too long. Using birth control hormones for a long period of time, such as taking birth control pills or birth control injections, is a common cause of missed periods.
During breastfeeding, many mothers who have given birth may not have their period yet or may not have it because it is after giving birth or while breastfeeding. After giving birth or even after a miscarriage, if there is still milk, it is normal for your period not to come until you are weaned.
Menopause or menopause (Menopausal syndrome) when people get older, around 40-59 years old, estrogen levels will decrease because the ovaries stop working, which causes menstruation to stop permanently.
Tumors in the pituitary gland, tumors of the pituitary gland, or even tumors near the pituitary gland can also cause missed periods. A pituitary gland tumor called the pituitary gland can cause physical abnormalities such as abnormal growth and missed periods.
Abnormal hormone levels. The ovaries that produce hormones, whether they produce a lot or a little, can cause missed periods. If they produce too little estrogen and progesterone, they will not be enough to stimulate menstruation. Or if the ovaries produce too much male hormones, it can also cause missed periods.
Excessive weight gain or loss. Women who gain or lose too much weight may experience missed periods, especially when they fast or lose weight too quickly. This can lead to a lack of nutrients to stimulate the production of hormones that cause ovulation. Women who are overweight or obese can also produce too much estrogen, which can affect their menstrual cycle and cause missed periods.
Exercising too much. Women who exercise too much may experience amenorrhea because the body loses too much fat. A 16-year-old girl must have at least 22 percent body fat of her weight in order to maintain a normal menstrual cycle. Therefore, women who have little body fat or are too thin may also experience amenorrhea.
Uterine diseases, such as radiation therapy to the uterus to treat cancer, or certain diseases of the uterus itself, such as endometrial tuberculosis.
Abortion and then D&C, the uterine wall is too affected, causing scarring inside, sticking together into adhesions. This can also be a cause of amenorrhea.
Certain illnesses, such as thyroid disease, pancreatic disease, and adrenal gland disease,
may cause your period to be temporarily absent. However, once the illness is gone, your period will return to normal. Certain chronic illnesses, such as pulmonary tuberculosis, can also cause your period to be absent.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition in which the ovaries have many cysts that do not release eggs.
What are the negative effects of missing your period?
- Endometrial thickening. If your period is missed for a long time, the endometrium may thicken. This can cause abnormal vaginal bleeding and, if left untreated, may increase your risk of uterine cancer.
- Difficulty in having children If you want to have children but are in a state of having missed periods, you may need to consult a doctor because it affects the ability to have children naturally.
- There may be a hidden illness in the body , and missing a period is a symptom of that disease or abnormality. Therefore, you should go for examination and treatment.
- Osteoporosis, decreased bone mass, and absence of menstruation cause low estrogen levels. Estrogen is important for the absorption of calcium in both the kidneys and the digestive system in order to use it to build bones. Having low estrogen levels for a long time results in decreased bone density or, in the long term, osteoporosis may occur.
What should I do if my period is late?
Relax, don’t stress. Stress is one of the causes of missed periods. You should try to relax your body and mind. You can go out, work less, relax your mind, and do activities that help you relax.
Observe your body often. When your period starts to disappear, even for just one month, you should start recording it to see if it has disappeared or is just delayed. Also, watch for any abnormalities in your body, such as milk leaking out even though you are not pregnant, having unusual stomach pain, or having unusual hair or beard growth.
Do not overdo exercise. Exercise appropriately, do not exercise too hard or too much, especially if you are a thin woman with little fat. You may focus on exercise that focuses on building muscle instead of exercising too much to reduce fat, such as yoga instead of running.
Control your weight . Keep your weight within the appropriate range, not too fat or too thin. If you know you are thin or have a low body fat percentage, you should eat food to gain weight. Focus on food that increases good fat. Or if you are overweight, you can gradually lose weight. But you should not fast or lose weight too quickly.
Eat healthy food. Eat good, healthy food. *Eat 3 full meals and focus on all 5 food groups. You may want to focus on foods that contain more iron and calcium.
Avoid behaviors that are risky to your health , such as smoking, drinking alcoholic beverages, and caffeinated beverages, etc.
See a gynecologist for diagnosis. In addition to changing your behavior. If your period is missing, you should see a doctor or gynecologist to check for abnormalities that cause your period to be missing. What is the real cause? In order to examine and treat, the doctor will ask about your medical history, perform an internal examination, perform an ultrasound, check your hormone levels, etc.
When your period is late, how should you treat it?
There are many ways to treat “amenorrhea”. The cause must be found out, such as:
- Take hormone supplements if the cause is such as being too thin or too fat. Which is not an abnormality or disease. Initially, to make your period come normally. The doctor may prescribe hormone pills, which are the same drugs as the menstrual delay pills that we are familiar with. When you take the pills, your period will come. You may have to take the pills regularly at the same time every month for about 6 months to make your period come normally and shed the uterine lining. After that, try to see if your period comes on its own without having to take the pills.
- Take birth control pills. If you have an abnormality such as polycystic ovaries, your doctor may prescribe birth control pills or pills containing the hormone progesterone to help treat the symptoms.
- Treat other illnesses If after diagnosis, it is found that the absence of menstruation is due to an abnormality, such as a pituitary tumor or an abnormal uterus, then treat the disease or illness. Once cured, menstruation will return to normal.