Reasons for a Missed Period

On an average, women have 11 to 13 menstrual cycles per year. However, the number can increase or decrease by a couple of instances. Before you venture out to find the reasons for a missed period, determine what is normal for you. It is important to note that periods are irregular for the first few years after the start of menstruation. Periods also become irregular when a woman reaches menopause.

Reasons for a Skipped Period
There are many factors which can cause you to miss a period. It is important to note that the menstrual cycle of women range from 21 to 32 days. Let's read on further to know the reasons why you might miss a period.

• Illness: Illness, very often, can be one of the causes for a missed period. The duration of the illness can be short or long and this is what hampers the regularity of a period. This is usually a temporary phase which gets rectified on its own without any medical intervention.
• Work Schedule: If you work in shifts and have recently changed from night-shifts to day-shifts or vice-versa, there are chances that your work schedule is responsible for your skipped period. The change in shifts results in disturbance in the functioning of the body's biological clock. It is, therefore, important that you take adequate sleep immaterial of the shift you work in.
• Stress: One of the main causes that can give rise to a lot of physiological problems is stress. Amongst them, one is decrease in the amount of hormones which causes ovulation and menstruation. You will have to find ways of relaxing yourself so that your schedule comes back to normal.
• Weight Issue: If you are overweight, it can cause a hormonal imbalance. Hormonal imbalance can cause a shift of the menstrual cycle. On the other hand, if you are underweight, your periods might get delayed. Excessive weight loss or weight gain in a short period of time can also be reasons for missed or irregular periods.
• Miscalculation: As I have previously mentioned it is important to note that, although an average menstrual cycle is said to be of 28 days, it can differ from woman to woman. In case you have a history of irregular periods and if you understand when you ovulate, then you should count 15 days after ovulation to get the exact date of your menstrual cycle.
• Drugs and Medication: Change in medications can cause a missed or delayed periods. If you have recently changed your medicines, then it is suggested you talk to your healthcare professional to know about the side-effects of the new medicine. Infertility, which sometimes results from taking birth control pills, is also attributed to irregular periods. Birth control pills, especially, are known to contribute too, due to the low levels of estrogen they contain. Progesterone-only pills can also be the reason for a skipped period.
• Pregnancy: Pregnancy causes one to miss her period. You can make use of a urine pregnancy test or blood pregnancy test to confirm whether or not you are pregnant.
• Peri-Menopause: This stage occurs before menopause sets in. This phase is characterized by an irregular menstrual cycle. However, remember to take precautions if you do not want to get pregnant as you still have chances of conceiving.
• Menopause: Menopause is the stage in life when the menstrual cycle stops. There are, primarily, two reasons for menopause. The first and very common reason is that with age, women stop ovulating and menstruating. The other reason is medical, for example, hysterectomy or chemotherapy.
• Excessive Exercise: This is often the common cause in athletes and sportswomen.
• Breast Feeding: Breastfeeding a child can also be a contributing factor to a missed period.
• Health Problems: If none of the above-mentioned reasons are the causes, there is a possibility of health complications such as, tumors and other problems with glands like ovaries, thyroid, pituitary, etc. Although these problems are rare, you need to still take care of your health and wellness

If none of the above reasons hold true for you and you have still not got your period for three months, then it is time for you to see a healthcare professional. However, it is advisable to practice birth control measures if you are not planning a child.