Today we will be interested in the reasons for the delay in menstruation. Besides pregnancy, what could it be? And how to behave if there is no menstruation, and the test is negative? To understand all this and not only for us to come. In fact, no definite answers can be found. And for a proper diagnosis, a woman will have to remember what happened to her at one time or another. It is not as simple as it seems.
About menstruation
Menstruation is a sign of puberty. It begins in adolescence and persists until the elderly. Menstrual bleeding is a sign of an unfertilized egg that has died in a given cycle.
The difference between critical days is the menstrual cycle. It can be divided into 3 phases. Namely:
- follicular;
- ovulation;
- luteal.
Each stage has its own processes. For example, the follicular phase first goes. At this point, the egg is born and develops in the follicle. Then ovulation occurs - the female cell leaves the follicle and moves to the uterus through the fallopian tubes. She is ready for fertilization.
If conception has not occurred, the egg dies, the luteal phase begins, which ends with menstruation.
Everything is not so difficult. But what could be the reasons for the delay in menstruation? In addition to pregnancy, there are many reasons for this situation. And not all of them are safe.
About cycle time
To talk about the delay of critical days, a woman will have to find out how long her menstrual cycle lasts. Much will depend on this.
The average monthly cycle is 28-30 days. The short critical period can vary from 20 to 22 days, and the long - from 32 days or more.
Important: to begin the counting of the menstrual cycle is necessary from the first day of menstruation.
Standard deviation
Delay of menstruation? Is the test negative? Reasons (other than pregnancy) can be varied. But this is far from always a cause for concern.
The thing is that the body rarely works "like a clock." It can malfunction. And therefore, it is generally accepted that a slight delay in menstruation is the norm.
The standard deviation is about 3-6 days in both directions. That is, if your period came a week earlier or later, you should not panic. This is a normal and fairly common occurrence. It can be seen even in perfectly healthy women. But even a standard deviation from the normal menstrual cycle can make you worry.
Pregnancy
Delayed menstruation for a week? Besides the reason, which seems obvious, there may be other reasons for concern. Some believe that a negative pregnancy test immediately after a delay is a guarantee of the absence of an “interesting position”.
In fact, the statement is fundamentally wrong. A negative test in early pregnancy is normal. The second strip may not appear for about 7-8 days. The test will be negative due to low hCG levels. This hormone grows rapidly during pregnancy.
Accordingly, a woman with a delay of critical days needs to be patient and wait a week and a half, after which a pregnancy test should be done. Most likely, it will be positive.
Important: if you do not want to wait, you can go for an ultrasound scan, visit a gynecologist for an examination, and donate blood for hCG. All this will help to exclude pregnancy or confirm it.
Ectopic pregnancy
Is there a delay in menstruation for 5 days? In addition to pregnancy, the causes are different - from the standard deviation to serious disorders in the body. But, as a rule, 5 days is not such a long time. The period is included in the standard deviation from the normal menstrual cycle.
Nevertheless, delay diagnostics will have to be carried out from the first days. Otherwise, serious diseases can be missed.
For example, a pregnancy test will be negative, and the girl will face a lack of timely menstruation during an ectopic pregnancy. Defining it yourself is problematic. Therefore, if the test is negative (or it shows a second pale strip), you need to repeat the study after a few days. If you save the situation, you should hurry to the doctor. A specialist will quickly determine an ectopic pregnancy.
Teenage years
But all this is just the beginning. What can be the reasons for the monthly delay, except for pregnancy?
Early or late menstruation in adolescence should not cause panic. Especially if your period began recently.
The thing is that the body is just getting used to the new state. The menstrual cycle will be established up to several years. Therefore, delaying critical days in a teenage girl is normal.
After childbirth
In addition to pregnancy, the reasons for the delay in menstruation sometimes make a woman think. After all, many factors of life influence menstruation.
For example, childbirth. After the birth of a child, a woman is faced with serious hormonal changes. Critical days will not be right away. And this is normal. In some, menstruation does not resume until the termination of breastfeeding.
Another year and a half after the first menstrual bleeding after childbirth, the girl will encounter "jumps" in menstruation. This situation can be repeated throughout the entire period of breastfeeding + 1.5 years after termination.
Important: if there is concern about delayed menstruation after childbirth, you need to go to the gynecologist. The doctor will clearly explain why this happens.
Menopause
The reasons for the delay of menstruation (except pregnancy) after 40 years are usually classified as a separate category. The older a woman becomes, the less her fertility. Sooner or later, the body ceases to produce eggs ready for fertilization. This period is called menopause. It falls precisely on the age after 40 years.
First, menstruation can "jump". Usually she comes later. And at one point, monthly bleeding stops altogether. This is menopause.
Important: in the modern world, menopause can occur even in 30-35 years. Therefore, it cannot be diagnosed independently.
Anovulation
Is there a delay of 3 months? Reasons other than pregnancy are sometimes not a cause for concern.
For example, even a healthy woman 2 times a year may experience anovulation. This is the period when there was no ovulation in one cycle or another. Accordingly, there will also be no menstrual bleeding.
If the phenomenon is observed as a "one-time share" or rarely, there is no need to panic. But suspicions of frequent anovulation are an occasion for a visit to a specialist.
Hormonal disruption
Of course, the body of every girl is influenced by a huge amount of hormones. Thanks to them, certain processes occur in the body. And critical days as well.
Any hormonal failure is the reason for the delay in menstruation (except for pregnancy). What to do? Just wait. And try to understand what triggered a hormonal failure. Ideally, you need to conduct a comprehensive diagnosis of the body and understand which hormone is in excess / deficiency and why.
Usually hormonal disruptions are rare and not permanent. They can increase the menstrual cycle by 10 or more days or lead to anovulation.
Belated Ovulation
Another option for the development of events is belated ovulation in a particular menstrual cycle. It is because of this that there is a delay. A pregnancy test will be negative, a woman will not manifest one or another ailment.
Usually late ovulation occurs due to the influence of external factors or due to hormonal failure. To determine this alignment without much work will be possible for women who constantly maintain a schedule of basal temperature. According to the corresponding figure, it will be possible to understand when the "X-day" passed.
Important: late ovulation is not dangerous, but it causes many problems for women. Especially if you want to plan an "interesting position". A rare delay in ovulation does not require any observation. But the constant delays of critical days and "X-day" are cause for concern. The citizen will have to go to the gynecologist and pass a series of tests.
Factors Affecting Ovulation
Now a few words about what can affect ovulation. There are a number of factors that can quickly accelerate or delay X-Day.
Among those noted:
- stress;
- overwork;
- bad habits;
- acclimatization;
- long flights or travels;
- malnutrition;
- diet
- a sharp change in weather conditions.
This is not a complete list of situations that affect ovulation. Just these circumstances are found in real life most often.
Emotional upheaval
Among the reasons for the delay of menstruation, in addition to pregnancy, emotional shocks are often distinguished. It is both a positive shock and a negative one.
Strong stress or great joy affect ovulation. She may arrive earlier or later than the due date. And therefore it is important to establish an emotional background. After this, the menstrual cycle will return to normal.
Important: a constant stay in a state of stress not only delays ovulation, but also negatively affects the health of a woman. Therefore, it is recommended to stay away from stressful situations. Especially during pregnancy planning or infertility treatment.
Overload
The reasons for the delay in menstruation, in addition to pregnancy for 10 days, may be overloading the body. Both physical and psychological / mental.
It's no secret that physical activity and sports are very tiring. This leads to the correction of the menstrual cycle. Typically, a delay of critical days is observed until the woman rests.
A lot of worries, psychological stress, a sense of increased responsibility, fear or just mental work - all this can negatively affect the female body. As a result, the girl will face early or late menstruation.
Important: in order to return critical days to their usual course, you will have to have a good rest. After this, doctors often recommend that you do not overload your body in every sense.
The drugs are to blame
Reasons for delaying menstruation, in addition to pregnancy for 10 days or more, are often taking certain medications or hormonal drugs. In particular, in the treatment of infertility or anovulation.
If a woman takes hormone-containing drugs, she really may experience a delay in menstrual bleeding. Or critical days will come faster than usual.
It is recommended that you go to the doctor and pick up other medications. Or put up with the "jumps" of menstruation during a specific treatment.
After the cancellation of “harmful” drugs, critical days will return to normal within a month. And so there is no need to panic.
Oral contraceptives
Delay of menstruation for 10 days? Reasons other than pregnancy are sometimes surprising. It's hard to believe in them.
Say, one may encounter problems in establishing critical days during or after taking oral contraceptives. While the girl is drinking OK, she puts off ovulation. Ideally, immediately after the discontinuation of the corresponding hormonal drugs, "X-day" comes, and then menstruation begins.
However, sometimes this does not happen. And a delay of critical days of 10 days or more is the norm. Usually this happens with improper selection of oral contraceptives or with individual characteristics of the body.
Weight problems
What reasons for the delay of menstruation besides pregnancy can be encountered in practice?
Often, weight problems make their adjustments to the menstrual cycle. Anorexia or obesity are processes that can cause a lot of trouble. Menstruation returns to normal only after the weight has been adjusted. So, you have to try.
Most often, the delay of critical days or their complete cessation is observed with severe weight deficiency. Getting rid of anorexia can be extremely difficult. Such a disease requires mandatory observation by a doctor.
Tumors and inflammation in the body
Does the girl have a monthly delay of 7 days? Causes (other than pregnancy) may be due to the presence of diseases in a woman. For example, with tumors, cancer or inflammatory processes.
In real life, delayed menstruation is most often associated with inflammation in the genitourinary system. For example, with:
- polycystic ovary;
- multifollicular ovaries;
- inflammation of the uterus and its appendages;
- ovarian dysfunction;
- violations in the work of the kidneys and endocrine system;
- problems with the cervix.
Usually, in such circumstances, a woman can observe fever and pain in the lower abdomen. Sometimes inflammation and disease are asymptomatic.
In any case, if a woman suspects her having diseases that affect ovulation, it is better to go to the hospital and conduct a comprehensive examination of the body. Monthly delay for a month? Reasons other than pregnancy can be precisely the presence of diseases.
Important: if a girl has an STD, they can also trigger a delay in critical days. The cycle returns to normal immediately after recovery.
Abortion
The reasons for the delay in menstruation for a week, in addition to pregnancy, in some cases seem incredible.
It's hard to believe, but menstruation problems cause abortions. This is a serious hormonal blow. And right after the abortion, problems with the critical cycle are possible. This situation can be repeated for a long time.
Important: if about 3 critical cycles there are delays or early periods, you need to see a doctor. Have to consult a gynecologist. Be sure to report that the girl had an abortion.
Bad habits and nutrition
In rare cases, menstruation comes later or earlier than due to abuse of bad habits. For example, with alcoholism or drug addiction. A sedentary lifestyle resulting from computer addiction also contributes to delayed ovulation.
Improper diet and diet are faithful companions of problems with the body. The woman most often “suffers” menstruation. And then you have to give up diets, as well as the usual way of life and nutrition. Usually the exclusion of fatty, sweet, salty, spicy and starchy foods in large quantities brings the menstrual cycle back to normal. What are the reasons for the delay of menstruation apart from pregnancy? We were able to get acquainted with the main and most frequent layouts.