What could cause a delay? Delayed menstruation - why does this happen? Laboratory blood test for a specific hormone

Probably every representative of the fair sex has at least once encountered the problem of menstrual irregularities, and therefore it would be nice to know the answers to the following questions. Why are periods delayed, how many days can they be delayed, and most importantly, what to do if such a problem exists.

How long can periods last?

Should I worry if my period is late by 1-3 days? Experts believe that such a short delay does not signal any health hazard. Moreover, if your period is delayed by 5 days, this is also considered normal. If your period is delayed for a week or a month, and even more so this happens all the time, then you need to think about the reasons for this behavior of your body.

Why are periods delayed? Main reasons

1. The very first reason that comes to mind when asked why periods are delayed is pregnancy. So if the delay is more than 7 days, then a pregnancy test must be done, even if you are completely confident in the contraceptives you are using.
2. Can periods be delayed due to constant stress? Still, depending on the amount of stress experienced, periods can be delayed, either for a week or for several years. This is due to the fact that during nervous shocks, the brain malfunctions, and as a result, the proper functioning of the uterus and ovaries is disrupted. If the reason for the delay is stress, then only resolving the stressful situation and rest will help.
3. Another common reason for delayed periods is gynecological diseases. This reason is especially likely if during menstrual periods you feel unwell, the discharge is either too abundant or, conversely, too insignificant. If you suspect any diseases of the genital area, then you should not postpone a visit to the gynecologist, because in some cases, delay can lead to infertility.
4. The cause of instability, delay and even complete absence of menstruation can be the use of contraceptive drugs. Also, the reason for the delay may be stopping taking birth control pills.
5. Delayed menstruation can occur due to poor nutrition. So attention, diet lovers, if you decide to suddenly lose weight, then know that this attitude towards your body can cause problems with the menstrual cycle. And the minimum permissible weight for a woman is 45 kg; below this limit, menstruation may simply not occur. Also, sudden weight loss can lead not only to serious gynecological problems, but also harm the entire body as a whole.
6. Termination of pregnancy by the female body is regarded as a great stress, and therefore in this case a cycle disruption can also occur. Indeed, as a result of abortion and damage to uterine tissue, the hormonal balance was disrupted, so in such cases, delays are quite common.
7. For what reasons are menstruation still delayed? The female body is a complex and fragile thing, and therefore any minor change in a woman’s life can lead to a cycle failure. For example, the reason for a delay in menstruation can be climate change, lack of vitamins or physical activity.

What to do if your period is late?

As mentioned above, a delay of 5 days in menstruation is considered normal, so you should think about taking any measures if this time period is exceeded.

First of all, it is necessary to exclude the possibility of pregnancy; for this you can use a pregnancy test or do a blood test at the clinic. To ensure the reliability of the results, it is better to purchase several tests from different manufacturers at the pharmacy. The next step to take is visiting a gynecologist. In any case, you cannot avoid contacting a specialist, so is it worth postponing, endangering your own health?

Any woman begins to worry if she has a delay in her period. Some are eagerly hoping for a long-awaited pregnancy, while others fear for their health. In any case, do not panic and lose your composure. Why can it happen and what to do if there is a delay in menstruation? Let's try to figure it all out.

Menstrual cycle and missed periods

The duration of the menstrual cycle is individual for each woman. The normal period from the beginning of menstruation to the next menstrual bleeding is 26-32 days. Please note that the cycle length is the same every month. Lack of menstrual bleeding at the expected time is considered a delay.

If your period comes 1-2 days later than expected and occurs for the first time, do not worry. Such a short-term delay can be caused by minor stress, sudden changes in weather and other external factors that do not indicate the presence of a serious malfunction in the woman’s body or pregnancy. However, with regular monthly delays in the menstrual cycle, consultation with a specialist is necessary.

In addition, a delay in menstruation is observed during pregnancy, with a corpus luteum cyst, in the anovulatory cycle, with other diseases of the reproductive and endocrine systems, if a woman takes oral contraceptives, has experienced stress or climate change.

What to do if your period is late?

Step 1: Pay attention to the circumstances of the delay

The circumstances of the delay in menstruation are very important and will help determine its cause. To do this, you need to answer the question: did the delay occur for the first time or does it happen regularly. Many diseases, including the common cold, as well as nervous strain and stress, have a huge impact on a woman’s hormonal levels.

The slightest fluctuations in hormone levels can cause shifts in the onset of your period. The menstrual cycle is a significant indicator of a woman’s health, but one month of close observation will tell little even to an experienced obstetrician.

Step 2: Take a pregnancy test at home

If a healthy woman who is sexually active does not menstruate on time, there is a high probability of pregnancy. In order to determine whether there is a pregnancy, you need to do hCG test. It is accessible to everyone and has fairly high accuracy. The article describes the procedure itself in more detail.

Determining pregnancy using a test

In the first days of the delay, one of the tests sold in all pharmacies can be used to detect pregnancy. Simple test strips for detecting pregnancy work on the principle of detecting traces of the hCG hormone in a woman’s urine: one red stripe that appears after short-term contact with urine means the absence of pregnancy, two stripes indicate fertilization of the egg and development of the fetus.

This method of determining pregnancy is quite accurate, but sometimes tests show false or questionable results. If the stripes on the test are blurred, you should buy a new test, preferably from a different manufacturer, and repeat the test. You can purchase a “jet” test, the cost of which is slightly higher than the strip test, but it is more sensitive and shows an accurate result compared to conventional tests.

Although most manufacturers claim that tests can detect pregnancy as early as a week after fertilization of the egg, testing is recommended only if menstruation is slightly delayed. Then the hCG level will be sufficient to determine a possible pregnancy.

Test results

If the test is positive, you are probably pregnant. Go to the gynecologist. He will register you and send you for an ultrasound to determine the location of the pregnancy (uterine or ectopic), as well as its viability (presence/absence of a heartbeat). Ultrasounds at any stage of pregnancy, including early ones, are absolutely harmless. The extra days spent with an undiagnosed frozen or ectopic pregnancy are much more dangerous.

Please note that in the first days of a missed period, pregnancy tests may show a false (negative) result. Wait 2-3 days (the instructions indicate more precisely how long to wait). If the repeat test is negative, go to the doctor.

Should I contact a gynecologist if the test result is positive?

Many women who have taken the test and received a positive result postpone the visit to a later date. This is completely the wrong tactic. After all, a positive test not only indicates the presence of pregnancy, but only a gynecologist can judge the development of the fetus. A positive test result does not exclude the possible development of an ectopic pregnancy!

Such an unfavorable development of pregnancy occurs if obstacles appear in the way of an egg fertilized outside the uterine cavity in the form of adhesions in the fallopian tube. Another cause of ectopic pregnancy is the embryo moving too slowly towards the uterine cavity. Ultimately, its size exceeds the lumen of the fallopian tube, and the developing egg penetrates the mucous membrane of the tube, which subsequently leads to its rupture.

!!! Important: a timely visit to a gynecologist will avoid the danger of further development of an ectopic pregnancy, and prescribed studies will help identify an undiagnosed frozen pregnancy, when the fetus stops developing.

Step 3. Visit a gynecologist

At the appointment, the doctor will listen to complaints, collect anamnesis, find out what could affect the menstrual cycle,, if necessary, conduct an examination and prescribe additional tests. These include an ultrasound and a beta-hCG blood test.

Laboratory blood test for a specific hormone

A blood test for the beta-hCG hormone done in the laboratory allows you to more reliably determine pregnancy. To determine the level of beta-hCG in the laboratory, blood is taken from a vein. Based on the response received after a short period of time, one can judge the occurrence of pregnancy. The impossibility of carrying out this method at home and the time spent on the analysis are justified by its reliability and accurate results. A blood test for beta-hCG can be done without waiting for a missed period.

Ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs

Ultrasound is the most comprehensive method for detecting pregnancy. An ultrasound examination is carried out through the anterior wall of the abdomen (transabdominal) and vaginally using a sensor inserted into the woman’s vagina. It is worth noting that the second type of study provides a more complete picture of the condition of the uterus and the location of pregnancy.

!!! Important: Ultrasound, transabdominal and transvaginal, is completely harmless to the fetus. It is worth remembering that ultrasound detects pregnancy only after 2.5-3 weeks from conception.

Thickened mature endometrium and the presence of a corpus luteum in the ovary, determined by ultrasound of the female organs, indicate the second phase of the cycle. If this picture is combined with a negative test for B-hCG, menstrual bleeding will come in the near future. If the result is questionable, the test is repeated after 2 days. During a developing pregnancy, the level of B-hCG will increase by 2 times.

If the ultrasound does not identify signs of the second phase, there is no talk of either pregnancy or menstruation in the near future. The cause of the delay should be sought in ovarian dysfunction or a disruption of the general hormonal balance.

!!! Important: only a gynecologist, thanks to the collected medical history and prescribed tests, can confidently confirm or deny pregnancy.

Additional Research

If an ultrasound shows a picture of a mature second phase of the cycle, including a thick mature endometrium and a corpus luteum in the ovary, then the patient needs to donate blood for beta-hCG.

If the test is negative, wait for your period, it will come soon. If doubtful– you will have to retake it in 2 days. A developing intrauterine pregnancy will give an indicator of 2 times.

If, using an ultrasound, the doctor has not determined the picture of the second phase, we are not talking about pregnancy, and menstruation is far away. We are talking about ovarian dysfunction. The gynecologist will deal with her. He will advise you on the best course of action: wait or help with vitamins, hormones, herbs, etc.

Delayed menstruation with excluded pregnancy

So, there is no pregnancy. Why then was there a delay in menstruation? There are a lot of reasons for this (both those not related to the woman’s diseases, and those signaling serious health problems).

Conditions not associated with diseases

The following conditions not associated with diseases can cause a delay in menstruation:

• – violation of adequate nutrition (fasting, debilitating diets);
• – violation of fat metabolism (obesity, weight deficiency);
• – physical exhaustion due to heavy loads on the body;
• – a sharp change of place of residence with different climatic conditions;
• – severe psychological shocks, stress;
• – taking various medications (including various types of oral contraceptives);
• – the postpartum period, when the mother breastfeeds the baby (the hormone prolactin is produced, which promotes the release of milk and stops menstruation).
  

Factors that provoke a delay in menstruation should be promptly eliminated to avoid more serious consequences. Adjustment of nutrition and physical activity, emotional stability help restore the normal menstrual cycle. In turn, the gynecologist may prescribe a course of vitamins, herbal treatment or hormonal therapy.

Diseases leading to delay of menstruation

Delayed menstruation may be the first sign of quite serious illnesses that require urgent medical intervention. A disruption of the general hormonal levels in a woman’s body, which will result in a delay in menstruation, occurs for several reasons:

• 1. Polycystic ovary syndrome. One of the most common reasons for delay. A distinctive feature of polycystic ovary syndrome is the presence of foci of increased male-type hair growth (antennae, abdomen, back and arms);
• 2. Oncological diseases. A delay in menstruation in combination with pain in the lower abdomen suggests the presence of fibroids and other tumors in the uterus, oncological pathology of the cervix;
• 3. Early menopause. A pathological condition that develops against the background of hormonal imbalance and problems in the endocrine system;
• 4. Inflammatory processes. Pain and absence of menstruation may indicate endometriosis (inflammation of the uterus) and inflammatory processes in the uterine appendages;
• 5. Endocrine diseases. Dysfunction of the ovaries, thyroid gland and adrenal glands is detected using ultrasound of the above organs. Brain tomography is also performed. In any case, consultation with an endocrinologist is necessary to make an accurate diagnosis in case of delayed menstruation and absence of pregnancy.

Step 4. Don't self-medicate

And don’t look on the Internet and various disease reference books for signs that are very similar to your symptoms. Self-medication can be dangerous to your health and life. Contact a specialist and visit a gynecologist about once every six months for a preventive examination.

Perhaps nothing takes women by surprise more than a missed period. After all, if “these days” are delayed, it means that for some reason there was a disruption in the menstrual cycle. Every woman of reproductive age has encountered such a problem at least once in her life. And the first thing that comes to the mind of a woman living a normal sex life is pregnancy. Of course, but pregnancy is far from the only reason. There are at least 9 more main and common reasons, which we will consider below in the article.

Pregnancy.

Very often, sexually active women associate delayed menstruation with pregnancy. Of course, the easiest way to check whether you are pregnant or not is to simply buy a pregnancy test. If the test shows two lines, then everything is clear, but if the pregnancy test is negative and you still don’t get your period, then you should seriously think about what is the reason for the delay. But the only correct decision will still be examination by a gynecologist and further treatment of the cause of menstrual irregularities.

Stress.

It’s not for nothing that they say that all diseases are caused by nerves. Any, including even a woman’s menstrual cycle. The fact is that during stress, the body reduces the quantitative production of luteinizing hormone (LH), which in turn affects ovulation. Lack of LH provokes a delay in the onset of menstruation or amenorrhea. In general, stress can safely be called the number 1 reason during the delay in the arrival of the “red days of the calendar”, so dear girls, girls, women, be always happy and cheerful. Try to always find only good things in life!

Disease.

Illness, such as a bad cold, as well as stress can cause a delay in menstruation. After all, illness is the same stress for the body, only physical, therefore, if you get sick by the time the ovulation process should begin, then most likely your menstrual cycle will be disrupted this month. As a rule, such a failure is temporary and if you recover from the disease completely, then there should be no further problems. In order not to deal with this and just kill two birds with one stone.

Biological clock failure.

A change in climate, daily routine and everything that significantly changes your usual way of life forces your biological clock to “reset” its previous mode and begin to work in a new rhythm. This failure is more common among business women who work in offices. Let's consider, for example, a case when there are a lot of things to do at work, and the deadline is very pressing, then you have to stay late at work, sometimes work at night, eat poorly, do not get enough sleep, and get nervous. All this leads to the body experiencing severe stress and the biological clock getting lost. After all this shake-up of the body, any woman, of course, will have an interruption in her menstrual cycle.

Medicines.

You may be surprised, but medications can also cause a delay in menstruation. Most often, this is to blame for this, which young girls swallow without thinking and in large quantities, for example, in order to. Of course, in addition to emergency contraception, there are other medications that can usually cause a slight delay of 5 to 10 days.

Therefore, always ask about the side effects of the medications that your doctor prescribes, so as not to panic later and not think about the reasons for the menstrual cycle failure

Overweight or underweight.

A woman’s body weight also has a great influence on the menstrual cycle. Excess weight can change a woman's hormonal levels, which can subsequently affect menstruation.

The fact is that subcutaneous fat produces small amounts of female hormones - estrogens, which regulate a large number of processes in the body, including the menstrual cycle. Accordingly, the larger this layer, the more hormones are produced.

The reason for a delay in menstruation can also be a woman’s insufficient weight. Some women who are low weight suffer from this problem and are unable to conceive a child for a long time.

In medicine, there is such a term as “menstrual mass,” which is at least 45-47 kg.

If a girl’s weight does not reach this minimum, then various problems with menstruation begin to appear. That is why it is not recommended for a woman to go on strict diets and perform excessive physical activity (very common among professional athletes). In this case, normal nutrition and taking vitamins will help normalize the monthly cycle.

Perimenopause.

Perimenopause is a period that occurs in a woman several years before menopause. During this period, a smooth restructuring of the body is already underway, and therefore various changes in the reproductive system can be observed. During the premenopausal period, a woman’s ovaries begin to produce less of the hormone estrogen, as a result of which the woman experiences various abnormalities in the menstrual cycle, including delayed menstruation.

Gynecological, endocrine and infectious diseases.

If a woman is delayed in “these” days by 5 or 10 days, and the pregnancy test is negative, then gynecologists immediately diagnose ovarian dysfunction. Actually, if you look at it in more detail, ovarian dysfunction is a medical synonym for the phrase delayed menstruation. This term describes any atypical dysfunctional uterine bleeding, which can be caused by many different diseases and external factors.

For example, polycystic ovary syndrome is characterized by periodic absence of menstrual bleeding on time. The disease is associated with hormonal imbalances, which... Polycystic ovary syndrome is associated primarily with the fact that dysfunctions of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, thyroid gland and adrenal glands occur. In addition to delays in polycystic ovary syndrome, it is observed due to the production of a large amount of male hormones - androgens.

Delayed menstruation in teenage girls.

Delayed menstruation in a teenage girl during the first or second year from the beginning of her first menstruation (menarche) is considered normal. It is very rare to observe a regular cycle in young girls. At this age, a girl becomes a woman, and various serious changes occur in her body. The fact is that in the first two years, a growing girl’s hormonal levels are unstable, and the level of hormones in the blood rises and falls. As soon as the hormones stop raging, the cycle returns to normal.

Tell friends.

According to women, the most common reason for missed periods is pregnancy. To get a quick and unambiguous answer, special tests are done. With their help, it is possible to accurately determine the fact of conception. Despite this, there is often a delay in menstruation, but the test is negative. There may be several reasons for this phenomenon.

In situations where there is no period and the test is negative, you should not immediately rule out a possible pregnancy. It is possible that conception did occur. To verify this or refute this fact, the test must be performed again, but after a few days.

In addition to pregnancy, there are many reasons for delay. Some are caused by the development of serious pathology, others are caused by external factors.

The reason for a delay in menstruation with a negative test, not related to illness, may lie in the following:

• cycle disruption after childbirth. Intensive production of prolactin leads to the fact that menstruation disappears for a long time;
• weight problems, adherence to a strict diet, improperly organized diet;
• change in climatic conditions;
• exhausting physical activity and fatigue;
• exposure to stress, recent illnesses;
• taking certain medications that cause hormonal imbalance in the body.

A delay that occurs once does not always indicate the presence of pathology and can lead to serious complications. If the cycle failure recurs, then the doctor must find out the cause.

The reasons for the absence of menstruation may be the following:

• thyroid diseases;
• hormonal disorders;
• abortion procedures carried out;
• ovarian dysfunction;
• inflammatory processes of the genitourinary system;
• ectopic pregnancy;
• tumors in the uterus, ovaries.

How to accurately confirm the absence of pregnancy

It often happens that your period does not start, but the test is negative. It is extremely important to determine whether in fact there was no conception. The simplest solution is to repeat the test in a week. If it shows a negative result, then most likely there is no pregnancy.

Testing must be done in the morning. When a barely noticeable second line appears, the test is called doubtful. The result is considered conditionally positive - and a long delay may be caused by pregnancy. To clarify this information, you need to consult a doctor.

The fact of conception can be detected in the early stages using ultrasound. In addition, women need to donate blood for hCG (pregnancy hormone) and urine tests. Only with a full examination will it be possible to confirm the absence or presence of pregnancy.

At home, successful fertilization can be determined by the following signs:

• the basal temperature mark becomes higher;
• the chest swells;
• the mood is constantly changing;
• the mucous membranes of the genitals and vagina acquire a bluish color;
• pain appears in the abdominal area.

What delays require doctors' attention

The problem when the test shows one line, but no menstruation, does not always require an immediate solution. In some cases this is considered normal. For example, if, then there is no reason to panic. A delay that occurs every month should cause concern. If a woman is experiencing severe pain in the abdominal area, it is possible that urgent hospitalization will be required.

Frequent delays indicate disturbances in the body that need to be promptly identified and eliminated. Often, the cause of regular cycle disruptions is life-threatening conditions: neoplasms in the reproductive organs and ectopic pregnancy.

A long delay in menstruation (for example) with a negative pregnancy test should not be ignored. Against the background of this violation, more serious problems may arise. It is possible that in the future you will need treatment for infertility and diseases of the cardiovascular system. In an advanced form, such failures can lead to early menopause and the development of diabetes mellitus.

Medical consultation is needed in the following cases:

• severe pain in the lower abdomen;
• or very heavy discharge;
• cycle failure for more than 35 days;
• the appearance of brown discharge with an unnatural odor;
• pain during intimacy;
• nausea and vomiting;
• diarrhea.

A one-time delay is not a concern. If violations are observed constantly, you definitely need to consult a gynecologist.

What to do if there is a delay

When there is a slight delay in menstruation, the test is negative and nothing hurts, then there is no reason to visit a gynecologist. You just need to do a follow-up test after a few days. A short failure is not dangerous and is considered normal.

If the test is negative, but your period still does not come on time and the delay is more than 10 days, medical consultation is necessary.

It is strictly forbidden to induce menstruation on your own. These actions can lead to bleeding and worsening the general condition of the body. The cycle is controlled by sex hormones, which can only be influenced by medications. They are selected by a doctor after a complete diagnosis. If therapy is started in a timely manner, the cycle can be restored in a short time.

In case of reproductive dysfunction, regardless of the cause of its occurrence, a thorough examination is carried out. If the test is negative, a blood test for hCG is taken to rule out the possibility of pregnancy. Ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs helps to identify the possible cause. It is quite possible that a woman will need to keep a basal temperature calendar to get an accurate picture.

If hormonal imbalance is suspected, consultation with an endocrinologist is necessary. The cycle will be restored immediately after treatment of the underlying pathology. Having identified provoking factors, they are immediately eliminated.

In some cases, it is sufficient to adjust the diet and follow a daily routine. It is extremely important to stop smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages to quickly restore the cycle.

The absence of menstruation on time is not always a sign of pregnancy. First of all, you need to do a test and rule out the possibility of conception. If you receive a negative result, you need to seek help from a gynecologist. Only an experienced doctor, after carrying out all the necessary diagnostic measures, will be able to identify the cause of the menstrual cycle failure and quickly restore reproductive function.

– menstrual dysfunction, manifested by the absence of cyclic bleeding for more than 35 days. It may be due to physiological reasons (pregnancy, premenopause, etc.), as well as various organic or functional disorders. Delayed menstruation occurs at different periods of a woman’s life: during the formation of menstrual function, during the reproductive period and during premenopause. A delay of menstruation for more than five days is a reason to consult a doctor. Diagnosis of delayed menstruation is aimed at finding the main cause of this symptom, on which further treatment tactics depend.

General information

Delayed menstruation A disruption in the menstrual cycle is considered, in which menstrual bleeding does not occur at the expected time. A delay in menstruation not exceeding 5-7 days is not regarded as a pathology. Options for delaying menstruation are such menstrual cycle disorders as oligomenorrhea, opsomenorrhea and amenorrhea, manifested by a decrease in menstrual bleeding. A delay in menstruation can be observed at different age periods of a woman’s life: during puberty, during the reproductive phase, during premenopause and can be caused by physiological or pathological reasons.

Natural, physiological reasons for the delay of menstruation are explained in the puberty period during the formation of the menstrual cycle, when for 1-1.5 years menstruation can be irregular. In women of reproductive age, a delay in menstruation is natural during pregnancy and lactation. During the premenopausal period, menstrual function gradually fades away, changes occur in the rhythm and duration of menstruation, and delays in menstruation are replaced by their complete cessation.

All other options for delaying menstruation, exceeding 5-7 days, are not explained by natural phenomena; in such cases, urgent consultation with a gynecologist is required. A woman’s menstrual cycle is a subtle mechanism that maintains reproductive function and reflects any deviations in general health. Therefore, to better understand the causes and mechanisms of delayed menstruation, it is necessary to clearly understand what is normal and abnormal in the characteristics of the menstrual cycle.

Characteristics of the menstrual cycle

The functioning of the body of a woman of childbearing age has cyclical patterns. Menstrual bleeding is the final stage of the menstrual cycle. Menstrual discharge indicates that fertilization of the egg and pregnancy have not occurred. In addition, the regularity of menstruation indicates that a woman’s body is functioning smoothly. A delay in menstruation, on the contrary, indicates some failures that have occurred.

The onset of the first menstruation usually occurs between 11-15 years of age. At first, menstrual bleeding may occur irregularly; a delay in menstruation during this period is normal, but after 12-18 months the menstrual cycle should finally form. The onset of menstruation before 11 years of age and absence after 17 years of age is a pathology. A delay in the onset of menstruation up to 18-20 years of age indicates obvious pathological processes: a general lag in physical development, dysfunction of the pituitary gland, underdevelopment of the ovaries, uterine hypoplasia, etc.

Normally, menstruation begins and ends at certain time intervals. For 60% of women, the cycle length is 28 days, that is, 4 weeks, which corresponds to the lunar month. Approximately 30% of women have a cycle lasting 21 days, and about 10% of women have a menstrual cycle lasting 30-35 days. On average, menstrual bleeding lasts 3-7 days, and the permissible blood loss per menstruation is 50-150 ml. The complete cessation of menstruation occurs after 45-50 years and marks the onset of menopause.

Irregularity and fluctuations in the duration of the menstrual cycle, systematic delays of menstruation for more than 5-10 days, alternation of scanty and heavy menstrual bleeding indicate serious deviations in a woman’s health. In order to control the onset or delay of menstruation, every woman should keep a menstrual calendar, marking the day the next menstruation begins. In this case, the delay in menstruation will be immediately visible.

Delayed menstruation and pregnancy

Pregnancy is the most common cause of missed periods in women of childbearing age. In addition to a delay in menstruation, the probable occurrence of pregnancy is indicated by changes in taste and olfactory sensations, appetite, the appearance of nausea and vomiting in the morning, drowsiness, and painful sensations in the mammary glands. The possibility of pregnancy cannot be rejected even in cases where there has been interrupted sexual intercourse, sexual contact during menstruation, on “safe” days or using a condom, in the presence of an intrauterine device, taking oral contraceptives, etc., since neither One method of contraception does not provide 100% contraceptive effect.

If there is a delay in menstruation, and in the previous month the woman had sexual intercourse, then pregnancy can be determined using special tests. The principle of operation of all pregnancy tests (test strips, tablet or inkjet) is the same: they determine the presence of human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (hCG or hCG) in the urine, the production of which begins in the body 7 days after fertilization of the egg. The concentration of hCG in the urine increases gradually, and modern, even the most sensitive tests, are able to detect it only after a delay in menstruation and no earlier than 12-14 days after conception has occurred. It is necessary to “read” the test result in the first 5-10 minutes. The appearance of even a barely noticeable second stripe during this period of time indicates a positive result and the presence of pregnancy. If the second stripe appears later, then this result is not reliable. If your period is late, to obtain a reliable result, it is recommended to repeat the pregnancy test twice with an interval of 2-3 days.

It should be remembered that while being sexually active, a woman can always become pregnant, so it is necessary to closely monitor the menstrual cycle and pay attention to delays in menstruation. However, a delay in menstruation can be caused not only by pregnancy, but also by a number of very other, sometimes very serious and dangerous to health reasons.

Other reasons for missed periods

Gynecology conventionally divides all the reasons that cause a delay in menstruation into two large groups: physiological and pathological causes of a delay in menstruation. In some cases, a delay in menstruation is caused by special transitional, adaptive conditions for the body, and usually does not exceed 5-7 days. However, some of these conditions are borderline, and when they worsen, organic disorders may occur, leading to a delay in menstruation as a manifestation of one or another pathology. Caused by physiological reasons can be considered:

• delay in menstruation caused by strong emotional or physical stress: stress, increased sports, academic or work loads;
• delay in menstruation due to unusual changes in lifestyle: change in the nature of work, sudden climate change;
• delayed menstruation due to insufficient nutrition and adherence to strict diets;
• delay of menstruation during periods of hormonal changes: puberty or menopause;
• delayed menstruation as a condition after discontinuation of hormonal contraceptives, caused by temporary hyperinhibition of the ovaries after prolonged receipt of hormones from the outside. If your period is delayed by 2-3 cycles, you should visit a gynecologist.
• delay in menstruation after using emergency contraception containing a high dose of hormones;
• delay of menstruation in the postpartum period associated with the production of the pituitary hormone prolactin, which is responsible for the secretion of milk and suppresses the cyclic function of the ovaries. If a woman does not breastfeed, then menstruation should resume approximately 2 months after birth. When breastfeeding, menstruation resumes after the baby is weaned. However, if your period is delayed for more than a year after childbirth, you should consult a gynecologist.
• delay of menstruation caused by colds (ARVI, influenza), chronic diseases: gastritis, thyroid dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, kidney diseases and many others. etc., as well as taking certain medications.

In all cases (except for those when the delay in menstruation is caused by age-related hormonal changes or lactation), the period of delay should not exceed 5-7 days, otherwise it is necessary to visit a gynecologist in order to prevent the development of serious diseases.

Pathological causes of delayed menstruation include, first of all, diseases of the genital area. This group of reasons includes:

• delay of menstruation caused by inflammatory (adnexitis, oophoritis) and tumor (uterine fibroids) diseases of the genital organs. Inflammatory processes in the genitals, in addition to delayed periods, can manifest as pathological discharge and pain in the lower abdomen. These conditions require emergency treatment as they can lead to serious complications and infertility;
• delayed menstruation due to polycystic ovary syndrome and associated hormonal disorders. Also, with polycystic ovary syndrome, in addition to delayed menstruation, there is an increase in body weight, the appearance
• delay of menstruation caused by health-critical weight gain or loss. For women suffering from anorexia, a delay in menstruation can result in their complete cessation.

Thus, regardless of the reasons, a delay in menstruation is the basis for an urgent visit to the gynecologist.

Examination for delayed menstruation

To determine the causes of delayed menstruation, examinations may be required in addition to a gynecological examination:

• measurement and graphical display of changes in basal temperature, allowing you to verify the presence or absence of ovulation;
• determination of the level of hCG, ovarian hormones, pituitary glands and other glands in the blood;
• ultrasound diagnostics of the pelvic organs to determine pregnancy (uterine, ectopic), tumor lesions of the uterus, ovaries and other reasons causing a delay in menstruation;
• CT and MRI of the brain to exclude tumors of the pituitary gland and ovaries.

If diseases accompanying a delay in menstruation are identified, consultations with other medical specialists are prescribed: endocrinologist, nutritionist, psychotherapist, etc.

To summarize the above, it should be noted that a delay in menstruation, no matter what circumstances it is caused by, should not go unnoticed by a woman. A delay in menstruation can be caused by a banal change in weather, or the joyful anticipation of motherhood, or by serious illnesses. If a delay in menstruation occurs, a timely consultation with a doctor will free you from unnecessary worries and worries that can significantly aggravate this condition. In families where girls are growing up, it is necessary to provide them with competent sex education, explaining, among other things, that a delay in menstruation is a problem that must be solved together with the mother and the doctor.