Getting your period every month is a total downer (especially when it happens to pop in at the most inconvenient time), but if you're trying to get preggers then having that regular visit from Aunt Flo is like a pat on the back for another successful month. So when your period goes missing for a few days or weeks, you start stressing and crying and rushing to the nearest pharmacy for a pregnancy kit. Turns out there are quite a few reasons your menstruation might be M.I.A. and it's nothing to do with a b-a-b-y.
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Alyssa Dweck, M.D., listed a few reason why your period has skipped town with Women's Health magazine and she says stressing out is a major cause. "This particular area of the brain, the hypothalamus, is where a lot of the hormones for your period are regulated," Dweck said. "The hypothalamus is very affected by stress." This means that fretting over a life-changing event–even the thought of possibly being pregnant–could prevent your menstrual period from arriving.
While simple changes like working out too hard, losing a lot of weight, or starting birth control medication could cause changes in your cycle, a missed period could also indicate a more serious underlying condition. Issues like polycystic ovary symptom, a thyroid imbalance, or an untreated chronic disease silently wreakhavoc on your body, so be sure to bring up your concerns with a doctor to rule out any major worries. If you are in your early forties, you could be experiencing perimenopause symptoms. And if you are older well, then it just may be menopause. One way or another it's always a good idea to find ways to relax to minimize stress.
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