Is It Normal for My Period to Not Come?

A late period can be caused by many factors beyond pregnancy. The most common culprits are stress, significant weight changes, excessive exercise, thyroid disorders, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), starting or stopping birth control, and perimenopause.

Stress is the single most common non-pregnancy cause. The stress hormone cortisol directly interferes with the hormones that regulate your cycle — GnRH, FSH, and LH — and can delay or even suppress ovulation entirely. This means your period may come late, or in severe cases, not at all.

A period is generally considered late if it hasn't started 5 or more days after the expected date. But keep in mind that cycle length naturally varies — a few days' variation from month to month is perfectly normal.

Yes — and it's more common than you might think. Stress activates your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which directly competes with the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis that controls your menstrual cycle. In plain terms: when your body is in survival mode, reproduction becomes a lower priority.

Cortisol suppresses GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone), which reduces the signals that trigger ovulation. Without ovulation, your period is delayed. This can happen with emotional stress (grief, anxiety, major life changes), physical stress (illness, sleep deprivation), or a combination of both.

The good news: once the stressor resolves or you develop effective coping strategies, your cycle typically normalizes within 1-3 months.

Exercise-induced amenorrhea (the medical term for losing your period due to exercise) happens when your body's energy expenditure significantly exceeds its energy intake. This isn't just about elite athletes — it can happen to anyone who exercises intensely without adequate fueling.

The issue isn't the exercise itself but the energy deficit. Your body needs a minimum amount of available energy to maintain reproductive function. When it doesn't get enough, it down-regulates non-essential systems — and reproduction is first on the chopping block.

Warning signs include losing your period after increasing training volume, periods becoming lighter or more irregular as exercise increases, and fatigue that doesn't resolve with rest. If you're training hard and your period disappears, the solution is usually increasing caloric intake rather than stopping exercise.

Absolutely. Thyroid disorders are one of the most underdiagnosed causes of menstrual irregularity, affecting roughly 10-15% of women over 40. Both hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) and hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) can disrupt your cycle.

Hypothyroidism slows everything down — you might experience longer, heavier periods, or your cycle may stretch out significantly. Hyperthyroidism speeds things up — periods may become lighter, shorter, or less frequent. Both conditions can cause missed periods entirely.

The symptoms overlap heavily with other conditions: fatigue, weight changes, brain fog, mood swings, and hair loss could be thyroid, perimenopause, or even depression. A simple blood test (TSH, Free T4, Free T3, and TPO antibodies) can rule thyroid in or out. If your doctor hasn't checked, ask.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal condition affecting approximately 1 in 10 women of reproductive age, making it one of the most common causes of irregular or missed periods. Despite its name, not all women with PCOS have ovarian cysts.

PCOS disrupts the normal hormonal signaling that triggers ovulation. Without regular ovulation, periods become irregular, infrequent, or absent. Other signs include excess androgen (leading to acne, excess facial or body hair, or thinning scalp hair), weight gain (especially around the midsection), and difficulty getting pregnant.

PCOS is diagnosed based on having at least two of three criteria: irregular periods, signs of excess androgen, and polycystic ovaries on ultrasound. Tracking your cycle irregularities and symptoms gives your doctor valuable diagnostic data. PCOS is very manageable with lifestyle changes, medication, and ongoing monitoring.

Yes, this is called post-pill amenorrhea and it's common. After stopping hormonal birth control, it can take 1-3 months for your natural cycle to return. For some women, especially those who had irregular periods before starting birth control, it can take longer.

Hormonal birth control works by suppressing your body's natural hormonal fluctuations. When you stop, your hypothalamus, pituitary, and ovaries need time to re-establish their communication. The type of birth control matters too — coming off the Depo-Provera shot can take longer (up to 6-12 months) compared to the pill or IUD.

If your period hasn't returned within 3 months of stopping birth control, or within 6 months of stopping Depo-Provera, check in with your healthcare provider to rule out other causes.

If there's any chance of pregnancy, take a home pregnancy test once your period is a week late. Modern home pregnancy tests are highly accurate (99%+) when used correctly at this timing.

For the most reliable result, use your first morning urine (which has the highest concentration of hCG, the pregnancy hormone) and follow the instructions carefully. If the test is negative but your period still hasn't arrived after another week, test again — sometimes hCG levels take longer to rise to detectable levels.

If multiple tests are negative and your period is more than 2-3 months late, see your healthcare provider. There are medical causes for missed periods that deserve investigation, and your doctor can run blood tests for pregnancy, thyroid function, hormone levels, and other potential causes.