Late Menstrual

Something that is sure to cause a lot of women to panic is a late menstrual cycle or period. Many will be come frightened or excited at the prospect of a late menstrual cycle because they assume that it is a sign of pregnancy.

A woman should never assume that a late menstrual cycle is an indicator of pregnancy. Instead she should rely on more concrete tests for pregnancy that are more reliable. These include a visit to the doctor, pregnancy tests and ultrasound readings to name a few.

The reason a woman shouldn’t assume pregnancy because there are actually many things that can cause a late menstrual cycle many of which have nothing to do with pregnancy. Some of these causes can be symptoms of other health problems.

Other Causes of Late Menstrual Cycles

Imbalances or changes in a woman’s hormones can delay a menstrual cycle or stop it all together. Certain kinds of birth control pills which work by changing a woman’s hormonal balance can do this.

A change in a woman’s weight can also affect the menstrual cycle. A woman who has lost a lot of weight could undergo hormonal changes that lead to a late menstrual cycle.

Thyroid conditions, hormone therapies, menopause, side effects from medications and even changes in diet can all affect the menstrual cycle. Anything that can affect a woman’s hormones can change the menstrual cycle.

A woman’s menstrual cycle could also change as she gets older because hormones in the body change as a woman ages. This means that the menstrual cycle be longer or shorter when a woman gets older.

Exposure to certain kinds of chemicals could also affect a woman’s menopause. Stress can also play a role in the menstrual cycle.

Menstrual Cycles after Pregnancy

Pregnancy can affect the menstrual cycles because it changes the hormones in a woman’s body. This means that many women experience changes in the menstrual cycle and late menstrual cycles after pregnancy.

Breastfeeding mothers often don’t undergo menstruation while they are breastfeeding. In particular breakfasting women may not start menstruating again until months after a pregnancy ends.

A woman who is breastfeeding shouldn’t worry too much about late menstrual cycles because that’s a normal side effect of breast feeding. The normal menstrual cycle should return after a few months of breast feeding.

Menstrual Cycles & Pregnancy

The main reason why a late menstrual cycle may not indicate pregnancy is that menstruation and ovulation (egg discharge) are not necessarily related. It is possible for a woman to ovulate (discharge eggs from her ovaries) without menstruating. It is also possible for a woman to menstruate without ovulating.

This means that a late period or late menstrual cycle can have nothing to do with pregnancy. Yet it could be a symptom of other health problems that could affect a woman.

The best advice for a woman who has a late menstrual cycle is not to panic. Instead she should go see her doctor and find out what is going on.