Missed Periods - Reasons for Delayed Periods, Primary and Secondary Amenorrhea

It is a matter of shock when you miss your periods even after taking birth control pills regularly. How can it be possible to miss the cycles after taking all the precautionary measures? Many women get surprised and even get scared but they don't understand that due to birth control pills there can be chances of the late period but not missed periods (unless you forgot your birth pills and you are pregnant). (1)

But if six weeks have already passed and you don’t have a period or menstrual cycle then it will be considered as a missed period or amenorrhea. However, It does not imply a woman is pregnant if she misses her period on birth control. Using birth control pills is a way of preventing pregnancy. However many women also use them to treat many medical conditions like PCOS PCOD. As the pill has different hormones it can affect the menstrual cycle of the lady. While some females might have lighter bleeding while others may skip their periods. This abnormal lapse in monthly cycles is known as amenorrhea. (2) (3)

Apart from birth control pills, there are other reasons of missing periods.

1- Stress can affect the mind and body to a great extent. Excessive stress can actually impair hypothalamus functioning. (4)

2- Change in eating habits and losing weight, can also interrupt the periods. If your weight is low or you are underweight then it may stop the body from ovulating and maintaining the regular cycles as well.

3- Women with anorexia and bulimia are at more risk. (5)

4- Long workout hours can also disrupt the hormone levels and stop your menstrual cycle.

5- Some women prefer to take birth control pills continuously like Yaz, Seasonale, and Seasonique. If you are using these pills and taking active pills continuously for next three months followed by inactive pills in a week then you might notice spotting between the months and your period might occur only four times per year during the inactive pills session.

When a woman says her period is late, she actually means her ovulation is late not the menstruation. Birth control is used for regulating a woman's monthly cycle apart from preventing pregnancies. If you are on birth control and have made any physical or emotional changes in your daily schedule, then it can affect your cycle and cause missed periods.

Is Missed period an indication of being PREGNANT?

There are still some chances of getting pregnant, even when birth control pills have been taken regularly and correctly. If you are sexually active and have noticed spotting or have missed periods, then you must immediately consult a doctor – to find the reason. Though missed periods can also happen due to imbalances of hormones – still it would mean that the next period will occur for sure – though it may be delayed. However, it is important to check pregnancy especially if you have skipped or missed doses of medication. Off course you can perform home pregnancy tests but there are chances of false positives and false negatives, so you can never be sure. (6)

HCG Blood tests are perfect ways to test for pregnancy. Common symptoms of pregnancy are:

1- Missed Menstrual Cycle (7)

2- Nausea (8)

3- Frequent Urination (9)

4- Breast Tenderness

5- Fatigue

6- Lower Backache

Once you missed your periods, the above signs should develop in a week’s time. Though hormones regulate the menstrual cycle while being on the pill you may get some type of bleeding in every 28 days.

How do birth control pills work?

There are two types of birth control pills. The first is a man-made form of female hormones i.e. estrogen and progesterone. While the other one is a progestin-only mini pill. Though there is a notion that birth control pills prevent pregnancy but these pills are also helpful with menstruation problems as well as skin issues. Birth control pills help in preventing pregnancy in different ways (10):

1- By preventing ovulation

2- By blocking the sperm from reaching the egg - thickens the cervical mucus

3- By preventing the fertilized egg from implanting it down the uterine lining

The bottom line is missing periods while taking birth control pills is not always a reason to worry. For easing up your mind you can either take a home pregnancy test or visit your doctor for an HCG blood test.

Hope this article gave you an idea on the reasons behind missed periods while on birth control pills. Follow Elawoman blog to get regular updates on fertility health and treatments.