Maintaining Wellness Throughout Your Pregnancy: An OBGYN Blog

While pregnancy may be your first thought when you experience a late period while being sexually active, this is not the only reason why your menses can delay. Yet, not many women talk about irregular cycles since some of them assume that this issue will resolve on their own without any medical intervention. The thing to note about a late period, though, is that it is often indicative of an underlying issue with your health. And if you are not menopausal, you have all the more reason to try to figure out why your period has become irregular so that any potential conditions can be diagnosed and treated early. Although it is not necessarily a sign of illness when you experience a later period, here are a couple of reasons why this occurrence should mandate a visit to a gynaecologist.

You have gained or lost a considerable amount of weight

Severe weight changes are one of the more common reasons why some women will experience a late period. And this is largely because changes in one's fat ratio will have an immediate effect on your hormonal levels. For example, the more weight you gain, the higher your fat ratio and the higher your oestrogen levels will be, which will lead to ovulation problems that result in a late or a completely missed period. The same applies to substantial weight loss, as this will cause a hormonal imbalance that interferes with one's ovulation and menstruation cycle. Setting an appointment with your gynaecologist is essential so that you can discuss dietary or lifestyle changes that will help you achieve a healthy body weight that will subsequently facilitate healthier hormone levels.

You have underlying polycystic ovarian syndrome

Commonly referred to as PCOS, this condition is a hormonal disorder that leads to excessive amounts of testosterone in a woman's body. Although testosterone is usually associated with men, it is essential to note that this hormone is present in both men and women but in varying amounts, with men having a higher level of this hormone. When a woman's testosterone levels increase substantially, it can lead to the formation of cysts on the ovaries. As a result, the affected ovaries stop releasing eggs as they are supposed to, and this will manifest either as an abnormal ovulation cycle leading to an irregular menstrual cycle or, in some cases, a cycle that stops altogether, which puts an end to your menses. Other symptoms to be wary of that could be indicative of undiagnosed PCOS include excessive body hair, rapid weight gain, acne and so on.