Irregular Periods or Missing Periods

What are irregular periods?

Your periods may come early or late. It’s okay if your periods don’t occur on exactly the same day each month, but it should be within the range of 21-35 days between the start of your period and the start of the next period. If the time in between your periods is shorter than 21 days or longer than 35 days, then you have irregular periods. 

Causes

There are many possible causes of missed or irregular periods. 

Common causes are:

·      Puberty – your periods might be irregular for the first year or two

·      The start of the menopause (usually between the ages of 45 and 55)

·      Early pregnancy – take a pregnancy test to rule this out

·      Some types of hormonal contraception – such as the contraceptive pill or intrauterine system (IUS)

·      Extreme weight loss or weight gain, excessive exercise or stress

·      Medical conditions – such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or a problem with your thyroid

When to see a family doctor:

·      your periods suddenly become irregular 

·      you have periods more often than every 21 days or less often than every 35 days

·      your periods last longer than 7 days

·      you have irregular periods and you're struggling to get pregnant