Missing out on your period doesn’t mean that you're
pregnant. Also, people take it for granted that we'll have periods from puberty
until middle age. But what happens when your periods suddenly stop? It's fairly
common to experience irregular periods from time to time – lifestyle changes
and environmental factors such as shift work can make you late but absent
periods (amenorrhea) especially at the early age should always be checked
out.
If you are a young woman and
has regular periods but you missed out one for three months, but you are not
pregnant then you should see your gynecologist as it could be more serious.
Below, we look at some of the most common reasons your periods might have
stopped.
1. You're stressed Severe stress can have a major
affect on your periods. High levels of stress hormones such as cortisol in your
body interfere with
menstrual hormones surges, resulting in a cycle that's
delayed or that just stops.
2. You exercise excessively Working out is good
but if you exercise too much, or do it aggressively then your hormones will be
disrupted in a similar way to when you're stressed. If you are an avid
gym-goer or athlete and you have very little body fat, there is a good chance you
will begin to skip periods and have anovular cycles. Even if you do have a
cycle, you may have very light bleeds as the womb lining is thin.
3. You have a low body weight, we know not all fat
is good, but some fat is essential. If your body weight sinks too low, you may
stop ovulating. Being too thin also prevents a pregnancy when, as far as the
body is concerned, there is not enough food to sustain both you and a
baby.
4. You may have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is
very common today especially at young age due to lifestyle habits. It's an
endocrine disorder that has many symptoms, such as lack of or irregular
periods, 'cysts' on the ovaries, fertility issues and weight gain. It can also
cause excess body hair, acne, thinning hair and depression.
Not everyone shows all these signs, however – it affects
women in different ways. Untreated, it can sometimes lead to more serious
conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart problems, so don't ignore
it.
