Missed or Stopped Period (Amenorrhoea)

Majority of women have a 28-day cycle and have period on the average for 4 to 5 days. The first day of  your period is the first day of your cycle

After a period the lining of the womb starts to increase in thickness in preparation for the possibility of pregnancy. In every woman the body prepare every month for this eventuality.

On the 14^th day after the period on the average, the release of the egg by the ovary (ovulation) takes place. About the 21^st day of the cycle, if the egg is not fertilised and the woman is not pregnancy, the womb sheds the thickness of its lining and this what comes out as the period.

So the period is the shedding of the lining of the womb when the woman does not get pregnant.

When the thickness of the lining of the womb at the end of the cycle is very thin, the period is light, or it is not shed at all. If it is not shed at all, then no period.

As we know, anything that can affect the brain can affect your period.

Stress and how you are feeling can affect the brain and therefore affect the period. Even change of environment, change of job, travel, divorce or even bereavement can affect your period.

During the great world wars, many women stopped having periods. It was just because the lining of the womb was so thin, and it was not been shed on a monthly basis.

That would answer the question, If I am not having a period where does all the blood go? Many women worry that the blood is accumulating somewhere in the stomach and they need to get rid of it. That is not correct.

Another misunderstanding some people have is that if they are not having a period, they cannot get pregnant, that is not correct. You can still get pregnant if you are not having a period because although the lining of the womb is not getting thick enough for you to get period, you are still releasing the eggs ( ovulation) from the ovaries. And if you are releasing the eggs, you can get pregnant.

So any woman who still within the age where she can have children (not gone through menopause) must use birth control (contraception) even if she is not having periods. When you are not absolutely sure, please do a  pregnancy test.

Some women just have longer menstrual cycle up to 35 – 40 days.

The reasons why your period may stop

• Pregnancy- always do a pregnancy test of you are sexually active, just to be sure!  And if you are not pregnant, do not worry your period would return – mostly within three months.
• Stress or depression may stop your period.
• Breastfeeding- can delay your period but birth control method (contraception) is still needed.
• Menopause- Average age is 51, but could range from 45-55. When a woman in this age group has not had a period for more than a year, she is considered to have achieved menopause (the change).
• Sudden weight loss – may be caused by eating disorders or anorexia
• Been overweight
• Birth control methods – the combined pill, the mini-pill, the implant, the depot, IUS (coils that contain hormone) – Always do a pregnancy to be sure!
• Too much exercise.
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome- the ovaries work in a different way.
• Medical conditions or medications used can stop the period- conditions like heart disease, uncontrolled diabetes, overactive thyroid, pituitary conditions, or premature menopause. Drugs used to treat cancer or psychosis (antipsychotics).

Tests offered

Where there are no other medical conditions, and pregnancy test negative, periods tend to return on its own. You may be advised to wait until you have missed three periods in a row. After the 3 months, you may want to consult a doctor.

If medical conditions are suspected especially where there are other additional problems to not having periods like poor eyesight, severe headaches, breast milk when you are not breastfeeding, you would be offered a test to check it. Tests include

Blood tests

Ultrasound scan, MRI, or CT scan to check for problems in the reproductive organs or in the brain

Treatment

In many cases, no underlying causes would be found. Periods returns on it own within three months.

But any treatment would depend on the cause that was found.