The Reasons For The Delay In Menstruation, Except For Pregnancy, The Test Is Negative, What Should I Do?

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

The reasons for the delay in menstruation, except for pregnancy, the test is negative, what should I do?

A delay in menstruation is the absence of cyclic bleeding for more than 35 days in a woman of reproductive age who has not entered the menopause. The reasons for such a violation of menstrual function can be many, they are caused by physiological, organic and functional disorders.

As for the age at which the delay is observed, it can be different, from the period of puberty of the girl to the period of premenopause. Statistics indicate that 100% of women have faced this problem at least once in their life.

Content:

• For what reasons can there be a delay in menstruation?
• Reasons for delaying menstruation by 2-3-4-5 days
• The reasons for the delay in menstruation for 10-15 days or more, the test is negative
• Reasons for delayed menstruation after 40 years
• Why are constant delays in menstruation dangerous?

• Popular questions and answers:

  • Thrush can cause delayed periods?
  • Can cystitis be the reason for the delay in menstruation?
  • Can a cyst be the cause of delayed menstruation?
• What to do if there is a delay in menstruation?

For what reasons can there be a delay in menstruation?

Naturally, the most common reason why the next menstrual cycle does not start on time is pregnancy. In addition, a woman's taste sensations change, morning nausea and even vomiting may occur, painful sensations appear in the mammary glands. All these signs are associated with a change in hormonal levels in a woman's body after conception.

However, pregnancy is an obvious reason for the delay that has occurred and it is not difficult to determine it using a special test.

If the result is negative, then other reasons should be considered, including:

• Increased emotional stress, for example, severe stress, study load before exams. Don't underestimate the effect of stress on a woman's body. It can cause serious disruptions in the work of areas of the brain that are responsible for hormonal regulation. Under severe stress, menstruation may stop even for several years.
• Increased physical stress, associated, for example, with increased sports training or difficult working conditions.
• Professional training in heavy sports.
• Early menopause, which can occur even at the age of 30. This is most often associated with diseases of the endocrine system.
• Radical changes in the usual way of life, for example, change of work, place of residence, moving to another climatic zone or time zone, etc. In this case, the delay in menstruation is caused by the adaptation of the body to the changed conditions.
• Gynecological operations performed. In the event that a woman has a delay after surgery, she needs an urgent consultation with a doctor (if the doctor has not previously informed about possible failures in the regular cycle).
• Genetic diseases.
• Diseases of the cardiovascular and hematopoietic systems.

• Changes in hormonal status, which may be associated with the onset of the premenopausal period, with the onset of puberty. Cycle delays often occur in adolescent girls; such delays in the first two years after the onset of menstruation are the norm. After this time, the cycle should be established.
• Excessive production of testosterone in the body. With such a violation, the woman begins to grow hair above the upper lip, in the groin area, the skin becomes greasy. You shouldn't hesitate to see a doctor, as this can ultimately lead to infertility.
• Refusal to take hormonal contraceptives. This delay is due to the fact that the functionality of the ovaries decreases against the background of prolonged intake of hormones from the outside. A deviation from the norm in this case is the absence of more than 2-3 cycles.
• Taking medications high in hormones that are used as emergency contraception. For example, such means as Postinora, Escapeli, etc.
• Violations of follicle maturation, which is expressed in its atresia or persistence.

• The period after childbirth, when the delay is due to hormonal changes due to the onset of lactation. The body begins to produce prolactin in excess, which helps to suppress the functionality of the ovaries. A woman needs to know that if the baby is not breastfeeding, then menstruation should begin after two months. If the mother is feeding the baby, then the period should recover after the cessation of lactation.
• Viral infections such as SARS and influenza.
• Exacerbation of chronic diseases: gastritis, stomach ulcers, diabetes mellitus. In addition, impairments to the functionality of the thyroid gland, kidneys, etc.
• Taking medicines. Antidepressants, corticosteroids, chemotherapy for cancer can have an effect.
• Weight gain, obesity. The risk of developing amenorrhea is especially high with accompanying stressful situations.
• Genital inflammation - oophritis, adnexitis.
• Benign tumor - uterine fibroids.
• Endometriosis
• Polycystic ovary disease, which causes hormonal disorders. Concomitant symptoms are: seborrheic dermatitis, increased hair growth, acne.
• Cyst of the corpus luteum of the ovary. It is formed due to disorders in the production of hormones in a woman's body.
• Avitaminosis. Lack of vitamins will lead to the fact that the immune system will begin to suffer, this will lead to a slowdown in all metabolic processes, which means it will inevitably affect the hormonal background of a woman. The lack of vitamin E, as well as its excess, has a particular effect.
• Irregular sexual relations. It is noticed that when a permanent sexual partner appears in a woman's life, irregularities in the menstrual cycle often disappear on their own.
• Oncological diseases of the body of the uterus, cervix.
• Digestive disorders, which can be caused by strict diets, illness, overeating, metabolic disorders, etc.
• Abortion. In this case, either hormonal disorders or mechanical damage lead to a delay.

• Ectopic or frozen pregnancy. Both cases require immediate surgical intervention.
• Early miscarriage after conception.
• Severe weight loss. A disease such as anorexia can lead to a complete shutdown of the functionality of the ovaries.
• Alcohol abuse, drug use. Often, a delay in menstruation can occur in women who prefer beer to all alcoholic beverages.
• Overcooling of the body, as well as overheating, can provoke a delay in the next cycle.
• An increase in the level of prolactin in the blood, which can be a symptom of a brain tumor.

Reasons for delaying menstruation by 2-3-4-5 days

Failure in the menstrual cycle for a short period - up to 5 days or less, is considered normal. However, if after this time, menstruation has not resumed, you should consult a doctor.

There may be several reasons for such a short delay, and most often they are explained by natural physiological processes taking place in the body. So, in the pubertal period, when the formation of the cycle is just taking place, such breaks are not any deviation from the norm. Temporary fluctuations with delays of up to 5 or even 7 days can be observed for 1.5-2 years. After that, the menstrual schedule should return to normal. If this does not happen, then you should consult a doctor.

In addition, such a delay is a frequent companion of the premenopausal period, when there is a progressive slowdown in menstrual function. The rhythms of the woman's body change, as well as the timing of each cycle. At this time, delays in menstruation can be replaced by their complete absence.

Sometimes, such time delays can occur in women of childbearing age. Most often, women themselves are able to determine the reason for such a short delay - this is the onset of pregnancy, breastfeeding, refusal to take oral contraceptives, acclimatization and other natural physiological reasons. But if such violations become regular, then this indicates pathological processes occurring in the body and a doctor's consultation in this case is necessary.

According to doctors, a short one-time delay in menstruation for up to five days is a physiological norm and most often does not require special treatment. However, no one knows her body better than the woman herself. Therefore, if there is reason for concern about a delay of even a few days, then you should not postpone the visit to the doctor.

The reasons for the delay in menstruation for 10-15 days or more, the test is negative

Prolonged absence of the menstrual cycle is a delay of 10-15 days or more. If the pregnancy test did not give a positive result, then it makes sense to start worrying about your own health. Most often, such a prolonged absence of menstruation indicates the presence of any irregularities in the body. Only a doctor can correctly diagnose the cause of the delay and prescribe treatment.

Of course, the cycle can recover on its own, if the delay was caused by stress or acclimatization.

But, if this does not happen, and the delay is 15 or more days, then this may be due to the following reasons:

• Oligomenorrhea, which is characterized by a weakening of menstruation. They are becoming not only scarce, but also rare. The interval can be from 15 days to six months. This pathology occurs in about 3% of women.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome, when multiple cystic formations begin to grow inside and outside of them. It occurs both in young girls and in women of age.
• Endometriosis can delay the menstrual cycle.
• Endometritis, which is expressed in inflammation of the lining of the uterus.
• Hypoplasia of the uterus, that is, its underdevelopment. Pathology is found in adolescence.
• Inflammation of the appendages, localized in the ovaries and tubes. Reduced immunity, viral infections, hypothermia, penetration of bacteria, etc., can lead to a pathological process.

Naturally, these are far from all the reasons that can lead to a delay of 15 days or more, but they are the most common and require treatment without fail. The absence of regular menstruation can be provoked by traumas caused by abortion, malnutrition, cancer, appendicitis, uterine fibroids, follicle maturation without ovulation, atresia of an immature follicle and other factors. In any case, such a long break in the cycle requires an immediate visit to the gynecologist.

Reasons for delayed menstruation after 40 years

After a woman reaches the age of 40, she begins the natural process of the extinction of menstrual function. The ovaries produce hormones in smaller quantities, 1-2 times a year, cycles without ovulation can be observed, which causes a delay. In addition, menstruation becomes irregular, short-term, scarce.

Although worldwide data indicate that the gradual decline of reproductive function should occur after 45 years, this age is often declining. This "rejuvenation" of menopause is due to the fact that most women by this age have chronic diseases that are aggravated against the background of frequent stress, viral infections, hard work, previous abortions, etc.

A woman aged 40 and older who seeks medical help can hear the following diagnoses that are very common for this age category:

• Delayed menstruation due to psychological stress. Moreover, at this age, the reasons for increased nervous tension become even greater than in youth: problems of grown-up children, exacerbation of chronic diseases, the natural aging process, etc. At 40, any stress is much more difficult to endure than at 20.
• Heavy physical activity, backbreaking work. Often it is at this age that a breakdown occurs, but despite this fact, the woman continues to work at the same pace, and sometimes even more. This affects the state of the body as a whole and increases the likelihood of a delay.
• Any chronic diseases, among the most common: urolithiasis, cirrhosis, pathologies of the cardiovascular and hematopoietic systems, gastritis, heart attack, celiac disease, etc. All disorders in the body can cause malfunction of the ovaries.
• Severe course of any colds: acute respiratory infections, flu, bronchitis, acute respiratory viral infections, etc.
• Endocrine pathologies: thyroid diseases, diabetes mellitus.
• Overweight, which is observed in most women over 40 years of age. Thinness can also be a causal delay, but at this age women do not suffer from anorexia as often as from obesity.
• Alimentary causes caused by imbalance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, lack of vitamins, microelements supplied with food.
• Any significant change in life. Delays can appear against the background of the fact that adaptive and adaptive mechanisms work much worse with age. Even a short trip to the sea can affect.
• Taking medications, the amount of which increases significantly as a woman ages. Any drug can provoke a delay, but most often at this age it is observed against the background of taking antipsychotropic drugs, drugs to get rid of endometriosis - Zoladex, Dipherelin, Buserelin, as well as due to the use of Dufaston, Lanazol, Methyldopa, etc.
• Any diseases of the reproductive system, for example, polycystic ovaries, benign and malignant tumors, vaginal colpitis, etc.

Given these factors, a woman should seek specialist advice if delays become regular and exceed the physically acceptable limits of 5 days.

Why are constant delays in menstruation dangerous?

If a single delay in menstruation within physiologically acceptable boundaries is not a threat to a woman's health, then regular failures are fraught with danger. It lies in the fact that the reason that caused the delay will not be diagnosed in time and eliminated.

It is important to seek medical help for often frequent irregularities in the cycle, since:

• The delay may be caused by the growth of a microadenoma, a malignant brain tumor. Cycle disturbances are caused by an increase in the level of prolactin in the blood.
• Inflammation of the uterus and appendages can cause not only delays, but also lead to anovular infertility, the formation of a purulent process, sepsis, pelvic thrombophlebitis, parametritis. In addition, depletion of the follicular apparatus due to regular delays due to inflammation of the appendages often leads to early menopause, at the age of 35 and younger.
• Any advanced female diseases threaten the development of complete infertility, and they can begin with the usual delays in menstruation.
• Polycystic ovary disease, often manifested in delayed menstruation, can lead to the development of gestational diabetes, obesity, and arterial hypertension. As a result, the entire cardiovascular system suffers, up to blockage of veins, heart attack and stroke.
• Any hormonal disruptions not only disrupt a woman's well-being, but also cause miscarriages, uterine fibroids, are fraught with the development of asthma, diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis, and malignant cancers. In addition, in addition to delayed menstruation, hormonal disorders significantly impair the quality of a woman's life (pains in the joints, mammary glands appear, sleep is disturbed, sweating increases, etc.) and lead to changes in her appearance (obesity or thinness, underdevelopment of the mammary glands, increased body hair growth, oily skin and acne, etc.).
• Early menopause leads to premature aging of the skin, weakening of the body's immune forces, to the development of atherosclerosis, to premature extinction of fertility, to an increased risk of diabetes mellitus, etc.

Due to the fact that regular irregularities in the menstrual cycle can cause serious health problems, women must necessarily consult a gynecologist and other necessary examinations to establish the cause of the failure.

Popular questions and answers:

Thrush can cause delayed periods?

Many women often trace the relationship between thrush or vaginal candidiasis and delayed menstrual periods. However, the disease itself cannot cause the untimely onset of menstruation, although such phenomena often coincide.

The reason lies in the fact that thrush is often the result of stress, increased emotional stress, as well as many diseases of the body. A badly endured cold or exacerbation of a chronic illness can cause both candidiasis and a delay in menstruation.

That is why a combination of these two pathological conditions for the female body is so often observed. But the thrush itself cannot be the cause of the untimely onset of the cycle. Nevertheless, an appeal to a doctor in such situations is mandatory.

Can cystitis be the reason for the delay in menstruation?

This question is quite relevant, since after suffering cystitis, women often experience a delay in menstruation. This is due to the fact that cystitis provokes the development of inflammation in the small pelvis and often becomes chronic. Naturally, all nearby organs suffer: ovaries, tubes, uterus. As a result, their functionality is impaired and a woman has a delay after an illness.

In addition, ovarian dysfunction can have a direct impact on the development of cystitis, because it is known for certain that the level of estrogen affects the functionality of the bladder. The lower the hormone level, the thinner its wall becomes, which means that it is more susceptible to various infections. As a result, due to hormonal disorders, a woman develops cystitis, the manifestations of which are difficult to miss.

After treatment, there is a delay, which the woman associates with the previous illness, although in fact its cause, as well as the cause of cystitis, was a violation of hormone production. So, after an illness, a delay may occur, it can be caused by both chronic cystitis and a violation of hormone production.

Can a cyst be the cause of delayed menstruation?

The answer is unequivocally positive. The fact is that with cysts that form on the ovaries, a wide variety of irregularities on the part of the menstrual cycle can occur, including its delay.

Especially often this situation is observed in young girls when they develop functional cysts of the corpus luteum, follicle, etc. Most often, a delay is observed even before the cyst itself is formed. That is, the delay precedes the cyst, disrupting the process of the menstrual cycle and contributing to its formation. Therefore, doctors often predict cystic growth after the appearance of such disorders.

As for the delay time, as a rule, they do not exceed one week. Similar phenomena can be observed from month to month until the cyst is diagnosed and treatment begins.

What to do if there is a delay in menstruation?

If there are regularly recurring delays in menstruation or the period of delay exceeds the maximum permissible physiological limits of five days, then you need to consult a doctor. After finding out the reasons, the woman will be prescribed appropriate treatment. Most often, therapy is carried out with the use of hormonal pills. However, in no case should they be taken on their own, without medical advice. This is extremely dangerous for a woman's health and can disrupt the entire hormonal system, which means it can lead to serious health problems.

Among the most common hormonal drugs, doctors prescribe the following:

• Postinor. It is a drug used for emergency contraception. This remedy is used if it is necessary to induce the menstrual cycle as soon as possible. However, it is recommended only with regular menstruation, since its use can provoke cycle disturbances, and with very frequent use, lead to infertility.
• Duphaston. They are used if the delay in the menstrual cycle is caused by insufficient levels of progesterone in the body. Only a doctor should adjust the dose, based on research. If there is no pregnancy, and the delay does not exceed 7 days, then the postinor is prescribed for a period of 5 days. After this time, your period should start after two or three days.
• Mifepristone can be used to induce menstruation in early pregnancy that does not exceed 42 days. However, in no case should it be used if an ectopic pregnancy is suspected. admission should be carried out under the supervision of a physician, since the indiscriminate use of mifepristone leads to a violation of the hormonal background.
• Pulsatilla. Another hormonal drug that can be prescribed when menstruation is delayed. This is the safest remedy that does not lead to weight gain, does not affect the nervous system. However, it should not be taken by girls who have an irregular cycle.
• Non-ovlon, a drug that stimulates the onset of the menstrual cycle, is able to prevent acyclic bleeding. It contains estrogen and gestagen. Most often, with a delay, two tablets are prescribed after 12 hours. However, before using it, it is mandatory to consult a specialist, since the drug has side effects and can disrupt the functioning of the reproductive organs.
• Progesterone is an injectable hormone. It is used to induce menstruation, the selection of the dosage is strictly individual. An increased supply of progesterone to the body can cause a host of side effects, including excess hair growth, weight gain, and menstrual irregularities. More than 10 shots are never given. The effect is based on stimulating the work of the glands located in the uterine lining. The drug has a number of contraindications, including: uterine bleeding, liver failure, breast tumors, etc.
• Norkolut, causes menstruation, as it contains norethisterone, which is similar in its action to the action of gestagens. And their lack often provokes failures in cycles and their delay. The course of treatment should not exceed five days, it is not used during pregnancy, as it threatens with miscarriage and bleeding. It has a large number of contraindications and side effects, therefore, prior consultation with a doctor is necessary.
• Utrozhestan. It is an agent that suppresses estrogen and stimulates the production of progesterone, which determines its therapeutic effect. In addition, it has a stimulating effect on the development of the endometrium. The drug can be administered vaginally, which is its undoubted advantage, however, this tool has some contraindications.

Naturally, using hormonal drugs to induce menstruation is not a safe method. It is necessary to take them correctly, as you can cause irreparable harm to health.

It should be understood that any interference with the hormonal background must be justified. Each medicine is selected strictly individually and in compliance with clear medical recommendations. Only in this way can you preserve your own health and avoid negative consequences. But long delays should not be ignored either. Therefore, the most correct decision would be to go to the doctor and undergo reasonable and adequate therapy.

The author of the article: Lapikova Valentina Vladimirovna | Gynecologist, reproductologist

Education: Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynecology received at the Russian State Medical University of the Federal Agency for Healthcare and Social Development (2010). In 2013 completed postgraduate studies at N. N. N. I. Pirogova.