When menstruation does not arrive on time, many girls and women immediately begin to get nervous – someone is afraid of an unplanned pregnancy, someone is pathological. The most popular reason why there may be a delay in menstruation is, of course, pregnancy, but there are dozens of others. Most of them are a reason to immediately consult a doctor.
Reasons for delayed menstruation for a week
Was the pregnancy test negative with a delay of seven days? So, you need to look for a reason further: they can be harmless and quite serious.
Adolescence
During the first couple of years after the first menstruation in adolescents, menstruation may be irregular. This is due to the fact that during this period the woman’s reproductive system is still being formed, and the ovaries do not produce an egg every month. Hence the downed menstrual cycle and the sudden onset of menstruation.
Stress and anxiety
Stress and constant anxiety negatively affect overall health. This is due to the fact that the activity of the pituitary gland is disrupted, which affects the organs responsible for the production of hormones, in particular the adrenal glands and ovaries.
Further down the curve – poor ovarian function leads to a problem with the production of estrogens, hormones, which are involved in the process of monthly thickening of the uterine mucosa and the preparation of a woman’s body for potential pregnancy. If the ovaries are disturbed, this can lead to delays in changing the duration of the cycle and even to missed periods.
It is, of course, impossible to eliminate stress from life. But you need to try to avoid them and find ways to cope with it.
Pathology
The harmless reasons for delaying menstruation for a week were listed above, but there are also negative ones – these are diseases of the female system. A week delay may be due to ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, hormonal failure. To understand the exact cause, you need to contact a gynecologist.
What to do in case of a delay in menstruation for a week
The first thing you need to do is a pregnancy test, modern test systems are able to show an accurate result even with a delay of only a few days. If the test is negative, and you are not pregnant, then you need to identify the cause of menstrual dysfunction. To do this, it is recommended to make an appointment with a gynecologist, undergo an ultrasound scan to exclude the most likely causes of menstrual irregularities. They may be polycystic ovary syndrome, functional ovarian cyst, fibroids, etc.
If menstruation is delayed for a week or more during the last 6 months, the specialist may recommend an assessment of the hormonal profile. In order to identify the exact cause of the delay, the gynecologist, in addition to examining the armchair and pelvic ultrasound, can prescribe the following studies: an STI test (to exclude gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis), ultrasound of the adrenal gland, pituitary hormones, ovaries and other hormones.
Prevention of delayed menstruation
A girl and a woman need to visit a gynecologist once or twice a year, even if she has no complaints. In case of problems with the cycle, in addition to the gynecologist, it is also recommended to visit an endocrinologist and take tests for sex hormones.
To maintain a healthy state, including the female genital area, you should give up smoking, alcohol, drugs, overeating, lead an active lifestyle and engage in light sports.
Be sure to pay attention to your diet: is there protein, carbohydrates, and proper fats that are necessary for women’s health? The necessary fats include olive oil, yolks, butter, avocados, low-fat fish, nuts.
In order not to have problems with the cycle, choosing safe hormonal contraceptives is necessary with the help of a gynecologist-endocrinologist (not yourself!).
A woman should consult a gynecologist for advice if the period of absence of menstruation is a week or more.