Why is my period late?
“My period is four days overdue.”
“The pregnancy test was negative but I still haven’t gotten my period!”
“I’ve never been this late. What is going on?”
Late periods are a common topic among women. If you are not trying to get pregnant, the question of, “why is my period late?” can cause anxiety and confusion. Cycle charting can help women feel more confident in what they are seeing–or are not seeing. Let’s find out how.
What happens in a cycle?
Before diving into what makes a period late, we must discuss what happens in the ovulation cycle. Every cycle consists of a complex hormonal interplay leading towards the main event: ovulation. Yes, ovulation is vital to a woman’s health.
The first phase of the cycle is the follicular phase. During the follicular phase, Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) prompts an egg to develop within a follicle. As the egg matures, estrogen is produced at increasingly higher levels. This estrogen rise causes Luteinizing Hormone (LH) to surge. LH allows the follicle to release the egg into the fallopian tubes, and ovulation has then occurred.
After ovulation, LH turns the now-empty follicle into the corpus luteum. This begins the last phase of the cycle, known as the luteal phase. The corpus luteum produces progesterone and some estrogen for the remainder of the cycle. If the egg is not fertilized, the corpus luteum will degenerate, levels of progesterone (and estrogen) will fall, causing menstruation and the subsequent release of FSH to start a new cycle.
When is my period “late”?
With the ideal cycle scenario in place, let’s examine what makes a cycle late. Not every woman will have a 28-day cycle and ovulate on day 14. The research tells us that cycles can be in the range of 24-36 days and still be healthy. In reality, the timing of ovulation varies for every woman and even from cycle to cycle. So what makes a period late other than pregnancy? The answer is delayed ovulation.
Here are common misconceptions about menstrual cycle symptoms.
So what causes a late period other than pregnancy? The answer is delayed ovulation.
How charting your cycle can ease cycle anxiety
Remember those two phases of the cycle previously mentioned? Learning to chart using the FEMM app will help you identify those two stages, and other phases within the cycle, increasing your confidence in understanding cycle events.
The follicular phase is the most variable phase in the cycle. By charting your biomarkers, like cervical mucus and LH, you can identify if you are having a healthy progression toward ovulation or experiencing delayed ovulation during that cycle, often due to stress or hormonal imbalance.
Final exams? Moving houses? Delayed flight and disrupted travel plans? Grief or emotional stress? All of these may lead to a longer-than-normal follicular phase and delayed ovulation. Delayed ovulation is the cause of most “late” periods.
The luteal phase is the most stable phase of the cycle. A healthy luteal phase can be anywhere from 9-18 days long. If your luteal phase goes beyond its usual length, that is when your cycle is truly late, and you could take a pregnancy test.
Charting your cycle will help end the myth of the universal 28-day cycle. When you can recognize your body’s signs of hormonal activity, you will know when to expect a longer cycle due to delayed ovulation and when a pregnancy test is worth taking because of a truly late period.
