Why does not the rule lower me? The 15 main reasons
"I have a delay." "He has not let me down yet" . These words can be a reason for emotion and / or concern for a large number of people, who usually associate it with a possible pregnancy.
However, the truth is that although the possible pregnancy is a possibility, in a great majority of cases there are many other factors that may explain why it has not yet menstruated. In this article, we are going to review fifteen possible causes why this has not happened yet.
- Related article: "Perinatal psychology: what is it and what functions does it perform?"
What is menstruation?
The name of rule or menstruation is the biological and natural process in which the body of the woman It expels the remains of the unfertilized ovules and the mucous lining of the uterus (or endometrium) are expelled by the vagina in the form of blood flow.
This process usually occurs once a month and lasts up to about a week, forming part of a cycle continued from the female puberty to the climacteric, in which the female reproductive system loses its function to conceive.
Different reasons why the rule does not go down
The menstrual cycle usually follows a certain temporality that allows an approximate calculation of when the rule will arrive, but this does not imply that it is identical and always appears on the same dates.
There are a large number of factors that can alter it and make the rule, period or menstruation do not appear when in principle they should . Next we will see a fortnight of possible causes that can explain why the rule does not lower a woman.
1. Pregnancy
This is the option in which most people think when menstruation does not appear in the usual period. And indeed it is one of the options to be taken into account, even though a delay or even the absence of a rule does not have to imply being in a state. To check it, it will be necessary to a pregnancy test at least fifteen days after the last sexual intercourse , since before that could give a false positive.
- Maybe you're interested: "How to take care during the first month of pregnancy: 9 tips"
2. Breastfeeding period
Some women who have just given birth may think that since they have already given birth, they will quickly begin to menstruate again. But the truth is that this is not the case given that during lactation hormones such as prolactin, of great importance when it comes to increasing and allowing the secretion of breast milk , they inhibit estrogen and the rest of hormones responsible for the menstrual cycle. It is not uncommon, then, that there is no menstruation until the breastfeeding period ends.
3. Late puberty
Many young adolescents have a great concern about the fact that they have not yet lowered the rule, even when most people their age have already started a period of time ago. It is necessary to remember that each person has their evolutionary rhythm and some girls have delayed puberty, with which the menarche or first menstruation may appear even later than 15 years.
This does not have to imply anything bad, although in some cases there could be some basic problem. Usually and unless there is some type of organic cause this does not require any treatment, although if the doctor deems it necessary, hormone therapy may be used.
4. First rules
It is also important to bear in mind that having the first rule does not necessarily imply a totally regular cycle: it is not impossible that during the first years, because the reproductive system is still under development , there are alterations of the menstrual cycle.
5. Menopause (normative or premature)
Another reason why the rule stops coming is because of the possible arrival of the menarche and the climacteric. In other words, the arrival of menopause. This usually occurs from the age of 45 (in fact, usually appears after 50), but in some cases the so-called premature or early menopause in which the end of the menstrual cycle arrives before 45 may occur.
Usually before the imminent cessation of menstruation there is usually a period when the menstrual cycle acts irregularly . It is a normative biological process, which does not require any treatment.
6. Problems of feeding and / or starvation
Menstruation is strongly linked to the state of health of the body, and is profoundly altered by aspects such as the presence of sufficient nutrients in the body. If the human body is in a situation where it does not have enough nutrients, the rule will not make an appearance. An example of this is found in women with eating disorders, especially in anorexia (in which, in fact, amenorrhea is one of the most frequent symptoms).
In addition, other circumstances or diseases in which the body can not adequately process nutrients and enter a state of anemia can cause a woman to stop menstruating or to delay. Menses also stop appearing in people in a situation of extreme starvation due to lack of food resources.
- You may be interested: "Main eating disorders: anorexia and bulimia"
7. Sudden changes in weight
Not only the presence or absence of nutrients in the body can affect menstruation, but also the fact of winning or losing a lot of weight suddenly. This is because although it has enough nutrients, a sudden change in weight and above all body fat can generate changes in the body's estrogen levels , varying the menstrual cycle.
8. Hormonal imbalances
The rule or menstruation is a biological process that depends on the hormones present in the woman's body. Alterations in these hormones or the presence of others that inhibit or alter them can generate changes in the menstrual cycle including overtaking, delaying or even cessation. These imbalances can be normative, related to psychosocial stress, or linked to hormonal, thyroid, ovarian or cerebral problems. The treatment of these problems will make the cycle return to normal operation .
9. Taking or stopping contraceptives
As we have said and being something deeply related to the previous point, hormones are the key to the existence and maintenance of the menstrual cycle. In this sense, the taking of certain contraceptives or the cessation of their consumption can result in the rule not being lowered in the usual period.
10. Consumption of other drugs or medical treatments
The consumption of different drugs, not necessarily contraceptives, can cause the presence of an altered or delayed menstrual cycle. Example of them are some psychotropic drugs . If this effect occurs, it is advisable to go to the doctor first to check if it really is a possible side effect of the medication and if so to assess (depending on the case) possible alternatives.
There may also be some problem with menstruation in the face of certain non-pharmacological medical treatments, such as surgical interventions in some areas of the brain or reproductive system or the application of radiotherapy.
11. Stress and anxiety
So far we have talked about mainly organic elements, but we can not forget the importance of psychosocial factors in menstruation. The presence of continued stress or anxiety is another of the main reasons why the rule may be delayed. An example would be work stress . Another example can be somewhat paradoxical, but more common than it appears: it is common for the anxiety experienced by the delay in the period to generate even more delay.
Given this, it is advisable to use relaxation techniques, such as breathing or progressive muscle relaxation, and avoid becoming obsessed with the subject.
12. Extreme physical activity
Female athletes, mainly those with high performance, may have irregular or delayed menstrual cycles due to the high level of physical activity they perform. This is due to the fact that very intense physical exercise causes a drop in estrogen levels. In this case it may be advisable to go to doctors specialized in sports .
13. Ovarian alterations
Another of the main causes of a delay in the arrival of the rule is the presence of problems in the reproductive system, being one of the most frequent parts of the ovary. The polycystic ovarian syndrome or endometriosis are examples of this, and the treatment of these causes (for example with contraceptives) can make the cycle become more regular.
14. Medical conditions
Not only the gynecological problems can generate delays in the rule, but also other medical problems such as different infections (both genital and other types), metabolic problems such as diabetes, obesity or thyroid disorders . Also certain tumors could affect. A specific treatment of the cause will be required, so that symptomatic improvement can generate a recovery from the usual cycle (although it depends on the cause, it will not always be possible).
15. Psychological pregnancy
A reason that causes menstruation to disappear in a woman is the alteration known as pseudociesis or psychological pregnancy. In this case we are before a person who begins to manifest all the typical symptoms of pregnancy, including the cessation of menstruation, even though there is not really a developing fetus . It can appear in depressed women, with a strong desire to be a mother or extreme fear of becoming pregnant, in people who have suffered abuse or in various types of situations. The treatment of this type of condition is usually delicate and complex, requiring psychological treatment in most cases.
Conclusion: why does not the rule lower me?
Like any other biological process, menstruation depends on many factors and processes carried out by the body in a relatively parallel manner.There is not a single reason why you do not lower the rule, but knowing the main ones is useful to know what to do depending on the symptoms and the clues that we obtain through our habits and through the characteristics of our own body.
