When your period is late, it can trigger a whirlwind of anxiety and questions. Whether it’s a slight or significant delay from your usual menstrual cycle, it’s natural to feel a mix of concern and confusion.
Missing your period is often a significant sign of possible pregnancy. However, if your menstrual cycle tends to be irregular, it can be challenging to determine whether you are actually pregnant. We’ll go through what you should do if your period is late.
Why Am I Late?
Start by reviewing any changes in your lifestyle. Increased stress, significant weight fluctuations, and changes in your diet or exercise habits can all impact your menstrual cycle. Likewise, travel or changes in your sleep patterns might also contribute to a late period.
If you’ve recently started or stopped using hormonal birth control, this could also be a factor, as it can take time for your body to adjust to changes in hormone levels.
If you’re seven days past your expected date, it is considered late. After six weeks, you can consider your late period a missed period.
Look For Other Signs
If there hasn’t been any significant change in your lifestyle, look for other signs of pregnancy.
Some of the most common pregnancy symptoms include:
- Nausea (with or without vomiting)
- Tender, swollen breasts
- Fatigue
- Frequent urination
- Cramping
- Bloating
If you’re experiencing any of these signs, they can help indicate that you might be pregnant. However, they are not completely unique to pregnancy and could signal various other conditions.
Take A Pregnancy Test
The best thing you can do is take a pregnancy test. Most at-home pregnancy tests claim to be 99% accurate if you take them on the first day of your missed menstrual period, so there’s no reason to wait to test.
Ideally, you’ll want to take this test in the morning, which is when your body has the highest concentration of the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Follow the instructions carefully. If the result is positive or if you have doubts, visit us at Pregnancy Help Center.
Confirm Your Pregnancy
Follow up on your at-home results with pregnancy testing at Pregnancy Help Center. We’ll provide you with free testing and, if you qualify, an ultrasound referral to confirm the results.
An ultrasound scan also gives you key details about your pregnancy you’ll want to know, such as the location, viability, and gestational age (how far along you are).
Make a confidential appointment here.
