Stopped or missed periods

There are many reasons why a woman may miss her period, or why periods might stop altogether.

Most women have a period every 28 days or so, but it's common to have a slightly shorter or longer cycle than this (from 21 to 40 days).

Some women do not always have a regular月经周期。他们的时期可能很早或很晚，每次持续多长时间，持续多长时间可能会有多不同。

Read more aboutirregular periods和heavy periods。

为什么您的周期可能会停止

您的周期可以停止的原因有很多。最常见的原因是：

• pregnancy
• stress
• 突然的体重减轻
• being overweight
• 做太多运动
• 接受避孕药
• themenopause
• polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Periods can also sometimes stop as a result of a medical condition, such as心脏病，不受控制diabetes， 一个过度活跃的甲状腺, orpremature menopause。

Pregnancy

You might be pregnant if you're sexually active and your period is late.Pregnancyis a common reason why periods unexpectedly stop. It can sometimes happen if the避孕you're using fails.

It might be that your period is simply late, so you could wait a few days to see if it arrives. If it does not arrive, you can do apregnancy test确认您是否怀孕。

It's important to be aware that you can get pregnant in the days after your period is normally due. This can happen if the release of an egg (ovulation) is delayed – for example, as a result of illness or stress.

压力

If you're stressed, your menstrual cycle can become longer or shorter, your periods may stop altogether, or they might become more painful.

通过确保您有时间放松身心来避免压力。定期运动，例如跑步，游泳和瑜伽，可以帮助您放松。呼吸运动can also help.

If you're finding it hard to cope with stress,认知行为疗法（CBT）可能建议。CBT是一种会说话的疗法，可以通过改变思维方式和行动方式来帮助您解决问题。

突然的体重减轻

Excessive or sudden weight loss can cause your periods to stop. Severely restricting the amount of calories you eat stops the production of hormones needed for ovulation.

如果您体重不足，您的GP可能会将您转介给营养师，这是您的体重指数（BMI）小于18.5的时候。营养师将能够为您提供如何安全地恢复体重的建议。

If your weight loss is caused by aneating disorder, such as厌食，他们可能会将您推荐给饮食失调专家或专家团队。

Being overweight

Being overweight can also affect your menstrual cycle. If you're overweight, your body may produce an excess amount of oestrogen, one of the hormones that regulate the reproductive system in women.

Excess oestrogen can affect how often you have periods, and can also cause your periods to stop.

Your GP may refer you to a dietitian if you're overweight, with a BMI of 30 or more, and it's affecting your periods. The dietitian will be able to advise you about losing weight safely.

Doing too much exercise

体内激烈的体育锻炼所带来的压力会影响导致您的时期的激素。通过强烈的运动减少体内脂肪，也可以阻止您排卵。

You'll be advised to reduce your level of activity if excessive exercise has caused your periods to stop.

If you're a professional athlete, you may benefit from seeing a doctor who specialises in sports medicine. They'll be able to give you advice about how to maintain your performance without disrupting your periods.

避孕药

如果您要服用避孕药，您可能会经常错过一段时间。这通常不是引起关注的原因。

Some types of避孕, such as theprogestogen-only pill(POP),避孕注射和intrauterine system (IUS)特别是mirena，可能会导致周期完全停止。

However, your periods should return when you stop using these types of contraception.

Menopause

You may start missing periods as you approach themenopause。This is because oestrogen levels start to decrease, and ovulation becomes less regular. After the menopause, your periods stop completely.

更年期是女性衰老的自然部分，通常发生在45至55岁之间。女性达到更年期的平均年龄在英国为51。

However, around 1 in 100 women go through the menopause before the age of 40. This is known as premature menopause or premature ovarian failure.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

多囊卵巢包含大量无害的卵泡，它们是卵发育不足的囊。如果你有PCOS, these sacs are often unable to release an egg, which means ovulation does not take place.

PCOS is thought to be very common, affecting about 1 in every 10 women in the UK. The condition is responsible for as many as 1 in 3 cases of stopped periods.

When to see your GP

如果您没有怀孕，请参阅您的全科医生 - 您的妊娠测试负面测试 - 您已经错过了超过3个时期。

If you're sexually active and you have not taken a pregnancy test, your GP may advise you to take one.

They may also ask you about:

• your medical history
• 您家人的病史
• your sexual history
• any emotional issues you're having
• 您的体重最近发生的任何变化
• the amount of exercise you do

您的全科医生可能建议等待您的期间是否自行返回。在某些情况下，您可能需要经过期间的治疗才能返​​回。

You should also see your GP if your periods stop before you're 45 or if you're still bleeding when you're over 55.

Referral to a consultant

If your GP thinks a medical condition might have caused your periods to stop, they may refer you to a consultant who specialises in the condition.

Depending on what your GP suspects is causing the problem, you may be referred to:

• 妇科医生– a specialist in treating conditions that affect the female reproductive system
• 内分泌学家– a specialist in treating hormonal conditions

您可能会进行全面的妇科检查和各种测试，包括：

• blood tests– to see whether you have abnormal levels of certain hormones
• anultrasound scan,CT scan或者核磁共振成像扫描– to identify any problems with your reproductive system or the pituitary gland in your brain

治疗潜在条件

如果测试结果显示医疗状况已导致您的周期停止，则可能会为您的病情提供治疗。

For example, if the cause is PCOS, you may be advised to take the contraceptive pill or tablets containing a hormone called progesterone.

Read more about thetreatment of PCOS。

如果原因是早期的（早产卵巢衰竭），则意味着卵巢不再正常起作用。通常建议使用激素药物。治疗可能包括避孕药或hormone replacement therapy(HRT).

如果你有an overactive thyroid gland, you may be given medication to stop your thyroid producing too many hormones.

Read more abouttreating an overactive thyroid gland。