Is it normal to miss a period?
Yes, it’s normal to miss a period at certain times in your life, such as:
- During pregnancy – could you be pregnant?
- Before puberty
- While breastfeeding
- During perimenopause, the lead-up to menopause
- If you are taking oral contraception pill (OCP) or other hormonal contraception.
Other reasons for a missed period include:
- Stress
- Rapid weight loss (including anorexia nervosa) or gain
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
- Too much exercise
- Acute illness – for example one requiring hospital admission; either surgical (e.g. after a significant operation) or medical (such as pneumonia, a heart attack, acute kidney injury (AKI), or meningitis).
If you have missed 3 periods in a row, you should see your GP.
