22 years of clockwork cycles, but now where's my period?

Anonymous
asks:
Hey, I was wondering why after 22 years of a normal period...my period did not come this month. I have not had any intercourse and was just wondering why this is. I feel the cramps but nothing happens. What is wrong with my body????
Sarah replies:

Bodies can do some pretty weird things sometimes. The unexpected can happen for reasons that not be apparent to us, even if everything has worked like clockwork in the past. There are lots of things that can cause a period to be late or to skip once in a while.

Obviously, if you were pregnant you would not have a period. So if you have had a pregnancy risk (any unprotected genital contact with ejaculate or pre-ejaculate) during this cycle, it would be wise to head out to your local drug store/chemist/grocery store/etc. and pick up a pregnancy test. (Just about any test will do as long as it is not beyond the expiration date or have an open package. You don't have to splurge on an expensive digital model, a plain one will do just as well.)

If you've not had a pregnancy risk, then there are also any number of other things that can impact one's period. Stress, diet changes, weight gain/loss, illness, major life changes, and other things can cause a period to do some strange things. You might want to check out our article M.I.A or, Dude, Where's My Period? for more information about the things that can make your menstrual cycle act in unexpected ways.

Also, even for people who have been extremely regular for most or all of their menstruating lives, there can be some hormonal fluctuations that would cause a late or missed period occasionally. Most of the time, we never know why these things have happened during any given cycle, it may just be an anomaly.

The bottom line is that as long as you have not had a pregnancy risk, you probably have nothing to worry about here. There are lots of things that can make a cycle weird. If you start having any problematic symptoms like fever, severe abdominal pain, vomiting, severe headache, etc., then you should call your health care provider right away to get it checked out. Also, if you miss another period, it would be wise to head in and get checked out by your provider. But for now, this period may just be late or you may just skip.

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