How To Get Periods Immediately If Delayed – Know How to Manage Your Menstrual Cycle

The menstrual cycle refers to a monthly process under which a female body prepares itself for pregnancy. This lining is shed, and since there was no implantation of the embryo. The shedding is accompanied by blood, which is called menstruation. The vaginal discharge during menstruation entails the blood, mucus, and pieces of tissue from the uterine lining. This discharge is usually regulated by hormonal changes and comprises the stage of menstruation, followed by the release of an egg from the ovary, also known as ovulation. In the event that no pregnancy occurs, this cycle is repeated. This cycle is an essential part of female reproductive health and fertility.

The menstrual cycle usually starts between ages 11 and 14 and continues until menopause at about age 51. It usually lasts about 28 days, but it can range from 21 to 35 days. It can sometimes be a bit shorter or longer. The periods usually last from three to five days. The periods are considered irregular if the gap between them is less than 21 days or more than 35 days. Irregular periods can affect anyone who has periods. It’s more likely for your periods to be irregular when they first start during puberty and when you’re nearing menopause. Other than these factors, if your periods are delayed, it can be due to a sedentary lifestyle, stress, PCOD, certain medications and pregnancy.
Know more about your monthly cycle, its delays, possible reasons of delays, and how to get periods immediately if delayed.

Understanding Your Cycle and Its Delays

The menstrual cycle is a monthly process that is normal and prepares a woman’s body for pregnancy. It usually lasts about 28 days, but it can range from 21 to 35 days. The cycle has several phases:

1. Corpus luteum breaks down, hormone levels drop, and the cycle starts again with menstruation. Menstrual Phase (Days 1-5): This is when the uterus sheds its lining, leading to bleeding, which is known as a period.
2. Follicular Phase (Days 1-13): Overlaps with the menstrual phase initially. The pituitary gland releases a hormone called FSH, which stimulates the ovaries to produce follicles. One of these follicles will mature into an egg.
3. Ovulation (Day 14): Around the middle of the cycle, the mature egg is released from the ovary into the fallopian tube, ready for fertilisation.
4. Luteal Phase (Days 15-28): After ovulation, the empty follicle forms the corpus luteum, which releases hormones to thicken the uterine lining for a possible pregnancy. If the egg isn’t fertilised, the corpus luteum breaks down, hormone levels drop, and the cycle starts again with menstruation.

If your periods start later than expected, it is considered as a delayed menstrual cycle. If your periods start too early, or there is very heavy or light bleeding, or missing periods altogether, it is also considered irregular periods.

Causes of Irregular Periods

The Main Causes of Irregular Periods includes:

1. Stress: High-stress levels can affect hormone balance and delay your period.
2. Weight Changes: Significant weight loss or gain can disrupt your monthly cycle.
3. Exercise: Excessive physical activity can also lead to irregular periods.
4. Hormonal Imbalances: An excess of the hormones progestin or estrogen, which control the uterine lining, can cause heavy bleeding. Hormone imbalances are most common in individuals who have recently begun menstruating or are nearing menopause.
5. Illness: Acute or chronic illnesses such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), endometriosis, blood disorders, and benign tumours and cancers can possibly cause menstrual irregularity.
6. Medications: Certain medicines, including birth control, can also alter your cycle.
7. Pregnancy: A missed period can also be the first sign of pregnancy.
8. Polycystic ovary syndrome: PCOS is a disorder that causes hormonal imbalances and upsets the regular period cycle, making it irregular. 
9. Thyroid conditions: Thyroid complications may also lead to an imbalance of reproductive hormones, which affects the menstrual cycle. The segments of the flow can be heavier or lighter than usual.
10. Hyperprolactinemia: A high level of prolactin, a lactogenic hormone, can also inhibit the usual production of hormones necessary for regular menstrual cycles.
11. Ovarian insufficiency: This disorder is characterised by the inability of the ovaries to work appropriately before the age of 40 years. Low levels of estrogen in the body cause irregular or absent periods.

How to Induce Your Period: Safe methods

There are many approaches that can help regularise the menstrual cycle. Diet, exercise, and reducing stress, in combination with medicines, are the most effective ways to induce periods.

1) Exercise

Gentle exercise can relax the muscles and potentially help induce a period, though the evidence is mostly anecdotal. For those with irregular periods due to intense workout routines, moderating exercise can help restore hormonal balance and regular menstrual cycles.

2) Relaxation

High-stress levels are linked to menstrual irregularities. Reducing stress through relaxation techniques like gentle yoga, journaling, meditation, and spending time with loved ones may help induce a period if stress is causing delays or absences.

3) Orgasm

Sex and orgasms can help bring on a period. The hormonal changes and uterine contractions during orgasm can aid in dilating the cervix and initiating the shedding of the uterine lining.

4) Diet and Weight

Body weight significantly affects menstrual cycles. Low body fat can stop periods due to insufficient hormone production, while high body weight or sudden weight changes can cause irregular cycles. Maintaining a balanced diet and stable weight can help regulate periods.

5) Warm Compress or Bath

Applying a warm compress or taking a warm bath can relax the pelvic muscles and increase blood flow, which might help in inducing a period.

6) Certain Foods

Foods like pineapple, dates, ginger, papaya and vitamin C-rich items, as well as herbs like chamomile, parsley, cinnamon, rosemary, sage, and oregano, are believed to help induce periods naturally. These foods may stimulate blood flow or influence hormonal activity.

Also Read- Things to Keep in Mind while Pregnant

Medical Approaches for Inducing a Period

While natural ways to induce periods might work, medical ways are surefire ways to regulate your menstrual cycle. Here are 2 ways to prevent pregnancy and induce periods:

1. Hormonal birth control

Hormonal birth control methods work by influencing the menstrual cycle and preventing pregnancy by changing the levels of reproductive hormones in the body. Hormonal contraception methods like patches, implants, injections, and hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs) help prevent pregnancy. They release synthetic hormones, like estrogen and progestin, that prevent the release of an egg from the ovaries. They also thicken cervical mucus to block sperm and thin the uterine lining to make it less receptive to a fertilised egg. All these hormonal methods of contraception will regularise periods, make them lighter, and reduce pain to a greater extent. These methods are very effective at preventing pregnancy if used correctly.

2. Oral Contraceptive pills

Oral Contraceptive pills are a reliable way to control the menstrual cycle. The combination pill, which has both estrogen and progestin, is the most effective method for managing periods. Typically, people take the hormonal pills for 21 days, followed by a 7-day break or dummy pill, during which they have their period. You can also stop taking the hormonal pill early to make your period come sooner. However, not following the prescribed schedule for birth control pills can make them less effective at preventing pregnancy.

Potential Risks and Safety Precautions

Most methods discussed above to induce periods are safe. If you are using herbal supplements, use them with caution. Herbal supplements are not regulated by the FDA, so buy them from reputable sources to ensure quality and safety. Avoid them if you have known allergies to herbs, foods, or supplements. Other precautions to follow while taking treatments to induce periods is as follows:

• Side Effects: Medications used to induce periods, such as hormonal pills, can cause side effects like nausea, vaginal bleeding, headaches, and mood swings.
• Hormonal Imbalance: Overuse or misuse of hormonal medications can disrupt your natural hormone balance.
• Serious Health Risks: In rare cases, hormonal medications can increase the risk of blood clots, strokes, or heart attacks, especially in smokers or those over 35.
• Underlying Conditions: If your periods are irregular, it’s important to consult a doctor to rule out any underlying conditions before trying to induce them naturally. The birth control pill may not be safe for patients with untreated high blood pressure who have a history of heart disease, migraines, history of breast or endometrial cancer.

Discuss your medical conditions with a doctor to ensure the use of birth control pills. Always consult a doctor before taking any medication, especially if you are trying to conceive.

When to Consult with a Doctor or Other Healthcare Professional

Seek the help of a doctor if your period is consistently irregular, you miss three periods in a row without being pregnant, your periods stop before 45, or if you bleed between periods, after sex, or if you have any bleeding after menopause.

Takeaway

The menstrual cycle typically starts between ages 11 and 14 and continues until menopause around age 51. It usually lasts about 28 days but can range from 21 to 35 days. Periods typically last three to five days. Periods are considered irregular if they are shorter than 21 days or longer than 35 days.

Lifestyle changes, stress management, exercise, sexual arousal, and warm baths can help increase blood flow and potentially induce a period. Your doctor may suggest birth control pills with estrogen and progestin to regulate your cycle. Always discuss your medical history and any medications you are taking with your doctor.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)