How Late Can a Period Be Before You Know You’re Pregnant?

Everyone’s cycle is different. How long a cycle lasts can vary from person to person but also from one cycle to the next. However, healthy cycles typically range from 21 to 35 days (three to five weeks). Unless a medical condition causes irregular cycles, most women probably have at least a rough idea of when to expect their next period. A period is considered late if it has not started within seven days (one week) of when it is expected. By the time a woman’s period is late, most pregnancy tests will be able to provide accurate results.

If your period is late, it can be the result of a number of causes, from stress to weight gain to chronic health conditions. Late periods are a common occurrence and are normally nothing to worry about unless they happen frequently. One of the most common causes of a late period is pregnancy; in order to receive the most accurate results, you should take a pregnancy test one day after your expected period—this will return the most accurate results with the lowest chance of a false-negative.

The female menstrual cycle is incredibly complex; several different factors can influence the menstrual cycle, from diet and exercise to the environment and emotional disposition. The most obvious cause of a late period is pregnancy, although this is not always the case.

Pregnancy is easy to test for, but if these tests do not return a positive result, a late period may be caused by any of the following:

High Levels of Stress: It is a well-known fact that stress can impact health in a variety of ways, many of which are unpleasant. If a woman is under a lot of stress, her body can stay in fight-or-flight mode, which can cause a temporary cessation in ovulation, which, in turn, can delay a period.

Weight Gain or Loss: Severe changes in body weight can disrupt a period’s timing. For example, extreme increases or decreases in body fat can lead to a hormonal imbalance that causes periods to come late or stop entirely.

PCOS: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a set of symptoms caused by an imbalance of reproductive hormones, often resulting in irregular ovulation, which can cause periods to:

– Be lighter or heavier than normal
– Arrive at inconsistent times
– Disappear altogether

Hormonal Birth Control: While certain types of birth control can make some women’s periods more regular, it can also have the opposite effect, especially during the first few months of use and when stopping use.

In the vast majority of cases, most pregnancies can be accurately detected when tested for a few days after the expected period. For example, if a woman is expecting her period on the first of the month and it does not occur, she can receive the most accurate results if she takes a pregnancy test on the third or fourth of the month.
 
If you have a late period and are not sure what the cause is, come to Pacific Women’s Center for an accurate diagnosis. Contact us today for more information or schedule an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 911 Country Club Rd. Suite A-222, Eugene, OR 97401. We serve patients from Eugene OR, Creswell OR, Springfield OR, Irving OR, Coburg OR, Goshen OR, and surrounding areas.