Patient's question:
Detailed medical condition and consultation purpose: I had my first menstruation at the age of 16. When I was 18, I didn't have a menstrual period for a year, but later it was resolved after seeing a doctor. However, this time my menstruation is delayed by half a month and still hasn't arrived. I would like to consult about what to do in my situation and what kind of disease it might be.Doctor's answer:
Hello, the menstrual cycle is generally 28 to 30 days long. Being 7 days early or late is still within the normal range, and the length of the cycle varies from person to person. However, if it goes beyond this time, women with a normally functioning menstrual cycle may start to worry. It can be divided into the following four cases:1. Pregnancy: If your period is delayed by 7 days, you can use a "early pregnancy test strip" to test your urine. If it shows positive, you are likely pregnant. If the test strip is negative, it is the opposite. However, even if you are pregnant, there may be other symptoms such as nausea, breast tenderness, etc. Of course, the final solution is to have an ultrasound examination at the hospital.
2. Medication side effects: Long-term use of birth control pills can lead to endocrine disorders, which can also cause delayed menstruation. According to feedback from patients, a new generation of gastrointestinal motility drugs called metoclopramide (also known as domperidone) may also cause this. Since metoclopramide does not easily cross the blood-brain barrier, it is believed to have no inhibitory effect on central dopamine receptors. When central dopamine receptors are inhibited, the amount of releasing factors released by the hypothalamus into the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland decreases, leading to a reduction in the secretion of gonadotropins and corticotropin by the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland, which in turn causes menstrual cessation and delayed ovulation.
3. Surgery: Cervical adhesions caused by uterine cavity surgery can lead to blood stagnation, resulting in delayed menstruation.
4. Other factors: Psychological factors such as stress, high pressure, environmental changes, and some endocrine-related diseases can also cause delayed menstruation.
If menstruation is delayed only occasionally 1–2 times and without other accompanying symptoms, it does not fall under the category of menstrual disorders. When the menstrual cycle interval lasts for more than 35 days, it is called oligomenorrhea. If menstruation stops for more than 3 menstrual cycles, it is called amenorrhea.