Reasons why your period may have stopped

Missing out on your period doesn’t mean that you're pregnant. Also, people take it for

granted that we'll have periods from puberty until middle age. But what happens when your periods suddenly stop? It's fairly common to experience irregular periods from time to time lifestyle changes and environmental factors such as shift work can make you late but absent periods (amenorrhea) especially at the early age should always be checked out. If you are a young woman and has regular periods but you missed out one for three months, but you are not pregnant then you should see your gynecologist as it could be more serious. Below, we look at some of the most common reasons your periods might have stopped.

1. You're stressed Severe stress can have a major affect on your periods. High levels of stress hormones such as cortisol in your body interfere with menstrual hormones surges, resulting in a cycle that's delayed or that just stops.

2. You exercise excessively Working out is good but if you exercise too much, or do it aggressively then your hormones will be disrupted in a similar way to when you're stressed.  If you are an avid gym-goer or athlete and you have very little body fat, there is a good chance you will begin to skip periods and have anovular cycles. Even if you do have a cycle, you may have very light bleeds as the womb lining is thin."

3. You have a low body weight We know not all fat is good, but some fat is essential. If your body weight sinks too low, you may stop ovulating. Being too thin also prevents a pregnancy when, as far as the body is concerned, there is not enough food to sustain both you and a baby.

4. You may have PCOS Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is very common today especially at young age due to lifestyle habits. It's an endocrine disorder that has many symptoms, such as lack of or irregular periods, 'cysts' on the ovaries, fertility issues and weight gain. It can also cause excess body hair, acne, thinning hair and depression. Not everyone shows all these signs, however – it affects women in different ways. Untreated, it can sometimes lead to more serious conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart problems, so don't ignore it.

5. You could be going through Pre mature menopause  The menopause is something that we associate with older women, but premature ovarian failure (POF) can happen to younger women, too. The exact cause of POF remains undetermined but changing food habits, work cultures with increased pressure and high stress jobs are some of the reasons of your sudden menopause.