7 reasons you miss your period (without being pregnant)
Skipping a menstrual cycle doesn’t always mean you’re pregnant.
Jan, 2026
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Most people with a uterus have 11 to 13 menstrual cycles per year, but many have fewer, and many have more. Whether or not you're trying to get pregnant, a late or missed period can bring all sorts of emotions: excitement, fear, anxiety, and relief, just to name a few.
Secondary amenorrhea is the technical term for missing your period for more than three cycles, even though you’ve had typical cycles before. And while pregnancy is the most common cause, a variety of things, from stress to thyroid issues, may prevent you from having your period this month. Here’s what you need to know about these conditions, and how they affect your menstrual cycle.
Written byOlivia DeLong.
Medically reviewed byMark Arredondo, MD.
Sources: University of Michigan Health. Missed or Irregular Periods. Current as of November 22 + 8
- University of Michigan Health. Missed or Irregular Periods. Current as of November 22, 2021.
- NIH: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. About Amenorrhea. Last reviewed January 31, 2017.
- HealthyWomen.org. Heavy Periods. September 24, 2009.
- Mayo Clinic. Perimenopause. August 7, 2021.
- National Health Service (UK). Stopped or missed periods. Last reviewed August 2, 2019.
- Cleveland Clinic. Can Stress Cause You to Skip a Period? September 18, 2020.
- WomensHealth.gov. Polycystic ovary syndrome. Page last updated February 22, 2021.
- Torre DL, Falorni A. Pharmacological causes of hyperprolactinemia. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2007 Oct;3(5):929-51.
- WomensHealth.gov. Breastfeeding and everyday life. Page last updated February 22, 2021.
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