This article was co-authored by Rebecca Levy-Gantt, MPT, DO. Dr. Rebecca Levy-Gantt is a board certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist running a private practice based in Napa, California. Dr. Levy-Gantt specializes in menopause, peri-menopause and hormonal management, including bio-Identical and compounded hormone treatments and alternative treatments. She is also a Nationally Certified Menopause Practitioner and is on the national listing of physicians who specialize in menopausal management. She received a Masters of Physical Therapy from Boston University and a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine.
There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.
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Whether you've missed your period or just want to get it over with before you go on vacation, dealing with a period that won't show up can be nerve-wracking and annoying. Don’t panic! Missed and irregular periods are a common problem and women experience it all the time. It doesn’t usually mean that there’s anything serious going on.[1] Unfortunately, if you want to start your period now, there are no surefire ways to induce it. The best thing to do is to visit your doctor to get to the bottom of the problem and make some lifestyle changes to help regulate your cycle.
Steps
Regulating Your Cycle
There are lots of reasons you might have irregular periods, and some are related to your lifestyle. Making some simple changes might help. Keep in mind that none of these tricks are surefire ways to induce a period. However, they could regulate your menstrual cycle and stop you from missing periods in the future.
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1Take a pregnancy test to check if you’re pregnant. One of the most common reasons for a missed period is pregnancy. If you’ve recently been sexually active and miss your period, then take a test as soon as you miss your period to check.[2]
- Technically, a pregnancy test will be accurate on the first day of your missed period, so you can take it as soon as you want to.[3]
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2Reduce your stress to keep your menstrual cycle regulated. High stress is a common reason for an irregular period. If you normally feel stressed or anxious, then this could be delaying your period.[4] Try taking some steps to de-stress to see if this brings your menstrual cycle back into balance.
- Mindfulness activities like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing are great ways to keep your stress levels low. Try practicing one of these each day.
- Light exercise like walking or jogging are also great for reducing stress.
- If you have trouble reducing your stress, then there is help available. Try talking to a therapist or psychiatrist to work through your anxiety.
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3Eat a balanced diet full of nutrients. Being underweight or malnourished can also cause missed periods. If you’re on a restricted diet or exercise a lot without eating enough, this could be the issue. Eat 3 balanced meals a day so you get all the nutrients you need to support your reproductive health.[5]
- It’s especially important for women to get enough calcium to keep their menstrual system regulated. Get 1,000-1,300 mg every day.
- If you suffer from an eating disorder, you can overcome it with the right help. Don’t hesitate to talk to a therapist to work through your problems and stay healthy.[6]
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4Lose weight if you’re overweight. On the other hand, you could also have irregular periods if you’re overweight.[7] Talk to your doctor and find the ideal weight for yourself, then design a healthy exercise and diet routine to reach it.
- If you do need to lose weight, make sure you do it safely. Don’t try extreme diets or workout regimens. This can also throw your menstrual cycle off.
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5Take a break from exercise if you regularly work out hard. If you’re an athlete or workout excessively, then this could also delay your period. This could be because heavy exercise throws off your hormone balance, or because you’re burning too much body fat.[8] Either way, your exercise routine could be to blame, so try dialing it back or taking a rest for a few days to let your body get back to normal.[9]
- Missing your period is often not specifically from the exercise, but because you’re burning more fat and calories than your body can replace. It’s especially important to eat enough if you’re an athlete and exercise regularly.[10]
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6Avoid unproven remedies to get your period faster. The internet is full of different remedies for inducing your period, including warm baths, sex, vitamin C, turmeric, ginger, or tea. Unfortunately, no matter how badly you want these tricks to bring on your period, there's just no evidence that they work. While most of these are harmless, they won't help you get your period faster.[11]
- There are also myths that herbal supplements like black cohosh can trigger your period. Don't use any herbal supplements without asking your doctor first. Not only do they not work, but they affect everyone differently, so you have to make sure supplements are safe for you first.
Medical Treatments
While you might hear about some home remedies to induce a period, most of these don’t work very well. If you often have irregular or missed periods, then the best thing to do is visit your doctor. This way, you’ll know what exactly is causing the problem and can take the right steps to fix it.
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1See your doctor if you’ve missed your period for 3 months in a row. It might be alarming to miss your period for 3 months, but don’t worry. There usually isn't a serious cause for this problem. However, it’s very important to book an appointment with your doctor for an exam. This way, you can get to the bottom of the issue.[12]
- The reasons for missing your period for this long range from stress, malnutrition, hormone imbalances, or excessive exercise. This is why seeing your doctor is important.
- If you haven’t had your first period by the time you’re 15, then also see a doctor.
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2Regulate your menstrual cycle with hormonal birth control. Since birth control keeps your hormone levels regulated, it’s a common treatment for irregular periods. Your doctor may prescribe birth control to prevent your missed periods. Take it exactly as prescribed for the best results.[13]
- Birth control is also a treatment for polycystic ovary syndrome, which could cause missed periods.
- Hormonal birth control is prescription-only, so never take any medications that weren’t prescribed for you.
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3Correct a hormone imbalance with progesterone tablets. Progesterone is a hormone that regulates your menstrual cycle, and a deficiency could be causing your missed periods. In this case, your doctor might prescribe medication to bring your progesterone levels back up.[14] Take this medication exactly how your doctor tells you to.
- Your doctor will probably do a blood test first to check your hormone levels, then prescribe progesterone if you have a shortage.
- One progesterone medication is medroxyprogesterone, which your doctor might use if it’s been 6 months since your last period.[15]
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4Treat PCOS with hormone therapy. Polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS, is a hormonal disorder that causes symptoms like irregular or heavy periods. The typical treatment is hormone replacement medication, usually with birth control pills or progestin medications. This can help regulate your hormones and menstrual cycle.[16]
- If you're trying to get pregnant, your doctor might try a combination of different hormone medications to make you ovulate.
- If you usually have irregular periods and have never been tested for PCOS, then visit your doctor for an exam. This could be causing the problem.
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5Talk to your doctor about surgery to remove scar tissue. It's possible that a buildup of scar tissue in your uterus, like from fibroids, could also cause missed periods.[17] The typical treatment is minor surgery to remove the scar tissue. If you do have scar tissue in your uterus, then your doctor will talk you through your options for surgery and fixing the problem.[18]
- Scar tissue is also a common cause for infertility, so your doctor might also recommend surgery if you're trying to get pregnant.
Medical Takeaways
It’s definitely nerve-wracking to miss your period, but luckily, it usually doesn’t mean something serious is wrong. There are a few lifestyle changes you can make that could regulate your cycle and prevent you from missing periods. However, the only real way to induce a period is with medical treatments like hormones. If you have missed your period, then the best thing to do is to see your doctor. That way, you’ll know all the right steps to take to avoid the problem in the future.
Warnings
- Do not try to induce a period with unproven herbal remedies or unprescribed medications. This could be very dangerous.⧼thumbs_response⧽
References
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/amenorrhea/symptoms-causes/syc-20369299
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stopped-or-missed-periods/
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/pregnancy/how-soon-can-i-do-a-pregnancy-test/
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stopped-or-missed-periods/
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-it-normal-to-lose-your-period-because-of-exercise/
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/amenorrhea/symptoms-causes/syc-20369299
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stopped-or-missed-periods/
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/amenorrhea/symptoms-causes/syc-20369299
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stopped-or-missed-periods/
- ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-it-normal-to-lose-your-period-because-of-exercise/
- ↑ https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a24843990/how-to-make-your-period-come-faster/
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/amenorrhea/symptoms-causes/syc-20369299
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/amenorrhea/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20369304
- ↑ https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stopped-or-missed-periods/
- ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682470.html
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pcos/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353443
- ↑ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pcos/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20353443
- ↑ https://uscfertility.org/causes-infertility/uterine-scarring/
- ↑ https://youngwomenshealth.org/2019/02/28/make-period-come-faster/
About This Article
If you want to induce your period, talk to your doctor about what home remedies may be safe for you to try, since some herbs can be toxic at high doses. Once you are certain that it is safe, consider trying parsley tea or consuming more vitamin C, which could help induce your period. You may also find it helpful to sprinkle a little turmeric on top of food such as rice or steamed vegetables. Alternatively, consider trying an herbal supplement, like Dong Quai, black cohosh, motherwort, or white peony, but keep in mind that supplements are not regulated by the FDA and should be taken with caution. In addition to trying home remedies, make sure you rest and destress by exercising, taking a hot bath, or meditating. For more advice, including how to find the underlying cause for a late period, read on!
Medical Disclaimer
The content of this article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis, or treatment. You should always contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare professional before starting, changing, or stopping any kind of health treatment.
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