After a delay, scanty periods: is pregnancy possible?

Any changes in the menstrual cycle entail worries and a woman’s desire to find out what’s what. Particularly worrying are cases when there is a delay in menstruation. Of course, this brings up the first thought about pregnancy. But how to evaluate a situation in which, for example, there was a delay of 5 days, and then your period began. To obtain the necessary information, you should consult your doctor. The specialist will determine what the reason is and whether the woman should worry.

Reasons for scanty periods after a delay

The regularity of critical days, first of all, indicates the normal functioning of a woman’s body. Menstruation begins approximately every 25-35 calendar days, and lasts from 3 to 7 days with a blood loss of about 60 ml. If your period does not come on time, then this fact is considered to be a delay, the reasons for which can be many, including pregnancy. If, after a delay, very scanty periods begin, confusion arises and attempts are made to determine the possible causes. The culprits of scanty periods may be physiological, age-related or pathological characteristics.

Age-related features of menstruation

Age-related physiological causes of scanty periods are most often the norm and have their own logical explanation. In young girls during puberty, due to unformed hormonal levels, ovulation may not occur, and as a result, scanty blood discharge occurs. The same explanation can be given to mature women experiencing menopause and menopause. After a woman crosses the border of 40 years of age, sexual functions fade away and eggs mature less and less. Symptomatically, this process is manifested by sudden attacks of fever, malaise and inadequate menstruation.

Pathological changes or disorders in the body that affect menstruation

Scanty periods after a delay are not always a physiological reason; there are also those that are explained by pathological changes in the woman’s body. These include:

Rapid weight loss due to diet.
Stressful situations, excessive workload or poor quality sleep.
Nutritional deficiencies.
Environmental or chemical influence.
Ectopic pregnancy or threatened miscarriage.
Infectious and inflammatory diseases of the genital tract.
Violation of hormone production.
Injuries to the reproductive organs.
Underdevelopment or deviations in the development of the reproductive system.

Doctors' answers

If menstruation came late and differed in nature from normal, and there were unprotected sexual intercourses, then first of all it is necessary to exclude pregnancy. To confirm or exclude, you can take a blood test for hCG; this is the most reliable method of determining pregnancy in the early stages; tests can sometimes give false negative results. Based on the result of this analysis, you will absolutely know whether you are pregnant or not. All the best !

Renewal processes take place in a woman’s body every month and are cyclical in nature. Menstruation appears at the same period of time. Any deviations may indicate the development of pathology or hormonal imbalance. There are many reasons why you may have scanty periods after a delay. Only after identifying them will it be possible to normalize the cycle and avoid unwanted complications.

Diagnostics

To determine the true cause of scanty periods after a delay, you should consult a specialist. It is important to know that disrupted menstruation and changes in its external qualities may not be the result of gynecological diseases. For a more complete picture, the gynecologist prescribes not only clinical tests and procedures, but also a consultation with an endocrinologist, and in some cases, even an oncologist. If after 5 days of delay there are scanty periods, this may mean pregnancy and, due to bleeding, a threat of failure.

Tests and studies prescribed for menstrual irregularities:

analysis for TORCH infection;
general blood analysis;
biochemistry analysis;
blood test for hormone concentrations;
vaginal smear;
cervical biopsy;
Ultrasound of female genitourinary organs.

It is important to remember that a 3-4 day delay is most often due to a hormonal imbalance, but if your periods are not as usual and are suspicious, then the sooner the cause of menstrual irregularities is identified, the more effective the prescribed treatment will be. You should not delay your visit to a specialist, let the symptoms take their course, and put off the examination until later.

Causes

https://youtu.be/sFyRtTBRalQ

Those women who started menstruating after a delay would like to know the reason for this phenomenon. But most of all they are interested in whether pregnancy is possible and whether there is a danger to the unborn child. Everyone knows that delay is one of the signs of conception. But not everyone knows what scanty discharge means. This happens even normally - approximately 10–14 days after fertilization, as a result of the introduction of chorionic villi into the functional layer of the endometrium. Simply put, small and short bleeding (no longer than 1-2 days) indicates implantation of the fertilized egg in the uterus. And you shouldn’t be afraid of this, because everything goes according to the physiological plan.

But implantation bleeding requires differential diagnosis with other causes. First of all, dangerous conditions associated with bearing a child should be excluded. We are talking about the following obstetric and gynecological pathology in the early stages:

Spontaneous abortion.
Ectopic pregnancy.
Bubble drift.
Cervical erosion.
Injuries to the genital organs.
Vaginal varicose veins.

In addition, scanty bleeding can occur with genital tract infections, most often of a specific nature (gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, chlamydia). Another origin of delay and discharge occurs with menstrual irregularities, in particular opsomenorea. Various factors can provoke this condition:

Inflammatory diseases (adnexitis).
Endocrine disorders (hypothyroidism, polycystic disease, hypopituitarism).
Autoimmune and infectious diseases.
Tumor processes in the brain.
Poor nutrition.
Physical exhaustion.
Emotional stress.
Bad habits.

Small or even heavy periods after a delay also occur in adolescence, when the cycle is just becoming established, and in the menopausal period, characterized by a gradual and inexorable decline in reproductive function. Given the variety of possible causes, the origin of the problem must be determined by a doctor.

The reasons for menstruation that began after a delay are quite numerous. It is necessary to consider both physiological and pathological conditions that are associated with pregnancy or occur independently of it.

Symptoms and treatment

Before seeking medical help, a woman discovers unusual changes in her menstrual cycle. First there is a delay, followed by menstruation with scanty discharge. The longer such periods continue, the more anxiety, discomfort and suspicion they bring. As already mentioned, there can be many reasons for these violations - both hazardous to health and those that do not pose any threat. Diagnosis should only be carried out by an experienced specialist who will recognize all the symptoms and prescribe effective treatment.

Symptoms of diseases accompanied by hypomenorrhea:

Inflammatory processes in the genital organs (adnexitis, vaginitis).
Headache and malaise.
Weakness and drowsiness.
Abdominal pain.
Nausea.
Chills.
Itching and burning of the genitals.

If scanty periods are characterized by other signs of body pathology, for example, cramping pain in the lower abdomen and brown discharge, then this may mean the presence of fibroids, cysts or ectopic pregnancy.

Treatment is prescribed based on the examination results. Depending on the pathology diagnosed, it can be medicinal, physiotherapeutic or surgical. Treatment with folk remedies is also possible, but this must be discussed with your doctor.

Delayed and scanty periods: the cause of strange menstruation

Hypomenorrhea (scanty periods) is a fairly common problem in gynecology. It is quite natural if it occurs during a girl’s puberty and during the menopausal stage in a woman’s life.

But what to think when the body decides to pull out such a “feint” during reproductive age?

Symptoms of hypomenorrhea

Since ancient times, it has been established that the menstrual cycle directly depends on the state of women's health. At the same time, the duration of the menstrual cycle for each woman may be different. Most often, the cycle lasts 28 days.

During normal development, a woman’s egg matures in the first half of the cycle; the middle is characterized by ovulation.

The second half of the cycle has two development paths:

the first allows fertilization of the egg;
the second is its absence and, as the end result, menstrual bleeding.

A normal menstrual cycle involves:

Presence of a monthly volume of at least 50 mg;
Painlessness of blood loss or minor pain within normal limits;
The frequency of the menstrual cycle is 21-35 days;
3-7 days of bleeding.

Everything that does not fall within the established framework is conventionally classified as pathological conditions. Any deviations from the norm should be discussed individually with the doctor in the office.

Scanty periods after a delay are also a pathology that is not related to natural phenomena. In addition to minor blood loss, additional symptoms may occur:

Headache;
Painful sensations in the lumbar region;
Malfunctions of the digestive system;
Feeling of tightness in the chest;
Nausea.

Fortunately, if you can call it that, most cases of hypomenorrhea are asymptomatic. But this does not mean that the woman is healthy. Strange discharge in itself is already an alarming sign.

There can be many reasons for hypomenorrhea and not all sources are “angelic” in nature. In any case, consultation with a doctor is required.

Or maybe I'm pregnant?

The delay of menstruation in all centuries has caused only one thought - pregnancy. Could there be minor blood loss during conception? Let’s answer without hiding – maybe.

In fact, scanty periods during pregnancy may indicate several facts. But first you need to do a test in order to make sure of your situation. Although, to be honest, the test will not always show the presence of fertilization and now we will explain why.

In life, you can often encounter a situation when a woman finds out about her interesting situation when she is already 7-8 weeks pregnant. And all because after conception she had her period and she did not pay any attention to their strange behavior.

Often, ladies use a tampon as a hygiene product, and it is very difficult to determine the volume and color of discharge from it.

Such cases occur when ovulation occurs close to the beginning of the cycle, so-called late ovulation. The body did not have time to reconfigure to the new system of work, and the entire adjustment was shifted to the time of menstruation.

Another situation is that the time of implantation coincided with the period of menstrual bleeding. This happens and is considered the norm. During this period, the fertilized egg penetrates into the endometrial layer, and this is accompanied by slight blood loss (no more than 2 days).

There are also dangerous moments.

Often, scanty periods may indicate a threat of miscarriage. Perhaps the body does not have enough progesterone, which is responsible for maintaining pregnancy. Artificial hormone substitutes will help with this problem, which is why it is so important to consult a gynecologist in time.

An ectopic pregnancy can also cause spotting.

Almost always it is accompanied by additional signs:

Increasing pain in the abdominal area, radiating to the lower back;
General weakness;
Dizziness;
Paleness of the skin.

A special complication of pregnancy can be hydatidiform mole. This is a product of conception, during which there is no normal development of the fetus, but there are chorionic villi, which grow into vesicles with liquid. The main danger is that a hydatidiform mole can become a malignant tumor. Now it’s clear why you should visit a doctor as early as possible.

To reassure readers a little, this pathology occurs in 1 case out of 5000.

Another reason for scanty bleeding may be regular erosion of the cervix. Although it has absolutely no effect on the development of pregnancy, it still brings significant discomfort. Most likely, if blood smear occurs, it is after sexual intercourse. It may be accompanied by a certain pain during the process of love.

We hasten to note that erosion cannot always cause such symptoms.

Possible other reasons

Hypomenorrhea is often caused by progesterone deficiency. As you know, progesterone is involved in the second period of the cycle and is responsible for the process of growing the functional layer of the uterus.

Menstruation requires a certain layer of endometrium, and when there is a lack of this hormone, the endometrium thickens too slowly, causing the second phase of the menstrual cycle to lengthen.

Hence the delay in menstruation.

The following factors can provoke progesterone deficiency:

Hard physical labor;
Stress;
Power failures;
Changes in climatic conditions and more.

Taking medications can also cause limited bleeding. In particular, contraceptives or drugs that help maintain pregnancy. In these circumstances, there is a disruption in the woman’s hormonal levels, resulting in endometrial atrophy. When the girl stops taking the medication, then in the next cycle everything should return to normal.

If the incident recurs, you should consult a gynecologist, since ovarian dysfunction can sometimes develop due to constant suppression of ovulation.

When hypomenorrhea continues for more than one month, this may indicate a malfunction of the thyroid gland. For your information, serious disturbances in the functioning of the thyroid gland can cause a complete cessation of menstruation.

People who are overweight with minor blood loss may suspect that they have excess estrogen. It is the accumulated fat that can provoke excessive growth of estrogen, which, in turn, causes a malfunction of the reproductive system. And vice versa - ladies who are too thin may suffer from iron deficiency, which also causes hypomenorrhea.

https://youtu.be/jCQAYRd1V6Y

Opsomenorea may well become a source of problems with blood loss. Moreover, the delay can increase up to 3 months, and the discharge itself can be either scanty or abundant. Gynecologists often attribute opsomenorea to hypomenstrual syndrome - when the cycle involuntarily lengthens.

Due to the increase in the interval between the menstrual cycle, its phase is disrupted and, as a result, ovulation is disrupted, often it may be completely absent. And this leads to infertility.

Due to prolonged failure of menstruation, secondary amenorrhea (cessation of menstruation for 6 or more months) may develop.

Speaking of ovulation:

Its absence in a given cycle can cause a delay in menstruation and loss of discharge volume. Every healthy woman experiences an anovulatory period once or twice a year, and this is natural. There is no need to be afraid when there is no ovulation, although there is no need to lose attentiveness.

Various sexually transmitted infectious diseases can cause strange bleeding. Usually, with this problem, menstruation is delayed, and its color becomes brownish-red, plus an admixture of pus and mucus. In addition, an unpleasant odor appears.

Meanwhile, the girl may notice additional symptoms:

burning;
itching;
pain when urinating;
as well as pain during sex.

Inflammation of the appendages can easily be classified as a cause of disruption in the menstrual cycle.

Abortions, recent childbirth, uterine curettage, and other things associated with surgical intervention on the female genital organs require time to restore the functioning of the body. After such “interventions,” a situation may well occur when menstruation comes late and even with slight blood loss.

It is worth noting that in addition to internal factors, the source of the problem may be hidden from the outside.

This means:

Nervous tension;
Sudden weight change;
Excessively active sports;
And many more reasons.

In any case, scanty bleeding against the background of a delay in menstruation is a signal that it is time to visit a doctor.

Pregnancy

If there is a long delay in menstruation, it would be useful to conduct a pregnancy test. When fertilization of the egg occurs, the woman’s body begins to produce a special “pregnancy hormone” - progesterone, it stops the development of new eggs during gestation, and therefore there are no periods. If, after a delay and a positive pregnancy test, scanty periods begin, this may indicate a threat of miscarriage, one of the reasons for which may be placental abruption.

Minor bleeding at the beginning of pregnancy may not always mean pathology. During fertilization, during late ovulation, the embryo does not have time to attach to the wall of the uterus before the expected onset of menstruation, and if during the delay a woman notices a small amount of blood on her underwear, this may mean implantation of the embryo into the wall of the uterus, i.e., the woman will soon become mom.

Ectopic pregnancy

When a woman, after a delay, begins to have scanty blood discharge of a brown or brownish color, accompanied by sharp pain on the left or right side of the lower abdomen, this may mean that the embryo is fixed in the uterine tubes. With an ectopic pregnancy, the test often determines its presence, but there are exceptions. To prevent pipe rupture and internal bleeding, you should immediately seek medical help if characteristic symptoms are detected.

If, after a long delay, you have scanty periods, and the pregnancy test shows a negative result, this may mean a spontaneous abortion or an ectopic pregnancy with a low level of hCG.

Causes of secondary hypomenorrhea after delay

Doctors call very scanty periods after a delay secondary hypomenorrhea. Such changes may indicate an ectopic pregnancy, but the test shows a barely noticeable second line. It is possible that the reasons lie in pathologies or age-related characteristics.

Little discharge and frequent delays are typical for girls in adolescence. Their hormonal system is just developing, and cycle disruptions in adolescents are considered normal.

It is possible that such changes are one of the signs of conception, which occurred several days before the onset of menstruation. After a month, in this case, there will be no more discharge.

There are other factors that affect the menstrual cycle and the amount of discharge:

rapid loss of body weight as a result of illness or adherence to a strict diet;
anemia;
exposure to stress, due to which a woman may experience periodic delays;
surgical intervention;
hormonal imbalance;
delay due to lactation;
taking oral contraceptives;
pathologies of the endocrine system;
infection of the reproductive system.

To identify the causes of scanty discharge that appears after the delay, you must be examined by a gynecologist.

Surgical interventions on the uterus

The reason for scanty periods after a delay may be surgical intervention. This is due to a violation of the integrity of the endometrium of the uterus.

Often, curettage is performed using hysteroscopy of the uterine cavity (minimally invasive surgery using a hysteroscope). After this procedure, there are also scanty periods, but the cycle is quickly restored and the volume of discharge becomes the same.

Reception OK

Hormonal contraceptives disrupt the activity of the ovaries and affect the ovulation process. During the withdrawal period, the body's reaction is unpredictable.

Menstruation after a delay caused by taking OCs is often scanty and lasts a short time.

Hormonal disorders

Scanty periods after a delay and a negative test may be due to hormonal imbalance. Various thyroid diseases directly affect the menstrual cycle. The condition of the entire body depends on this organ, since the thyroid gland produces hormones, without which it cannot function normally.

If there are disturbances in the functioning of the reproductive system caused by such pathologies, there are scanty and long periods after a delay, and even a complete cessation of menstruation is possible.

Sudden weight loss

There is a relationship between weight and cycle. Sudden excessive weight loss leads to reproductive dysfunction. If the amount of adipose tissue becomes 20% less than body weight, then delayed menstruation and scanty periods can be observed monthly. Often the discharge disappears completely.

When menstruation does begin, this process is accompanied by weakness and dizziness. You need to restore your previous weight as quickly as possible. Long-term absence of menstruation can lead to a serious complication – infertility.

Stress

Nervous stress, exposure to constant stress - all this can cause scanty and short periods to appear after a delay. Such disorders are caused by psycho-emotional exhaustion of the body and the failure of reproductive function caused for this reason.

The only solution in this case is complete calm. As soon as the nervous system gets stronger, the cycle will become the same.

Infectious and inflammatory diseases

If, after a delay, menstruation begins, but is light and accompanied by symptoms such as itching, burning and nagging pain in the lower abdomen, then perhaps a cycle disorder has caused inflammation of the genitourinary system.

The cause of scanty menstruation may be vaginitis or adnexitis. With genital tract infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis and syphilis, similar changes in the nature of discharge are also observed.