Missed Periods and Irregular Periods are Normal When You’re a Teenager!
Missed Periods and Irregular Periods are Normal When You’re a Teenager!Recently, there has been a flood of questions from my teen readers on my popular post, “Reasons for Missed Period – When You’re Not Pregnant.” I want to address the most commonly asked questions to alleviate any worries that teenagers may have about their periods.
Age of Your First Period
A teenager typically gets her first period between 12 and 14 years of age. Some girls can start menstruating as early as 9 years old. Others won’t have their first period until they’re 16 years of age. When you’ll have your first period depends on how fast you’re developing. Some girls are early bloomers; others bloom later. If you haven’t had your period by 16 years old, visit your doctor and find out what’s the hold up. In some cases, however, it may still be normal.
How Long Does a Period Last?
A regular period can last between three to seven days. During the teen years, you can bleed for even longer. Some teenagers have their period for 10 days! The length of your period can change from month to month. The heaviness and color of your flow will also change from the beginning of your period to the end. On Day 1, 2, and 3 of your period, it’s normal for your flow to be heavy. Your menstrual bleeding will become lighter and lighter until your period ends.
Irregular Menstrual Cycles and Missed Periods are Normal
In the first two years after you start menstruating (having your period), it’s normal for you to experience an irregular menstrual cycle. You may have a period twice in one month, or you may go without a period for two months at a time. Likewise, you may have your period for only 2 or 3 days one month, and the next time you have your period, it lasts for 7 days. This is normal during the teenage years. Your body is influenced by your growth (and puberty is a time of major growth), so this can change your menstrual cycle from month to month.
The length of time that your period lasts, and the amount of blood that you experience is influenced by the level of hormones that your body is manufacturing. Since a teenage girl is growing, her hormones are going to be fluctuating and this can change the amount of blood and the length of your period from one cycle to the next.
In a nutshell, missed periods and irregular periods are normal in the first two years after you start having your period. Your body will eventually develop a regular cycle. The average cycle length is 28 days, but not every woman follows this textbook rule. A regular menstrual cycle can run from 21 days to 35 days (or longer). If you’re a teenager, as long as you have one period every three months, you should be fine. But always call a doctor if you’re worried about anything.
*Very Important* – If you do not want to get pregnant, always use protection when you have sex. The only 100 percent way to protect yourself against STDs and pregnancy is to NOT HAVE SEX. Take it from an oldie – it’s always best to wait and save yourself for that special person.
When Should You Worry about a Missed or Irregular Period?
Missed periods and irregular periods can be normal in teenagers, but you should consult a doctor if you’re a teen and you haven’t had your period for at least three months. This may be a sign of a reproductive problem, like premature ovarian failure.
If you have at least one period within that three month range, you shouldn’t worry. This can be normal, just a byproduct of your fluctuating hormones. Your menstrual cycle will eventually even out, and you will get a normal cycle (although it may not be the perfect 28 day cycle.)
Reasons You May Miss Your Period When You’re Not Pregnant
If you are sexually active and you notice something unusual with your menstrual pattern, there is always a chance that you could be pregnant. Condoms are only 99 percent effective. Birth control pills are only effective if you take them on a regular basis. Skipping a pill can put you at risk for pregnancy.
Other reasons you may experience irregular periods, or missed periods, include excessive exercise, birth control pills, stress, and eating disorders.
Excessive Exercise – If you’re an athlete, you may notice a change in your menstrual cycle if you’re training super hard or exercising all the time. Excessive exercise can result in less bleeding, fewer periods a year, or your periods may stop completely. In most cases, your periods will return to normal within months after you stop participating in the strenuous sport.
If your period has stopped completely and it’s been over six months, you need to go see your doctor to rule out any medical problems.
Birth Control Pills – Sometimes, birth control pills are prescribed to help regulate your period. They can, however, cause you to experience a missed period. Hormonal methods of birth control, which contain the hormone progesterone, can cause you to miss your period.
Stress – Whether you’re in middle school or high school, schoolwork can really stress you out, especially if your parents are putting a lot of pressure on you to succeed. Stress is a normal part of life, but a ton of emotional stress can affect your period. Too much stress in your life may cause you to experience missed periods or irregular periods.
Eating Disorders – If you have an eating disorder, like anorexia or bulimia, they can slow down your bodily functions and cause your period to stop completely. Please contact a doctor or reach out to an adult if you have an eating disorder. You can also reach out to me, and I’ll be here to help you through this to the best of my ability.
PMS Symptoms Can Be Similar to Early Pregnancy Symptoms
If you’re a teenager who is sexually active, you must be aware that there is always a chance that you may be pregnant. A missed period is often one of the first signs of pregnancy. Please take a home pregnancy test, if you are ever worried. If you test negative at first, and your period still doesn’t come, take another test in about a week or so.
Always keep in mind, however, that premenstrual (PMS) symptoms can mimic early pregnancy symptoms. Even for the most experienced woman, it can be difficult to distinguish the two. For example, breast tenderness, fatigue, and food cravings are normal PMS symptoms, but they are also pregnancy symptoms. Nausea and vomiting can also affect you when you’re PMSing, and it’s an early pregnancy symptom. Taking a home pregnancy test is the only way for you to tell whether or not you’re pregnant.
For more, read PMS or Pregnancy Symptoms?
My Recommendations for Accurate Home Pregnancy Tests
If you’re wondering whether or not you’re pregnant, please check my Hip Chick’s Guide to Pregnancy and Baby Store for my recommended home pregnancy tests. I highly recommend First Response Early Result Pregnancy Test due to its high sensitivity at picking up hCG levels.
If you ever have any questions or worries about your period, talk to your parents and go see a gynecologist who can answer your questions!
Im 11 years old I started my period last month and my period is only 5 days and this month I supposed to have my period 12 days ago and I havent had sex I have a bf that I love and I know im not pregnant and im 12 days late today please reply what does it mean?
hey im ana and i started my period at 11 years old im 12 now and i havent had any symptoms that my period is coming only sensitive chest but im scared i havent done anything bad that im not supposed to do im not allowed to have a bf and im really scared whats wrong plzzz help me
Hey Ana, its alright, you’ve only had your period for a year right? That’s still in the irregular phase, it’ll come when it comes. If you’re really worried maybe talk to your mum about how much iron you’ve been eating? That can reduce your periods a lot. But you’re okay, okay? Nothing to be scared of, bodies are just a bit weird sometimes
I am 16 years old and have always gotten my period 28 days or a month later. I recently got off my period about 3 weeks ago. And 3 weeks later its back on, or at least I think its my period. It has been heavy the first 2 days, with symptoms of cramping, etc. And it became light and ended the 3rd day. What could this mean?
Hi my girlfriend is 17 and she had her first period at the age of 12 and sometimes it used to be normal sometimes not but it was on going as it was normal for a teen girl at that age to get irregular periods. Last years it was normal like couple of times she had it normal 2 or 6 days late. But from past 4 months there’s no sign of her having periods the last she had hers was in January and from then she did not get it till today and is been really worried at it, depressed and stressed. (No she’s not pregnant, never had sex at all, but she masturbates so she’s sexually active) I don’t what to do? She’s really uncomfortable to visit a doctor as she’s shy and uncomfortable with these questions a doctor would ask. I’m blank and helpless about this one thing. Please help me.
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I’m a 17 year old girl and I’ve been having my period since 9 years of age. It used to be once every three months, and mum said it was okay. But since last month, my cycle has shortened drastically. I’m having a period twice a month.
I read in the article above and it said that this is normal in the first two years of menstruation. But this is my 7 going on 8 years of it and I am very scared.
Could this still be normal? Could it be a heredity thing because I know my older sister has had a continuous period for like years now (a month or two break but it just keeps on going).
Could it just be that my body is starting to balance out the hormone or whatever it is?? I really hope it’s a normal thing because it’s freaking me out too much and causing me a lot of stress.
Please help me
Hi im 12 i got my first period within 28 days and second period 30 days and my third period after 6 months im virgin what to do ?
Hey I’m bri and I’m 12 years old I got my period at age 11. The 1st time I had my period it was December 3 or 4 my last period was in April 18 it was going in a pattern where it started in the beginning of the month but then in February it my period started coming in the middle of the month and today I started my period may,7,2016 what’s wrong why isn’t my period coming in the beggining of the month anymore I’m getting worried my periods going all over the place can u help me is there something wrong with me I have been getting a lot of stress because of school testing and work and scared of flunking and rejection and boys is it because of my stress? Plllzzzz I need help ASAP!!!!!!!
what hapens is i read in the selection that there is notning wrong with you
Hi am Shaniel I started my period when I was 12 yeas old I started to miss my period from then counting up from 1-6 months when I was 15 I miss my period for 6 months then it come for 1 month then miss for 6 months again am 16 now going 17 next month I have my last period last 2015 in December haven’t seen my period for 5months now and counting I download a period tacker to keep me safe but not seeing my period maybe twice a year I see my period, am engage and want to have twin babies is it impossible for me to have babies or not?? Please help me
I’m 16, I got my first period when I was like 11-12 and then I didn’t get it again till I was like 13 only to have it show up very very randomly sense then; it’s been 4-5 years and I’ll go sometimes 6 months to 8 months without a period. This can’t be normal. There is no way I’m pregnant btw, sometimes my period will come 2 times in a row then to only not show up for months. As far as I know on my moms side we are VERY fertile but I know nothing about my fathers side. There’s no way to ask btw. When my period does come it can either be two days or five. I would never have to guts to go to a Doctor about this.
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I am 11 and weigh about 110 pounds and am 5’1. I’m skinny but why do I weigh so much? If during puberty you grow a lot do you gain weight too? I am tall for my age and got my period at age 10 so I look like I’m 13. And I have been getting mega heavy discharge these past 4 or 5 days is my period coming again soon?
Your dont weigh a lot for your size. Im 15 and 5’1 heathy size and eveything and weigh 118
My names Leah, and I haven’t had my period in three months. I’m 15 turning 16 this year and I’m a virgin. I am naturally pretty skinny and weigh around 98 pounds. I play netball every saturday, and have started noticing that I start to feel very light headed and start to see black spots when I’m playing. My mum keeps saying that she thinks that I’m losing weight and I’ve started noticing that I used to be a size 6 in jeans, but now they’re getting too big around my waist. PLEASE HELP ME!! I don’t know what’s happening or what to do.
You probably just need to eat more. It sounds like you have a pretty high metabolism which causes you to burn through calories more quickly than others. The black spots could be from dehydration or vitamin deficiency. Try eating more and taking a multi-vitamin.
I am 16 years old and started getting my periods the summer going into 6th grade (around 12). I have always been pretty regular but this year my period has been extremely irregular and I am starting to get concerned. I have only gotten my period 3 times since September and my average cycle is about 70-80 days apart. I know I can’t be pregnant when I don’t get it and I’ve never taken birth control, but it is starting to get concerning especially considering I’ve been so regular for so many years. Any ideas on what could be wrong with me or what I should do?
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Hi I’m Ashley and I’m 13 years old (turning 14) I got my first period when I was 12 and the last time I got my period was January 1st and it was very light. It has been almost 2 months now (March 21st today) and I haven’t gotten my period yet. I am a virgin and I had some irregular periods some regular. I am skinny 98lbs 5ft 3inches. And I never really stress on things. I don’t know what’s wrong with me I can’t be pregnant, I think it might be from excercise 4 days a week or more. Or it could be my low weight I need to get my period back I’m very worried that I won’t have it anymore or that I have some odd disease. Please help!!!
I had my first menstruation last august 2014 at 15 yeas old. It’s been a year and 6 months. I am always irregular, It came up to the point where in summer (April) it took me 5 months to have a menstruation again. And then i’m always 2-3 months to have menstruation. Should i be concerned? Like now, my previous menstruation is from last Dec 3 2015, and i have my menstruation again in february 19, 2016 up to now (Feb 21). I have heavy flows on the first day always, then the second day very light, and mostly my menstruation lasts only for 3-4 days. P.s i do not take pills, and i’m virgin.
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I’m 16 years old, my periods began when I was 11, but I have started having irregularities in my monthly cycle, I didn’t have my periods for three months, and I visited a gynaecologist. She prescribed Deviry, which i had to take for a course of three months, during which I had my periods She told me I’d be on my normal menstrual cycle after that, but this is my first month without Deviry, and I didn’t have my periods. Isn’t deviry only hormones? I’m really worried, is this kind of irregularities normal? Will I be having any serious problems in the future?
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Iam 15 years old.lam just 10 months started to menses. At first I experienced irregularity. But now it is first that my menses longer for 17 days.Is it normal or any problem?
I’m really worried because I had my first period on my second day of high school(September 2015) and I didn’t have it in October November or December. If I am supposed to wait until this January’s period it’s due is 2 days your website gives quality advice
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I started my period when I was 11 years old. (I’m 14 now)Since then my period has bounced from date to date. But I was supposed to have it the 26th of December 2015 but it’s been a day and it still hasn’t come. Should I be worried. I mean I been have the PMS signs and I haven’t been throwing up or having any pink discharge.
I’m 13 and I started my period a year ago. This month I got my period on the 8th and I still have it and I’m on the 8th day. It’s still heavy should I be worried
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this is a good explanation but i still have a question in my mind. my age is 17 years and i sometimes have a period length of 40-50 days. is it really normal for the girls of my age?
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Hello. I’m almost 16 years old and I’m having my period for almost 3 years. Is it still normal to have irregular periods?
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