Can You Get Pregnant Without A Period?

The condition of not having your periods is medically termed as amenorrhea. There can be several reasons for a person not getting their period for 3 months. These include:

• Pregnancy: If you’ve not got your periods in the last 3 months, and if you had regular periods before that, then there is a probability that you may already be pregnant. You can confirm whether you are pregnant of not with an at-home pregnancy test.

• Breastfeeding: If you have recently given birth and are breastfeeding, this may the reason why you are not having a period. Exclusive breastfeeding can actually prevent periods. The condition is often known as ‘breastfeeding clean’. The length of an absent period due to this condition will depend on your specific biology and the frequency of your breastfeeding.

• Birth control: Certain contraception methods can stop your periods, especially hormonal ones like contraceptive pills. If that’s your reason, your doctor will advise you to stop using that method and suggest something else. Once you stop using that method, it may take some time to come back with your periods. It largely depends on the type of contraception you used and your personal body chemistry.

• Certain medicines: There are certain drugs that may stop your menstrual cycle. These may include: psychiatric drugs, allergy medication, blood pressure pills and chemotherapy.

• Obesity: Obesity is one of the most common reasons for infertility in women. Too much fat can cause havoc to one’s hormonal balance. Obese women often experience irregular periods and some may not have a period at all. If you want to regulate or restart your cycle, we suggest speaking to a professional about how to lose weight healthily and treat your specific case.

• Underweight: Similarly to being overweight, when you are underweight, lack of fat may affect your menstrual cycle. If this is the case, we recommend consulting a professional about how to put on weight in a healthy way, in order to restart your periods.

• Excessive exercise: If you are at a healthy and ‘normal’ weight but do a lot of exercise; this might affect your periods. Athletes, for example, usually have low body fat and high muscle mass. Due to this, their periods may become irregular or may even stop completely. Too much exercise may also cause periods to stop.

• High stress levels: If you are under a lot of stress, then you may end up skipping a couple of periods. For more, take a look at our article on: How Does Stress Affect Your Period?

• PCOS: PCOS, otherwise known as polycystic ovarian syndrome is one of the most common causes of infertility in women. Absent periods is one of the most noticeable symptoms of PCOS.

• POI: Primary ovarian insufficiency is also known as premature ovarian failure. This is a condition that can stop periods or cause irregularity in your menstrual cycle. POI is also sometimes known as ‘early-onset menopause’.

• Hormonal imbalance: Apart from POI and PCOS, there are certain other hormonal imbalance conditions that can cause your periods to stop. These include: a thyroid imbalance, hyperprolactinemia, endometriosis or untreated diabetes.

• Structural problem in uterus: Scarring in the uterus may cause periods to stop for several months. This usually occurs after a uterine surgery.

• Menopause: If you are more than 45 years of age, then you might be nearing menopause: causing your periods to decrease before stopping altogether.

If you haven’t had your periods in, let’s say, 3 months, then you need to find out whether you are still ovulating or not. Only then you will be able to know whether you can get pregnant or not. If you are not ovulating, then it is not possible for you to get pregnant.

However, if you are not having your periods but you are still ovulating, then you can still get pregnant Here are a few signs that can help you distinguish if you are still ovulating:

• Changes in cervical mucus: The easiest way to identify if your ovulation is to test your cervical mucus which goes through changes during different periods of your menstrual cycle. At the beginning of your menstrual cycle, which is the time you have your period, your mucus should be dry, creamy and thick. Nearer to ovulation, it becomes stretchy and watery, like egg white. Once ovulation occurs, it starts becoming dry and thick again.

• Breast tenderness: Breast tenderness, soreness and sensitivity can be a sign of ovulation. This is because of the hormonal rush that enters your body during ovulation.

• Mild pain in the lower abdomen: Some women experience mild pain in their lower abdominal area during ovulation. This pain may last from a few minutes to several hours. Some women may also experience light discharge, bleeding or nausea during this time.

• Libido changes: Sex drive may increase near ovulation.

• Changes in the position of cervix: While you are ovulating, the cervix becomes wider, softer and higher. Right before ovulation, the cervix feels soft: like lips. After ovulation, your cervix will feel harder, like the tip of your nose.

• Changes in basal body temperature: As you ovulate, your body temperature tends to fluctuate. Your basal body temperature will be at its highest during ovulation. You can use a body thermometer to monitor your basal body temperature and track your ovulation period.

• Increased luteinizing hormone: There are ovulation predictor kits that detect the levels of luteinizing hormone in your urine. The amount of this hormone increases significantly 24-48 hours before ovulation. You can also use these kits to track your ovulation periods.

Yes, it is possible it is possible to get pregnant even if you haven’t had your period in 3 months. In order to know for sure, is to determine whether you are ovulating or not.

If you are ovulating, you can get pregnant. If you are not ovulating, you cannot get pregnant.

If you are ovulating and want to avoid pregnancy, then find the right contraceptive method that works for you. Condoms are considered the best form of contraception, because not only do they prevent pregnancy, but they also provide protection against sexually transmitted diseases.

This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.

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