Being Overtime. What does this mean?
You were expecting your period and haven’t gotten your period yet…. In most cases, being “overdue” means you may be pregnant, but not always; menstrual cycles can vary, making it difficult to determine exactly when you are “overdue.
What can it mean if your period is delayed? And what can you do to eliminate any uncertainty about it?
Didn’t get your period?
A menstrual cycle that is longer than normal can have several causes. Stress, changes in weight, hormonal imbalances, medication use and health problems can all contribute to a prolonged cycle. It is normal for the length of the menstrual cycle to vary from woman to woman. But when are you really “overdue”?
You are “overdue” the moment you do not get your period when you should have. This is also called Not Period Day (NOD). If your period is delayed and you are sexually active, you can take a pregnancy test to check if you are pregnant. From the NOD (or expected menstrual date), the result of such a test is about 99% reliable.
When to take a pregnancy test?
From your NOD (or expected menstrual date), you can take a pregnancy test and the result is about 99% reliable. If you don’t know when your period was due, your test is reliable if you test at least 21 days after you last had sex. The longer you wait to test, the more reliable the test is.
Early pregnancy test
Would you like to know earlier if you might be pregnant? Then you can take an early pregnancy test 4 to 6 days before your expected period. These ultra-sensitive tests detect the hormone hCG earlier than regular pregnancy tests. If you take an early test, it is good to realize that the concentration of hCG in your urine may still be low during early pregnancy and the test does not detect it well yet. It is possible that the test is negative and you are pregnant after all. So it’s best to do another test when your period fails, even if the early test is negative.
1 day overdue
If you take a pregnancy test on the first day your period is off, and the test indicates that you are not pregnant, in some cases you may still be pregnant.
2 days overdue
When you are pregnant, your body starts producing the pregnancy hormone hCG. The amount of hCG doubles every 2 to 3 days. The longer you wait, the more hCG and the more reliable the test results are.
Your hCG level on your NOD may still be too low to be recognized by the test. If you repeat the test 5 days after your expected menstrual date and the test is still negative, there is little chance that you are pregnant.
3 days overdue
After 3 days overdue, there is enough hCG for a positive test. If this test is negative it can be assumed that you are not pregnant, unless you have a very irregular cycle
4-5 days overdue
The body has been able to produce enough hCG. If you test positive now, chances are you are pregnant, even if you have an irregular cycle.
Positive test? Schedule an initial counseling appointment at Dana Center
As soon as you know you are pregnant (or suspect that you are pregnant) you can already make an appointment for a first meeting at our midwife practice. The appointment usually takes place around 5 or 6 weeks of pregnancy. During this extensive meeting with one of our regular midwives, we take the time to get to know you and your partner and to hear what your wishes are.
Not menstruating and not pregnant either?
It can happen that you don’t get your period and also don’t get pregnant. Stress can play a big role in this. Too much stress can disrupt your hormone balance. In times of stress, your body makes adrenaline and cortisol, among other hormones, to put your body in a higher state of readiness. The release of these hormones puts other body processes (such as digesting food, your immune system and your cycle, among others) on hold, which can cause your period to be delayed and cause you to be overdue. After intense stress, it can even take several months for your body to regain full balance
When to call doctor if you haven’t gotten your period?
Overtime, but not pregnant? Besides pregnancy, there are other causes that can affect your hormone balance and menstrual cycle. For example:
- Stress
- Drastic life events
- early transition
- Eating too little or losing weight quickly
- Disease
- Medication use
- Excessive exercise or elite sports
It is best to contact your doctor in that case
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