Delayed or Irregular Period After Extensive Travel: Causes & Solutions

Question
I am a healthy 37 yr old woman. On no medication. No major changes in my life except....
Over the past two weeks I have been travelling a lot for business. Over 50+ hours of plane travel spread out over the 2 weeks. Would this affect my period. I got my period last Thursday (right on time) then it went away on Monday like it should. And then today (Thursday) I got it again - same heavy flow. What is going on?

Answer
Hi Teri,
Thanks for your question!

It's more likely, considering your age, that you are perimenopausal.  Some hormone tests can confirm this at your doctor's office.  It probably has nothing to do with the flying.

However, considering the extreme amount of time you've spent in the sky, I should mention: Being sedentary on a flight can cause circulatory problems, such as clots in the lower extremities.  So if you are in that situation again, do drink lots of water and walk around when you can, preventatively.

Thanks,
Maggie Smith, RN, MSN