Irregular Periods: Causes, When to See a Doctor - Healthline

Question
Hello,
I have a minor problem, and I don't know if I should be concerned or not.  The past couple of months, my periods have been off by a few days.  Before then, my periods have always been so precise, I could even predict the hour!  But this time, I'm about 6 days late, but I've been having cramping periodically.  Is this something that I should talk to my doctor about?
Thank you for your time.

Answer
Dear Leah,

Not necessarily. You did not note your age, but as we age our cycles tend to become a bit less regular. I would suspect that this issue for you is likely due to a bit of a hormonal imbalance - as most cycle irregularities are. This happens occasionally for all women - even those who are usually like "clockwork", especially as we get closer to perimenopause. There are many various potential causes for irregularities in our cycles. They are:
-Significant weight gain or loss
-Excessive or strenuous exercise
-Poor nutrition (or a diet too high in carbohydrates)
-Smoking
-Drug use
-Excessive caffeine intake
-Excessive alcohol use (interfering with how the liver metabolizes estrogen and progesterone)
-Eating disorders
-Increased stress
-Polycystic ovarian syndrome/estrogen dominance
-Uterine abnormalities (fibroids/cysts/polyps/endometriosis)
-Hormonal imbalance related to perimenopause
-Medications
-Chemotherapy
-Thyroid dysfunction
-Recent childbirth, miscarriage, or D&C
-Breastfeeding

Your cycles are still in a fairly normal pattern, and keep in mind that as we age we cannot count on them being so much like clockwork as we did in our youth. We really don't get concerned until a woman misses three consecutive periods and pregnancy is not the reason OR if periods become very heavy with or without clotting on a rather continual basis. At that point, you should see your doctor so that a cause can be determined.

I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well.

Brenda