Why Is My Period 5 Days Late?

Last updated on April 27th, 2019 at 05:58 pm

Question: Why is my period 5 days late? Should I be worried?

As expected, if your period is yet to show up after five days, you will be concerned about the possibility of being pregnant.

While this is possible, there are lots of reasons your menstrual cycle could be interrupted, and sometimes it may be due to your actions.

If you are experiencing a delayed period for the first time, it’s important you relax your nerves and be positive.

Your menstrual period can be affected by hormonal changes, and it may scare you when it happens.

For example, a minor impact on your hormones after long-term body stress can stop your period. And yes, even not sleeping like you used to can cause similar issues.

Here’s an email I received from KIKI

I am five days late, I feel like throwing up sometimes when I eat food. I have an eating disorder. I am sexually active but then he doesn’t ejaculate inside. I’m stressed because my period is late. I jog 7km a day and I also workout after. I don’t know but I’m scared it could be pregnancy.

Other possible factors for 5 days late period are thyroid hormones disorder, eating disorders, extreme fat burning, perimenopause, emergency pills taken quickly after unprotected intercourse, polycystic ovaries, and after an abortion.

Nevertheless, it’s beneficial you always consider a pregnancy test (if you know you had intercourse). This simply is the most needed step and you may require an additional test of you still test negative (especially when you are not sure of your next period date).

This article explains why you’ve missed your menstrual period for 5 days, when it could be due to pregnancy, and what to do.

What are the causes of 5 days late period?

If not expecting, you don’t have to fret thinking you are pregnant yet. Once in a while, women get period delayed due to hormone imbalance.

Missed period for 5 days could be due to

1.  An early pregnancy sign

Pregnancy is the most typical cause of absent or delayed period in women.

How does pregnancy occur?

If you have intercourse during your fertile days, there is an increased chance you will get pregnant. Your ovaries let out an egg every menstrual cycle which is fertilized by the sperm, forming the embryo.

This embryo will have to be attached to the endometrium. During implantation, there is minor bleeding that occurs and usually seen as spotting before period. This is a very early signal that you are pregnant and may be confused as an early light period.

Other signs of pregnancy are

• Soreness of the breast
• Body fatigue
• Change in smell and taste
• Increased frequency of urination
• Breast pain and swelling
• Feeling like vomiting
• A desire for a specific kind of food
• Increased vaginal discharge

If your period is 5 days late with these symptoms, it is likely you’re pregnant.

What to do?

It’s important you get a pregnancy test performed to help you confirm if you are pregnant or not. The first response pregnancy test kit can detect pregnancy 5 days after period.

If your pregnancy test is positive, it is best to tell your medical professional right away. On the other hand, if negative, you will need to wait for some time to check again.

A pregnancy test is best performed seven days after missed period.

2.  Stress and eating disorders

Stress and eating disorders can affect hormones that control your period. The hypothalamus regulates LH (luteinizing hormone) and FSH (Follicle stimulating hormone) that is secreted by the pituitary gland.

Both hormones – LH and FSH, regulates your ovulation and period.

If you’ve had demanding weeks and sleepless nights with 5 days late period, then reducing your stress level and engaging in regular exercise with help.

3.  Years before menopause

If you happen to be between forty and fifty years with 5 days late periods, it’s a sign you’re close to menopause.

Just before a woman finally stops having period, she may experience irregular period that is sometimes heavy or very light.

Other signs you’re close to menopause are

• Hot flushes
• Dry vagina
• Reduced sexual drive

4.  You took emergency contraception

If you had unprotected sexual intercourse and took emergency pills, your period can be delayed for days.

Emergency pills function by preventing ovulation from taking place. If taken as soon as possible and prior to ovulation, your chances of becoming pregnant are slim.

However, you could still get pregnant if pills are not taken properly.

What can you do?

If you are worried about pregnancy, you shouldn’t. Pills, when taken within 24 hours of intercourse, have an increased chance of protection. However, if you took your pills very late or have symptoms of pregnancy, you can confirm your pregnancy status by testing.

5.  You are taking contraceptive or inserted IUDs

Did you start any pill to prevent pregnancy? or recently inserted an intrauterine device (IUDs)?

Contraceptive pill and IUDs can cause no period in women. If pills are taken continuously without a break you will possibly not have to bleed at all.

It is very important to let your health professional know about your late period. The reason being that, there are newer generation pills that can delay period for a few months.

However, your 5 days late period while on contraceptives may still be due to pregnancy.

Did you miss your COC pills for days without using other forms of contraception? Do you have signs of pregnancy — body fatigue, pain in your breast or spotting before your period?

You have to check for pregnancy to be sure.

Other reasons your period is 5 days late are

6.  Polycystic ovaries

7.  Thyroid problems

8.  Abortion and its complications

Common 5 days late period questions answered

These are answered questions asked by women.

I have white discharge after missing period for 5 days?

If your period is 5 days late with increased white discharge, it’s likely you are pregnant.

During pregnancy and due to increased hormones — estrogen and progesterone, women experience increased vaginal discharge that may be milky white or creamy white discharge.

During your period cycle, vaginal discharge is usually dry just before your period and after your period ends. If your period is 5 days late with heavy vaginal discharge, then it’s likely you are pregnant.

Click here to learn other causes of increased white discharge.

What does it mean if I have abdominal cramps too?

If your period is 5 days late with cramping, then its a sign you’re pregnant. You might want to explain to your doctor or perhaps check for pregnancy.

If your cramps are very severe, it may be signs of period coming or due to other causes.

Read more: What causes cramps before period?

I still have negative results, so why is my period 5 days late?

Is your period 5 days late with a negative test? Then it’s likely due to other non-pregnancy causes

• Use of emergency contraception
• Contraceptive pills
• Polycystic ovarian disease
• Stress
• Eating disorders
• Very severe exercise with significant weight loss

Then again, it might possibly be caused by pregnancy if HCG levels are low

5 days late pregnancy symptoms are

• Abdominal cramps after period
• Body weakness and fatigue
• Nausea
• Light spotting and cramping before period
• Missed period
• Breast pain and swelling

I have no symptoms at all, is it pregnancy?

If your period is 5 days late without any symptoms of pregnancy, then it may be due stress, weight loss, strenuous exercise, polycystic ovaries or emergency contraception ingested weeks ago.

It’s always a good idea to rule out pregnancy by testing.

My period is 5 days late should I be worried?

Normal period cycle in women lasts between 21 – 35 days. This implies that your period could fluctuate due to hormonal changes.

However, if your menses is five days late, you will need to take a test to exclude pregnancy. Most pregnancy test kits can detect pregnancy 5 days after expected period.