Reproduction is one of the basic processes of life. In human beings, reproduction takes place when sexual intercourse leads to the successful fertilization and subsequent implantation of an egg in the uterus of the female. This egg then gradually develops into a baby that is ready to be born. The process of reproduction takes around 9 months to be complete. Human females have an interesting menstrual cycle when compared with other mammals. While other mammals have a distinct period of 'heat', humans have a continuous cycle of around 28 days during which they are able to conceive. This means that there is no specific mating season for humans. Reproduction rates, therefore, depend on other factors such as family planning, holiday schedules and even weather conditions.
The 28 day count for the menstrual cycle in females begins with the first day of menses. This is the day when blood begins to be shed along with the uterus lining as the woman's unfertilized egg and unused uterus lining are being discarded. After menstruation, the woman's ovaries begin to prepare the next mature egg for release into one of the fallopian tubes. This egg travels through the tubes into the uterus. If it is not fertilized by the middle of the cycle, then it will be disposed off at the end of the cycle, prompting the next round of menstruation. Normal menstruation begins at puberty and ends at menopause. At either end of this period, menstruation will be irregular. Otherwise, women tend to be fairly regular, barring physical, mental, environmental and emotional changes that take place from time to time. These variations are all listed as causes of delayed menstruation.
Women sometimes wish to delay menstruation for various different reasons and questions on how to delay your period would naturally arise. Reasons to delay menstruation could be many and these could range from events such as upcoming family occasions, upcoming travel or some complication with conception and so on. All of these may position the woman to seek ways for delayed menstruation. There could however also be times when delayed menstruation takes place naturally. A delayed menstrual cycle may be due to various different changes in the woman's body including stress. Many women who fear that they may have become pregnant often suffer from stress related delayed menstrual cycle. This delay only serves to add more stress to their situation. Apart from stress, there are other causes of delayed menstruation that are listed above. Menstruation is controlled by various hormones in the woman's body. Some abnormality with the production, distribution or absorption of these hormones in the system may also be listed under causes of a delayed menstrual cycle. Assuming the woman's body has normal hormone levels one may then ask the question how to delay your period and, more specifically, how to delay your period naturally. Modern medicine has created ways to delay menstruation using hormonal supplements. Normally, a drop in the level of progesterone is what triggers of the process of menstruation. In such a situation, the use of pills to supplement the level of progesterone will help to delay the process. The use of such supplements to delay menstruation is fairly common across the world. It is advisable to do so under the guidance of the doctor who is taking care of the individual regularly. This doctor would also need to have the proper medical history of the individual patient so as to be able to advise the patient on whether she should delay menstruation or not. The doctor will also prescribe the required medication for the same.
There is little scientific evidence to suggest that one can delay menstruation naturally. However, there are many ancient traditions across cultures that suggest that it is possible to delay menstruation naturally. According to these traditions, the period is usually hastened by the consumption of 'hot' foods. These include spices and particular fruits that heat up the body. Mangoes and papaya are in this category as are spices like pepper and garlic. The consumption of these is used to hasten the menstrual cycle. Therefore one may delay menstruation naturally by avoiding the consumption of such foods. One must remember that menstruation is a cycle that goes on through the month. Therefore, any action to delay menstruation naturally must happen at an early stage in the cycle so that its effects are felt by the time the body is ready to begin menstruating. There are other home remedies which may be used to delay the period naturally. However, as mentioned above, none of these have significant scientific backing.
The best and most reliable way to delay menstruation is to use a medical solution for the same. Progesterone supplement pills are available on prescription and are generally recommended as a way to avoid an unpleasant episode of menstruation during a time when the women needs her body to be rested and not stressed by the pain and discomfort of menstruation.
One should know that one of the possible causes of delayed menstruation is pregnancy. A woman may be pregnant if she misses her period without any logical reason behind it. This is obviously only applicable to women who have engaged in sexual intercourse during the time prior to the expected menstruation. Women who experience delayed menstruation may therefore seek the advice of a doctor or a home pregnancy test. Often there is a logical explanation for the delayed period causes. Most women who experience an unexplained delayed menstruation are usually involved in some activity that is putting their body under strain. A variety of factors such as upcoming work deadlines, sudden changes in the weather, changes in diet and emotional upheavals are all listed as causes for delayed menstruation. Women should therefore put their delayed menstruation into the context of their situation to determine whether the missing period is actually without cause or not. Most women ignore the causes of delayed menstruation listed here as these are not regarded as important enough to affect this basic function of the female reproductive system.
Women who experience a delayed menstrual period would need to re-calibrate their period calendars as they will not be able to rely entirely on the date method for help with possible conception. This is especially applicable to women who have delayed their menstrual period using medical or natural methods.
answered by G M