Women's Health Community

Dear MARSHELL84: Thanks for awaiting a reply. Yes, a shorter lighter cycle can be a sign of a pregnancy, as can increased breast tenderness and/or nausea. The most reliable home pregnancy results are those obtained seven days after the missed or too-light period. Hopefully you have had a pregnancy test done on August 27th or later.

Once pregnancy is ruled out, the most common reason for a menstrual pattern like you have described is not having an ovulation every month. In a normal cycle, estrogen is produced all month. Estrogen is responsible for building up the lining of your uterus so you have something to shed each month. The good news is that you have enough estrogen to make a lining that does usually shed.

In a normal cycle, progesterone production increases following ovulation and release of an egg.. Progesterone "stabilizes" the uterine lining in preparation for a possible implantation of a new pregnancy. If you are not pregnant that month the levels of estrogen and progesterone fall, triggering the release of the uterine lining—your period.

So, if you do not ovulate, the estrogen build up of the lining continues, but without the usual ovulation associated progesterone. Thus, the hormone levels don't decline, and the lining stays up inside the uterus—your missed/late period. Alternatively, the built up lining can begin to shed on its own creating erratic bleeding patterns which are usually "too-light" and short, or super heavy and prolonged.

There can be many causes for missed ovulations: low thyroid, pituitary problems, ovarian cysts, physical stressors (eg sudden increases in exercise, crash dieting), emotional stressors (problems with boyfriends/girlfriends,finances), increased body weight, anorexia, rotating shifts at work, etc.

Bilateral breast tenderness can be a very early sign of pregnancy, appearing as early as two weeks after conception. This is thought to be related to increasing levels of hormones such as estrogen. In a month without an ovulation, not only can a menstrual period be missed/late, but there can be breast tenderness as well.

MARSHELL84, if your normal for you cycle does not return this month, or if your develop pelvic pain (eg ovarian cyst), or you suspect an undetected pregnancy, you should see your GYN or clinic. They can give you the most "for sure" answer after doing an exam.

Yours,
Jane