Can you get pregnant without a period?

Periods are often talked about as if they’re clockwork events. Once a month, every month, at the same time, they show up, right? Not so much. This isn’t the case for everyone. 

For many of us, our cycles will fluctuate from month to month, meaning your period may show up a day earlier or later than you initially expected. Similarly, many of us will experience a no-show period at some point, and it isn’t always a sign of an underlying cause. 

However, if you’re trying to get pregnant, then you may be using your period as a way to track your fertile window. Not having it arrive can be jarring. And since your period is so intrinsically linked with the rest of your menstrual cycle, it might leave you wondering: Can you get pregnant without a period? Here, a Flo expert shares the lowdown on getting pregnant when you’ve missed your period. 

Key takeaways

• If your period is late or doesn’t show up, you might be curious if your cycle can be considered to be irregular. Irregular periods are defined as when your cycles are shorter than 21 days or longer than 35, when you miss three or more periods in a row, or when your cycles vary by more than seven to nine days in length. 
• If you’re trying to get pregnant, then you may be worried that a missed period may be a sign that you won’t get pregnant this cycle. However, it isn’t that simple. Depending on the reasoning behind it, there’s still a possibility you could get pregnant without a period.
• There are several reasons why your period may be late or not show up at all, including your stress levels, an underlying condition like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), certain medications, breastfeeding, and perimenopause.
• You know your body and your cycle best. So, if you miss a period or your cycles become irregular, it’s really important that you speak to a health care professional. They will be able to advise you on the best next step. 

What can cause you to lose your period?

While it’s quite typical to have a late or missed period very infrequently, one of the ways that irregular cycles are categorized is if you don’t have a period for three months. The medical term for this is secondary amenorrhea. 

Changes to your cycle can be alarming, whether you’re trying to have a baby or not. There are several reasons why you might not have a period, including: 

Health conditions: It can be alarming to think that a change in your cycle might be caused by a health condition, but you don’t need to worry alone. Speak to your doctor. Irregular cycles are linked to: 

• PCOS
• Other hormonal conditions that can impact your thyroid and pituitary glands 

This list is by no means exhaustive, and the changes you’re experiencing could be caused by something else. So, if you have suddenly developed irregular periods — or you have always had them but haven’t investigated why — it is worth contacting your doctor. 

Stress: Our mental and physical health are very closely linked. A part of your brain regulates the hormones that control your menstrual cycle. When you’re feeling stressed, your body releases the hormone cortisol. It does this to protect you as cortisol is what sends you into “fight-or-flight” mode. However, cortisol can disrupt the normal functioning of your cycle hormones and could stop your period. 

Managing stress can be tough. Try to fall back on what you know makes you feel good — be that watching your favorite show, listening to music, exercising, or speaking to friends. Your doctor is also there to support you. 

Too much exercise or low body weight: Very intense exercise and your body weight can impact your cycle and your period, too. When you do very intense exercise or lose a lot of weight very quickly, it can cause your metabolism to slow. If this goes on for some time, it can put a pause on ovulation (the point in your cycle when one of your ovaries releases an egg). It does this to save energy in your reserves. And if you’re not ovulating, you won’t have a period.

Gaining a significant amount of weight: Gaining a significant amount of weight can also impact hormone levels in your body. As we’ve already mentioned, fluctuations in your hormones can impact your menstrual cycle and the timing of your periods.

Weight changes can be an incredibly sensitive and personal topic. If you think that your irregular periods may be due to a change in your weight, don’t hesitate to speak to your doctor. 

Medications: Some medications can disrupt or even stop your period altogether. These include: 

• Some hormonal birth control
• Some mental health medications like antipsychotics and antidepressants

We’re all different, and not everyone will react to the same medication in the same way. You may take one of the medications mentioned and have a very regular cycle. 

Perimenopause: Medically speaking, you have reached menopause when you haven’t had a period for 12 months. The years leading up to this point and the 12 months after are defined as perimenopause. Your period doesn’t just stop overnight, and one of the most common signs of perimenopause is increasingly irregular periods. This is due to changes in your hormone levels. 

Breastfeeding: If you’re breastfeeding and your cycles have become irregular or your period hasn’t come back after you’ve given birth, then it could be due to your hormones. After you’ve given birth, your body releases a surge of the hormone prolactin. This stimulates milk production. High levels of prolactin can interrupt ovulation, which can stop your periods. 

Since we’re all different, there’s no definitive answer as to when your period will return during or after breastfeeding. Breastfeeding can delay the return of your period for around six months and suppress ovulation. However, for some people, it’ll return much quicker. 

Pregnancy: One of the first signs of pregnancy is a late or missed period. So, if you’ve had a no-show period, take a test to see if you could already be pregnant. 

Can you get pregnant without a period? 

“It’s technically possible,” says Dr. Jenna Beckam, obstetrician, gynecologist, and complex family planning specialist, at WakeMed Health and Hospitals, Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, North Carolina, US. “Although it largely depends on the reason why someone isn’t having a period.”

To become pregnant, you need to ovulate, but not having a period doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not ovulating. Confused? Let’s break it down. 

Your menstrual cycle starts on the first day of a new period. The average cycle is 28 days, but if yours is between 21 and 35 days, it will be considered to be typical. At around the midpoint in your cycle, ovulation happens. This is when an egg is released from one of your ovaries. It’s viable for up to 24 hours, ready to be fertilized by sperm. If this happens, it’ll travel down one of your fallopian tubes and implant into the wall of your uterus. 

If your egg isn’t fertilized during this time, then the levels of your hormones estrogen and progesterone drop. This causes you to shed the lining of your uterus, and you will have a period.

Your period and ovulation may seem intrinsically linked and fundamental in getting pregnant, but you can ovulate without having a period. This means there is a chance you could get pregnant without having a period. Similarly, Dr. Beckham also warns, “If someone wants to prevent pregnancy, the absence of a period alone should not be relied upon for contraception.”

Put simply, if you’ve noticed a change in your menstrual cycles and they have become irregular, it’s important you speak to your doctor so they can investigate why. Once you’ve established what could be causing your irregular periods, you will be able to talk about your chances of becoming pregnant. 

Can you get pregnant with irregular periods? 

If your goal is to get pregnant, it can feel understandably worrying if you’re not having periods. It might be reassuring to know that it is possible to conceive without a period, but it completely depends on what’s causing it. 

“Irregular periods are often related to irregular ovulation; therefore, pregnancy can be more difficult to achieve naturally or spontaneously,” says Dr. Beckham. But it’s not impossible. 

What to do if you’re trying to conceive but don’t have periods

If your cycle has changed, and your periods have become irregular, the first step, says Dr. Beckham, is to see a health care professional. “This is important even if you are not trying to conceive. Some of the conditions that lead to secondary amenorrhea can have significant health effects if not properly diagnosed and treated.”

That said, depending on what the cause of your missed periods is, there are some steps you can take that might help:

Lifestyle factors to improve your health

As we mentioned, a change in your body weight or intense exercise can cause irregular cycles and, therefore, your periods to stop. Weight and exercise are incredibly personal, and if you suspect your period has stopped because of these lifestyle factors, a good place to start might be to speak to your doctor. They may recommend that you speak to a dietician who can help you to make a diet plan that suits you. Similarly, a mental health professional may be able to guide you through conversations about your relationship with food, weight, and exercise. 

Find your coping mechanisms

Easier said than done, right? We appreciate that life is incredibly busy, and between working, caring for family members, seeing friends, and keeping other commitments, it can be hard to step back and take time for yourself. 

One thing you can do is focus on what you can control. If you can carve out time for yourself to exercise or relax, ensure you are allowing yourself to socialize and give yourself a break.

Share with others 

There’s a reason the saying “a problem shared is a problem halved” has persisted for generations. Speaking to others who are going through the same thing as us can ease some of the complicated emotions you might be feeling. Flo’s Secret Chats function can help you to connect with others anonymously.