Does being overweight cause your period to be irregular? If so, how many missed periods could you have?

By Attia @ Planned Parenthood | June 29, 2020, 5:40 p.m.

Does being overweight cause your period to be irregular? If so, how many missed periods could you have?

Lots of things can make your periods irregular. Quickly losing or gaining weight, poor nutrition or over exercising, and being pregnant can all mess with your period.

An “irregular” period means it’s not normal for you — it’s early or late, heavier or lighter than usual, doesn’t show up at all, or comes randomly. Many people have irregular periods at some point in their life, or even throughout their life.

Missing many periods in a row can be a sign of pregnancy, or another condition. Being overweight can sometimes lead to a condition called PCOS, and one of the most common symptoms of PCOS is irregular periods. If you’re worried that something’s going on, you should talk with a nurse or doctor, like the ones at your local Planned Parenthood health center. If you think you might be pregnant, you should take a pregnancy test or talk with a nurse or doctor.

Learn more about your period and some of the things that can make it irregular.

Tags: weight, irregular periods, missed period