If you have had sexual contact, you could be pregnant, especially if you are not using a reliable method every time you have sex. We suggest that you see your health care provider and have a pregnancy test to be sure. Other reasons for a late period can include: illness, stress, weight loss, or new exercise such as running. Many girls will have irregular periods the first couple of years after starting their period.
If you are not sexually active, and could benefit from lowering stress in your life, try out some of these techniques to help manage your stress levels. You can also check out our guide on how to spot fad diets and manage your weight in a healthy way.
If you are having sex and not pregnant, talk to your health care provider about a reliable birth control method that’s right for you!
If you are pregnant, you will be faced with lots of decisions. Learn more about unplanned pregnancies here.
Our health guides are developed through a systematic, rigorous process to ensure accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness. Written and reviewed by experienced healthcare clinicians from Boston Children's Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital and consistently ranked as a top hospital by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report, these guides combine clinical expertise, specialized knowledge, and evidence-based medicine. We also incorporate research and best practices from authoritative sources such as the CDC, NIH, PubMed, top medical journals, and UpToDate.com. Clinical specialists and subject matter experts review and edit each guide, reinforcing our commitment to high-quality, factual, scientifically accurate health information for young people.