Dear lady_h2008,

One thing that can cause a missed period is pregnancy, because women do not have their periods while they are pregnant.

However, there are many other reasons why a girl might miss a period — including stress, illness, a diet that's too low in fat, changes in sleep patterns or exercise, or just a period that hasn't become regular yet. It can take a while for a young woman's body to adjust to hormone changes and begin to "run" smoothly and regularly. She might have a light flow or a heavy flow, the length of the flow may vary, or her periods might be late. She might even skip some months. Most likely a young woman's periods and cycles will become more regular as she grows older.

Hope this information helps!

Take care,

teenwire.com^® Editors

This column is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have a medical problem, please call toll-free 1-800-230-PLAN for an appointment with the Planned Parenthood health center nearest you.