Menstruation and Travel

[butterly007]

Hi! I was just wondering about the possible effects of long-term travel to your menstrual cycle.
I think I read from one of your articles that travel or lifestyle changes can affect your cycle? (Please correct me if I'm wrong. Thank you )
On May 11 I travelled from my country (an Asian country in the East) to the US and I had my period from May 12 to May 19. I stayed in the US until June 3, which means I had to adjust to 12-15 hour changes relative to my usual time in my own country. Does this affect the date of my next period? I expected it to arrive around June 10/11 however it is already June 16 and it still hasn't arrived... :/

[Mo]

Your body's reactions to the stress of travel and your adjustment to a different time zone, two times in the course of a month, could absolutely impact your cycle and be part of the reason why it's late. There really isn't a way for you to know for sure if that or something else is causing it, though; we can point to possible causes but that's it. We have more detailed info on what can delay periods here: M.I.A or, Dude, Where's My Period?
An important thing to remember is that even when your cycles are usually regular, sometimes they just get thrown off a bit, even when there hasn't been a clear cause.

[butterly007]

Okay sure. Thanks! I'll read up on that article also. I guess I just wanted to check if it's normal that this sometimes happens :/ Does make me a little panicked even though I don't do sexual activities with my boyfriend that can lead to pregnancy. Thank you!

[taylor_alyse]

If you don't engage in any activities that present a risk in pregnancy, then no reason to panic! I frequently travel, move, change lifestyles, etc., and it frequently changes my cycle. As Mo said, what you're describing is perfectly normal. (When you have skipped several periods is when you should consult a medical professional.)