Pinkishe Foundation
31/10/2026
Dr. Shehla Jamal
Living with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) often means never knowing when your next period will come. It may arrive after five weeks, or after three months, or not at all. That uncertainty is tiring, but there is a lot you can do.
In a usual cycle, the ovary releases one egg each month, and a period follows about two weeks later. In PCOS, raised androgen levels, hormones such as testosterone, can stop the ovaries releasing an egg every month. Many people with PCOS also have insulin resistance. High insulin pushes the ovaries to make more androgens, which disrupts ovulation further. With no egg released, there is no regular signal for a period, so periods come late, rarely or not at all.
Irregular periods have many causes. If your period is late, rule out pregnancy first with a home pregnancy test. Other causes include thyroid problems, a high level of the hormone prolactin, sudden weight loss or gain, too much exercise with too little food, stress, and some medicines. In the first few years after periods start, uneven cycles are also common.
Only a doctor can diagnose PCOS. They usually do so when two of these three are present, after ruling out thyroid and prolactin problems: irregular or absent ovulation, signs of high androgens such as excess hair or acne, and many small follicles on an ultrasound. In teenagers, an ultrasound is usually not used to diagnose it.
For adults, cycles are irregular if they are often shorter than 21 days or longer than 35 days, or if you have fewer than eight periods a year. For teenagers in the first few years after their first period, cycles of up to 45 days can be normal.
Each period sheds the lining of the womb. When periods stop for months, the lining keeps building up. Over years, this raises the risk of womb cancer. Treatment lowers this risk. So if you go three months or more without a period, see a doctor, even if you feel well.
Note the first day of each period, how long it lasts, how heavy it is, and any pain or mood changes. A calendar or the notes on your phone is enough, or you can use our period and ovulation calculator. With PCOS, predictions will be less accurate, but your record helps your doctor see the pattern and judge whether treatment is working.
Tracking cannot tell you when you are safe from pregnancy. With PCOS, ovulation is hard to predict, and no day is fully safe. If you want to avoid pregnancy, talk to a doctor about contraception.
If periods stay irregular, a doctor may suggest:
Ask whether your treatment also prevents pregnancy. Do not take hormone tablets without a doctor's advice.
See a doctor if breasts start to develop before 8, or the first period comes before 10, or periods have not started by 15.
Have a question about PCOS or your periods? Call our menstrual helpline on 85888 70999. It answers at any hour.
A simple printable sheet that marks your period days, your fertile window and your ovulation day. We will email it to you now.
We will send the tracker and a few gentle menstrual health emails from Khyati at Pinkishe. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
Prefer to work out your dates now? Open the free ovulation calculatorRaised androgen levels, often made worse by insulin resistance, can stop the ovaries releasing an egg each month. Without ovulation, periods come late, rarely or not at all.
It can be over time, because the womb lining builds up and the risk of womb cancer rises. Treatment protects the lining. See a doctor if you go three months or more without a period.
For many people they help. Regular activity, whole foods, good sleep and, if you are overweight, losing a little weight can make cycles more regular. Some people still need medicine.
Yes. You may still ovulate at times, without warning. If you do not want a pregnancy, talk to a doctor about contraception. If you are trying for a baby, see a doctor early.
Our menstrual helpline on 85888 70999 answers questions about periods at any hour, and can tell you when to see a doctor. For PCOS, a gynaecologist is the right person to guide you.
PCOS often makes periods irregular because the ovaries do not release an egg every month. Rule out pregnancy and other causes, track your cycle, build steady habits, and see a doctor if you go three months without a period. With the right care, most people with PCOS manage it well.
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