Can Iron Deficiency Delay Your Period? Doctors Explain the Link

Your body needs a special mineral called iron to stay healthy.

Iron helps your blood carry oxygen to every part of your body.

For girls and women, iron is also important for a normal monthly period.

If a woman does not get enough iron, her body may not make enough healthy blood.

This can cause her period to come late, be lighter than usual, or sometimes not come at all.

Low iron can also disrupt the body's signals that control the period.

Sometimes, low iron can make periods heavier instead, which makes the problem worse.

A period that is a few days late is usually not a big deal.

But if a period is more than a week or two late, or stops for many months, a woman should talk to a doctor.