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Is my period late?

Tell us when your last period started and how long your cycles usually are. We'll show where you are and what tends to make sense next.

In short: A period is usually considered late once it is more than a few days past your normal cycle length. If you could be pregnant, take a test. If not, stress, illness, travel, weight change and contraception are common causes. This checker shows how late you are and what to do next.

Runs on your device. Nothing is sent.

We'll show where you are in your cycle here.

Only a test can tell you if you're pregnant. If you have severe pain, heavy bleeding or feel unwell, get medical help.

How does the late period checker work?

  1. Your period is due on your last start date plus your usual cycle length.
  2. We allow a few days either side as normal variation (a week if your cycles are irregular), because even regular cycles move.
  3. If you could be pregnant, the NHS says most tests work from the first day of a missed period.
  4. If your periods stop for 3 months or more and you're not pregnant, the NHS suggests seeing a GP.

Common reasons a period is late

Pregnancy is one, so if there's a chance, test. Others include stress, illness, travel and jet lag, big changes in exercise or weight, breastfeeding, coming off hormonal contraception, PCOS, thyroid problems and perimenopause (NHS). Ovulating later than usual is the most common reason a single period arrives late.

Read more in late period: common reasons, or check timing with our pregnancy test timing tool.

When to see a doctor

  • Your periods have stopped for 3 months or more and you're not pregnant.
  • Your cycle is often shorter than 21 days or longer than 35, or changes by more than 20 days.
  • You're pregnant or might be and have one-sided pain, bleeding, shoulder-tip pain or feel faint: get urgent help.

In the UK you can call NHS 111 for advice, any time. In an emergency call 999 (UK) or 911 (US).

Questions people ask

How late can a period be before I worry?

A few days either way is common. Stress, illness, travel, weight change, exercise and some medicines can all delay a period. If you could be pregnant, take a test. If your periods stop for 3 months or more, see a GP.

Can stress make my period late?

Yes. Stress can delay ovulation, and a later ovulation means a later period. Illness, jet lag and big changes in sleep can do the same.

My test was negative but my period is still late.

You may have tested early. Test again in a few days with first-morning urine. If it's still negative and your period hasn't come, talk to a GP or sexual health clinic.

Is a late period a sign of PCOS?

One late period usually isn't. Cycles that are often longer than 35 days, or fewer than 8 periods a year, are worth mentioning to a GP. Our PCOS signs check explains what doctors look for.

Is anything I enter saved or sent?

No. Everything runs in your browser. Nothing is stored or sent, and the page makes no network requests when you use it.

Sources

  1. NHS: Stopped or missed periods
  2. NHS: Doing a pregnancy test
  3. NHS: Irregular periods
  4. Munro MG et al. FIGO systems for abnormal uterine bleeding (2018 revision). Int J Gynaecol Obstet
  5. Bull JR et al. Real-world menstrual cycle characteristics of more than 600,000 menstrual cycles. npj Digital Medicine, 2019

Written by the Splash team · Sources checked Oct 2026 · Updated

Late days, counted kindly

This page works out one cycle. The Splash app keeps going: it learns from what you log and is saved on your phone by default.

  • Splash counts late days without alarm and keeps estimating "any day now".
  • Log a test result next to your cycle so you can see it in context later.
  • Discreet mode keeps lock-screen notifications neutral.
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It tracks late days kindly, keeps estimating, and lets you log a test result in context. Nothing obvious on your lock screen.

Splash Today screen counting days since the expected period