Guest Author - Lisa Shea

If you miss a period, or your period is late, does this mean that you're pregnant? Not necessarily - especially if you are a teenager.

It is very common for teenage girls to have irregular cycles. Periods might start late, skip for a month or two, and then come right back. Stress or dieting can make these things worse - a female's body only wants to prepare for pregnancy when it thinks it is safe. If you show your body that things are very stressful or that there's not enough food around, it will often react by holding back on a period. This is a warning sign that your body is very unhealthy and needs more relaxation and food.

If your period is late or seems to have been skipped, don't stress out about it. That would only make it worse. Instead, run down to your local CVS and pick up a test. They're relatively cheap and pretty much 99% accurate. That will help relieve you of worries and let you get back to taking proper care of yourself.