Smell has been identified at being decisive among animals in their mating ritual. Research conducted on animals have proven that smell signs given off by females, especially when they are in their ovulation phase (time periods of high fertility among females) appears to have a strong influence on levels of the male hormone testosterone.

Psychology researchers Saul L. Miller along with Jon K. Maner belonging to the Florida State Univ. decided to analyse whether analogous reactions occurred among human-beings.

Two trials were conducted wherein the t-shirts worn by women during three nights in the varied times periods of their menstrual cycles were part of the sniff test. The men entrants for the study sniffed one of the t-shirts which the women entrants had earlier been wearing. Additionally, a few of the men entrants sniffed the t-shirts that none of the women had worn (control t-shirts). Salivary samples were taken from the male entrants prior to and following the sniff test done by them for analysing testosterone levels.

The outcomes of the duo studies showed that there was a surge in testosterone levels among all those males that has sniffed the t-shirts of women in their ovulation phase. Comparatively, all those men that had sniffed the control t-shirts or those t-shirts worn by women not in their ovulation phase had lesser testosterone levels. Additionally, subsequent to having sniffed the t-shirts of these women, the males were asked to rate the odours on a scale of how appealing they found it. The men in the study found the odours of t-shirts which women during ovulation wore as largely nice smelling.

The researchers noted that the current study is the foremost of its kind that offers direct proof that olfaction signs to a woman ovulating influences natural, biological responses among males.

This research is indicative of the fact that testosterone levels could show high response levels to odours suggesting when a female is highly fertile. The conclusion drawn by the researchers was that these natural responses could encourage mating-associated behaviourism among men.

Menstrual periods tend to become quite erratic during the concluding years of menstruation with many women are reaching the perimenopausal and menopausal phase. During this phase, the otherwise normally occurring periods abruptly turn irregular in nature. Menopause is known to occur when one has not had any menstrual periods since the past twelve months.

A skipped period is mostly an indicator of pregnancy. If one could be pregnant, then one needs to treat oneself as if pregnant till one can get some form of confirmation. A home pregnancy test is the preliminary step for detecting the presence of pregnancy.

If pregnancy is not diagnosed, then the other underlying reasons leading to skipped or erratic periods comprise of:

• Unwarranted reduction or increase in weight. Though low body weight is the prevalent reason behind skipped or erratic periods, being obese additionally could lead to a host of menstrual problems.
• Faulty eating patterns due to being either anorexic or bulimic.
• Heightened level of workout or increased exercising could also lead to skipped periods. A commonly cited occurrence amongst endurance sportspersons.
• Emotional turmoil or distress.
• Some form of ailment.
• Travel.
• Medications like hormonal contraceptive methods that might lead to the flow becoming slightly lighter with either lesser or more frequency, or missed periods or at time total cessation of the periods.
• Hormonal problems could lead to major fluctuations in the levels of hormones which the body requires to maintain menstruation.
• Illicit drug usage.
• Problems occurring in the organs of the pelvic region like imperforate hymen (hymen without an opening), PCOD or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or the presence of Asherman’s syndrome (inflammation of the uterine lining due to scar tissue present in the uterine wall).
• Several women who breast feed do not regain their normal periods till they have stopped it. One needs to be vigilant as one could still have a likelihood of pregnancy in spite of no menstruation; hence it is vital to follow birth control practises if one does not desire to get pregnant.
• Premature ovarian failure occurs when one stops getting periods prior to reaching 40 years of age. Surgical intervention, chemotherapy and radiation therapy to the abdominal and pelvic region could additionally lead to premature ovarian failure.
• The presence of other ailments like IBS or irritable bowel syndrome, tuberculosis, liver ailment and diabetes could also lead to skipped or erratic periods, though this is quite atypical. However, if there is a presence of any of these ailments, then one would generally experience other signs in addition to menstrual abnormalities.

In case one has missed a period, one needs to unwind and try to restore emotional and physical stability that would be beneficial. Several women have occasional occurrences of skipped periods. Except if one is pregnant, one’s cycle would most probably return back to normal by the next month.