What Is Menstrual Irregularity? What Are Its Causes?

What Is Menstrual Irregularity?

The menstrual cycle is a cycle covering the changes the body goes through as it prepares for the possibility of pregnancy. In medical terminology, it is also known as the menstruation cycle. An individual assigned female at birth has the possibility of becoming pregnant thanks to the ovaries in her body. These eggs are with us from the time we are born, and an egg is released during the ovulation period each month. If the released egg encounters a sperm, fertilization occurs, and the body prepares for the pregnancy process through changes in hormones. However, an egg that does not encounter a sperm is expelled from the vagina.

Among the symptoms of entering puberty in women is having a period. On average, you may have your first period between the ages of 12 and 16. After entering puberty, a menstrual cycle occurs every month. The average length of the menstrual cycle is 28 days. However, this period may vary depending on the person and the age they are at. For example, while your menstrual cycle may be every 40 days when you are young, this period may drop to 30 days in later years. The duration of the period also varies from person to person and may last between 4 and 7 days. The last menstrual period is called menopause. There can be a wide range for the age of menopause, and many influencing factors. However, worldwide, entering menopause before the age of 45 is called early menopause. Although the average age of menopause is known to be in the 50s, this age can extend up to the 60s.

Several parameters affect the menstrual cycle. Stress, medications used, and general health status are some of them. Sometimes, irregularities in the menstrual cycle may occur as a result of environmental or other factors. It is normal to have an irregular menstrual cycle for a period of time after entering puberty, or for the cycle to change by a few days. However, if you have a constantly changing menstrual cycle, it can be said that there is menstrual irregularity. In this case, your periods may come earlier or later than you expect, and you may have a period that lasts longer than 7 days.

What Are the Symptoms of Menstrual Irregularity?

A menstrual period occurring between 21 and 35 days is normal. It is also normal for your period to come a few days earlier or later than you expect. The situations that may be considered symptoms of menstrual irregularity are as follows:

Having a period at intervals shorter than 21 days or longer than 35 days

Missing three or more consecutive periods

Experiencing bleeding that is much heavier or lighter than normal

Having a period that lasts longer than seven days

Having a variation of more than nine days in the interval between two menstrual cycles

Cramps, Nausea or Vomiting Accompanying the Period

Bleeding or spotting between periods, after menopause, or after sexual intercourse

Needing More Than One Sanitary Pad Within an Hour

Menstrual irregularities are quite common, so there is no need to worry. If you keep brief notes for a period of time about your periods and how they go (heavy bleeding, pain), you will be able to inform your doctor more accurately about whether you are experiencing menstrual irregularity.

What Are the Causes of Menstrual Irregularity?

Menstrual irregularity can have several different causes. For example, being stressed at some point in your life due to education, work, or entirely social reasons can even cause changes in your menstrual cycle. During such periods, a delay in your period may generally be observed. Common causes of menstrual irregularity include:

Being in puberty; periods may be irregular for 2 years from the onset of menstruation (menarche)

Being at the onset of menopause

Early pregnancy or breastfeeding

Hormonal contraceptives that prevent pregnancy (such as birth control pills)

Excessive or rapid weight gain/loss

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Excessive exercise

Stress

Thyroid or pituitary gland disorders

Uterine or ovarian cancer

Pelvic inflammatory disease

Endometriosis

Menstrual irregularity may also be caused by a reason not mentioned above. For the most accurate diagnosis and identification of menstrual irregularity, you can make an appointment at the nearest healthcare facility to have the necessary check-ups.

Is Menstrual Irregularity a Sign of Any Disease?

Having irregular menstrual periods may also be caused by an underlying disease. The diseases that generally cause menstrual irregularity are as follows:

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): It is one of the most common diseases causing menstrual irregularity. Every woman's ovaries produce a small amount of male hormone. However, in women with PCOS, this amount is higher than normal. This may cause irregularities to occur in the menstrual cycle. In addition, a large number of cysts may be seen on the ovaries. The exact cause of PCOS is not known, but adopting a healthy lifestyle along with medication can be quite effective in managing PCOS.

Thyroid or Pituitary Gland Disorders: Hormone changes occur due to the thyroid, a gland with many functions in the body, working too much or too little. This can also cause a range of health problems, such as menstrual irregularity.

Primary Ovarian Insufficiency: It occurs in women whose ovaries do not function normally. It can cause menstrual irregularity or no periods at all.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: It is a sexually transmitted bacterial infection. In addition to irregular periods, it may have symptoms such as pelvic pain and an unpleasant odor.

Endometriosis: It is the condition in which endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus. It can also cause severe pain and cramps.

Menstrual irregularity does not necessarily have to be a sign of a disease. It is not possible to understand the cause of menstrual irregularity on your own. As a result of the necessary tests and examinations, the cause of menstrual irregularity may be found. Menstrual irregularity can also be resolved with treatment targeting the cause. You can get answers to the questions on your mind about menstrual irregularity by making an appointment with the gynecology department of the nearest healthcare facility.

Can a Person with Menstrual Irregularity Get Pregnant?

The menstrual period is the time when the eggs that make pregnancy possible are released. Having an irregular menstrual cycle means eggs are released irregularly. For this reason, it may cause you difficulty in getting pregnant. Having sex every 2 or 3 days outside the ovulation period may increase your chance of pregnancy. There are various treatment options for people who have difficulty getting pregnant naturally.

How Is It Diagnosed?

If you think you are experiencing menstrual irregularity, you can consult a gynecologist. While examining you, your doctor may first ask how many days your period lasts, whether it is painful, how heavy the bleeding is, and at what intervals you have your period. For this reason, it is beneficial to have a record of your period. Apart from this, your doctor may perform a pelvic examination or order the following tests:

Pelvic ultrasound

Blood tests

Endometrial biopsy

Hysteroscopy

Most often, for menstrual irregularity, after your doctor talks with you and obtains information about your period, they may examine your ovaries with ultrasound and request a blood test for your hormone levels and more parameters.

How Is Menstrual Irregularity Treated?

There are several treatment options for menstrual irregularity. Treatment targeting the cause is applied. For this reason, the cause of your period is first identified. Then, treatment targeting it is applied. Period treatments include:

Drug Therapy: The first-choice treatment method for menstrual irregularity is generally drug therapy. The most commonly used medication is birth control pills. They have many effects, such as relieving excessive bleeding or pain and improving PCOS symptoms. If irregular bleeding is caused by an infection, antibiotics are preferred at this point. To relieve pain and cramps during menstruation, ibuprofen-derived painkillers can also be used.

Hormone Therapy: If you are experiencing menstrual irregularity because you are in the premenopausal period, hormone therapy may be an option. However, this treatment option carries some risks, so you should not start treatment without discussing it thoroughly with your doctor.

Surgical Treatment: There are several options for surgical treatment. These options have different procedures and goals. Endometrial ablation is a procedure that offers less bleeding during menstruation, but this procedure eliminates the possibility of becoming pregnant. Myomectomy is a procedure in which fibroids causing menstrual irregularity are removed. You can get more detailed information about surgical treatment options from your doctor.

What Else Can Be Done Alongside Treatment for Menstrual Irregularity?

Menstrual irregularity can happen to any woman. It may be constant as well as periodic. There are various medical treatment options for menstrual irregularity. In addition, some options that can improve menstrual irregularity or reduce its risk are as follows:

Eat healthily. Choosing nutritious options and, if you are overweight, losing some weight without following overly restrictive diets may help improve symptoms. You can consult a dietitian for more detailed information.

Be active. Moving is one of the essentials of a healthy life. You do not need to have a heavy and exhausting exercise program. Doing moderate exercise will bring improvements to your health.

Manage your stress. The body is regulated by hormones, and stress has an effect on hormones. For this reason, learning to manage your stress, which can be among the causes of most diseases, will be good for both menstrual irregularity and your general health.

Have your check-ups done regularly.

Menstrual irregularity is quite common among young women today. Although each woman's menstrual cycle may have different durations, a constantly changing interval between these cycles may mean there is menstrual irregularity. To be sure, and for detailed information on how you should proceed during treatment, you can apply to the nearest healthcare facility and make an appointment.