Aregular menstrual cycle means that a female’s body is working properly. The menstrual cycle in some females is just like clockwork, starting and ending at the same time every month. A variety of uncomfortable symptoms, both physical and mental, can manifest along with the menstrual cycle. Too heavy or too light menstruation, irregular periods, or the complete absence of menstruation may suggest serious menstrual cycle concerns.
Most menstrual cycle concerns, such as excessive bleeding, irregular periods, or missed periods, can be managed and relieved with many treatment options. If you have any menstrual cycle concerns, you should discuss the symptoms with your healthcare provider.
How Does The Menstrual Cycle Work?
A menstrual cycle involves a series of changes that occur to a female body, specifically breasts, vagina, uterus, and ovaries). On average, a menstrual cycle starts every 28 days, but in some females, normal menstrual cycles are a bit shorter, and some are longer. The average menstrual cycle lasts for five to seven days [1].
Since the female body undergoes many hormonal changes, a wide range of physical and emotional symptoms occur, such as:
- Acne breakouts
- Excessive fatigue
- Food cravings
- Irritability
- Pain in the legs
- Mild stomach cramps
- Backaches
- Headaches
- Bloating
What Are Different Menstrual Cycle Concerns That You May Experience?
The following are some menstrual concerns that you may experience during menstruation:
1. Heavy Menstrual Bleeding: Heavy menstruation is common in teens, early 40s, and 50s (close to menopause). The following causes can contribute to heavy periods:
- Medical conditions
- Structural abnormalities in the uterus, like fibroids or polyps.
- Hormonal changes
- Changes in diet
- Vaginal infections
Heavy menstrual bleeding not only causes you to change your sanitary protection more often but also lingers for more than seven days [2].
2. Painful Periods: Cramps are normal during or before your period cycle begins and occur due to uterus contraction. However, some women experience extremely painful menstruation, also known as dysmenorrhea. Dysmenorrhea may be associated with medical problems, such as:
- Pelvic inflammatory disease
- Endometriosis
- Uterine fibroids [3]
3. Irregular Periods: The duration of the menstrual cycle varies from woman to woman. As the average duration of menstrual cycles is 28 days, there might be a variation in:
- The number of days the period lasts
- Heavy or light periods
- The time between periods (early or late)
A change in the length of the menstrual cycle causes irregular periods. The length of menstrual cycles can also be disturbed by your method of contraception [4].
4. Absent Periods: The absence of menstruation is normal during pregnancy, after menopause, and before puberty. However, the absence of menstruation during puberty is known as amenorrhoea. Amenorrhoea may be caused by a congenital defect in the female reproductive system or an issue with the pituitary gland. Other causes of amenorrhoea include:
- Stopping birth control
- Ovarian cysts
- Overactive thyroid gland
- Anorexia
FAQs:
1. What happens if my periods are irregular?
Since irregular menstrual cycles cause an irregularity in the times you’re ovulating. This can make it difficult for you to get pregnant. Some women with irregular periods do not even ovulate for months.
2. How many mL are heavy periods?
On average, the loss of menstrual blood per period ranges from 5mL to 80mL, but with heavy menstrual bleeding, the loss of menstrual blood per period is more than 80mL.
References:
- How does the menstrual cycle work? - InformedHealth.org - NCBI Bookshelf n.d. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- O’Brien SH. Evaluation and management of heavy menstrual bleeding in adolescents: The role of the hematologist. Hematology 2018;2018:390–8. doi.org
- Ferries-Rowe E, Corey E, Archer JS. Primary Dysmenorrhea: Diagnosis and Therapy. Obstet Gynecol 2020;136. doi.org
- Klein DA, Paradise SL, Reeder RM. Amenorrhea: A systematic approach to diagnosis and management. Am Fam Physician 2019;100:39–48. https://doi.org/10.2310/obg.19117.