Irregular periods are when the length or flow of your menstrual cycle changes significantly. Common causes include hormonal imbalance, hormonal contraception, perimenopause, puberty, stress, and sometimes uterine abnormalities or other underlying gynecological conditions.
Why Are Your Periods Irregular?
Have you noticed changes in your menstrual cycle? Do you often wait longer than usual for your periods? Do you notice heavy or prolonged bleeding? Occasional changes in menstrual cycles could be nothing to worry about. However, persistent changes require a medical evaluation.
The changes occur in response to stress, weight fluctuations, changes in sleep habits, and other lifestyle factors. However, if the changes become persistent or start affecting your life, it’s worth seeing a gynecologist in Mulund to rule out underlying gynecological issues.
What is an Irregular Period?
An average menstrual cycle is 28 days long, but not every menstruating woman has a fixed cycle length. Periods, in some women, arrive earlier than expected, i.e., within 21 days. Others may have a longer cycle, with periods arriving 30-35 days after your last period.
An irregular menstrual cycle is when:
- You don’t get periods for several months
- You experience heavy bleeding with large blood clots
- Bleeding lasts beyond 8-10 days
- Your cycles are unusually longer or shorter than normal
Common Causes of Menstrual Irregularities
Hormonal Imbalances
Any disruption in the hormones produced by your pituitary gland and brain can affect ovulation. Likewise, the development and shedding of your uterine lining is controlled by estrogen and progesterone.
So, proper balance between these hormones is crucial for your menstrual cycles. PCOS, stress, and thyroid problems are common causes of hormonal imbalances.
Uterine Fibroids, Polyps, Endometriosis, and Other Gynecological Issues
Irregular periods, particularly if they exist with other symptoms, can be a sign of an underlying gynecological issue or structural problems, such as fibroids or polyps.
These non-cancerous growths can be asymptomatic or cause menstrual irregularities, such as heavy flow, periods lasting longer than usual, or spotting between periods.
Endometriosis can also cause heavy menstrual flow along with pelvic pain and infertility. Menstrual disorder treatment in Mulund for such patients may include removing the abnormal growths or treating the underlying medical condition to regulate menstrual cycles.
Puberty
Menstrual irregularities are common in young girls who have just started menstruating. The hormonal system responsible for regulating your periods could be immature, thus affecting the cycle lengths and flow.
Perimenopause
Perimenopause is another possible explanation of menstrual changes. As you reach your 40s, you may notice signs of perimenopause, such as irregular menstrual cycles, hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings.
Periods could arrive closer together, or you may spend several months without periods. This transition phase can also change period flow.
Hormonal Contraceptives
If you have recently started birth control pills, patches, or have intrauterine devices, your ovulatory cycle may change, which in turn may affect your menstrual cycles. If you are on hormonal birth control, expect your periods to be comparatively lighter than usual or less frequent. Some may skip periods altogether.
Many vital hormones work together to regulate your ovulation, prepare your uterine lining for pregnancy, and regulate your menstrual cycles. Disruption in these hormones can affect your menstrual cycles. Likewise, an underlying medical condition, puberty, perimenopause, or hormonal birth control can be the reasons behind irregularities in periods.