There’s nothing to worry about if your menstrual cycle is irregular from time to time. But do you know when you should already be concerned and keep a watchful eye?
The menstrual cycle isn’t always like clockwork. Some women get their periods right on schedule every 28 days, others have difficulty predicting theirs. Irregular cycles usually shouldn’t cause you to be worried, but sometimes they’re telling you that you have a reproductive health problem.
So, what is considered irregular?
The average menstrual cycle usually lasts 28 days, but it can vary from 21 to 35 days. Irregular bleeding commonly occurs especially when girls first begin menstruation after puberty, but their cycles eventually become more regular and predictable as they grow older. Menstrual bleeding lasts five days on average, but can go from two to seven days.
Periods become irregular if they occur in less than 21 days or more than 35 days apart, or the bleeding lasts longer than seven days. Irregular cycles can also be identified by missed periods, heavier or lighter bleeding than normal, and constant spotting.
To determine the length of your menstrual cycle, count the number of days from the last day of your previous to the first day of your next period. The number of days between each period is the length of your menstrual cycle. Is your cycle consistent or does it seem irregular? If the intervals between your periods vary significantly each month, you may have an irregular cycle.
Then, let’s see what are the causes of irregular periods?
Irregular cycles can be caused by a number of things ranging from stress to underlying medical conditions:
- Puberty and menopause. It’s normal to experience hormone imbalances for a few years after puberty and before menopause. This can make your menstrual cycle longer or shorter, and your bleeding lighter or heavier.
- Contraception. Contraceptives can affect the menstrual cycle when you start using a method. Pills can make periods lighter, irregular, or more frequent, while injectables can make some women completely stop menstruating while they’re using the method. The copper IUD can sometimes cause heavier, longer periods. Getting off contraceptives also affect menstruation. Some may experience irregular or missed periods for up to six months. It’s important to note that these side effects do not happen to all women, and they usually last for only the first few months. Give your body some time to adjust to contraception.
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding. A missed period may be a sign of pregnancy (especially if you had unprotected sex). Breastfeeding can also delay the return of menstruation after giving birth.
- Lifestyle. Stress, significant amount of weight gain or loss, diet, changes in workout routines, travel, illnesses, or other disruptions to a woman’s daily routine can affect the menstrual cycle.
- Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). When a woman has PCOS, the ovaries produce excessive amounts of androgens (a male hormone) and cause tiny cysts to form on the ovaries. The hormonal changes prevent egg cells from maturing, which interferes with regular ovulation, and result in irregular periods.
- Thyroid disorders. Although they are rare, they can cause irregular periods. The thyroid gland is located in the neck, and it produces hormones that regulate the body’s metabolism. Menstrual irregularities occur when the blood levels of the thyroid hormone go too low or too high.
- Other causes. Aside from the factors previously mentioned, other causes that aren’t so common are uterine or cervical cancer, medications such as steroids, pregnancy complications, sexually transmitted infection, diabetes, uterine fibroids, or endometriosis.
So, what do I do if I have irregular periods?
Irregular periods may not always need treatment, but it will depend on the underlying causes. It’s best to consult your healthcare provider if:
- you have frequent bleeding or spotting between periods or after sex
- you have severe pain during or before your periods.
- your periods are unusually heavy, where you need to change your tampon or pad every hour or two, or you have to wear both a pad and a tampon
- heavy bleeding floods into your bed or through your clothes
- periods last longer than seven days
- periods become very irregular after you have had regular cycles.
- you may need a different contraceptive, or further investigations may be needed to find out whether you have an underlying health condition.
If irregular periods are already affecting your daily activities, it’s best to have it consulted. Your menstrual cycle may be naturally irregular, but it’s also possible that there’s an underlying cause that may need medical attention. If that’s the case, proper diagnosis, and treatment can help put your cycle back on track.
Sources:
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Periods-irregular/Pages/Introduction.aspx
http://www.everydayhealth.com/pms/irregular-periods.aspx
Hello po good day! I’m Amina, I have IUD for almost 7 years. Then this year naiisipan ko na po ipatanggal. Actually noong June 12 ka po pinatanggal. So noong july 24 neregla po ako. Then, month of august until sept 26 hindi po ako niregla. Nag sex po kmi ng asawa ko sept 27 that the last day na nag sex and that day after namin mag sex niregla po ako. So september 27 po until now mag regal padin ako. 2monhts na ngayong nov 27, heavy menstruation po meron ako now. Tanong ko lang po bakit ganito po ang nangyayari sakin? Ano po ang dahilan sa mahabang panahon ng pag regla? Sana po masagot nyo ang tanong ko. Maraming salamat po..
Hi Amina! Marami pong posibleng sanhi ng mahabang regla, tulad ng medikal na kondisyon. Ang angkop po na lunas dito ay depende po sa sanhi, kaya mainam po na ikonsulta na ito kaagad sa OB/GYN para masuri at mapayuhan sa paggamot.
Hi po,I’m Lyn 21 years old and may ka live-in partner po na 20 yeras old po, Hindi po kasi ako regular na nagkakaroon, then hindi ko din po alam kung kelan sya dadating?tapos po may time po kasi kami na kapag magtatalik po kami Nagdurugo po yung ari ako, hindi ko po alam kung magkakaroon naba ako or what? Natatakot po kasi ako baka kung ano na po, Then always po nangyayari din sakin na kala ko po magkakaroon na ako pero ang nangyayari po. Patak patak lang po sya and umaabot po sya ng 1 linggo mahigit po then pag ginagalaw po ako ganun na naman po nagdurugo po sya na parang menstruation po? Sana po matulungan nyo po ako maraming salamat po
Hi Rosalyn! Maraming posibleng sanhi ng pagdurugo sa pagtatalik, pero ang karaniwang dulot nito ay priksyon at kiskisan lalo na sa penetrasyon. Baka makatulong sa inyo ang paggamit ng water-based lubricant gaya ng EZ Lubricating Jelly para mabawasan ang priksyon at pagsusugat na nagdudulot ng pagdurugo. Marami rin pong posibleng magsanhi ng irregular menstruation, tulad ng kondisyon. Mainam po na ikonsulta ito sa doktor lalo na kung kayo’y nababahala at nakakaranas ng iba pang sintomas.
. Good day po . iaask ko lang po ano kung may gamot ba para duguin ? actually mag 2 years napo hindi nagkakamenstration . my anak napo ako na 5 years old . pero nung dalaga po ako iregular napo menstration ko . lage pong 2 months bago masunduan ang menstration ko . hanggang sa nagkaasawa po ako at anak . mas tumagal po bago uli ako datnan . pero neto po halos 2 years po ako hindi nagkaroon . nakailang pt napo ako pero puro negative po . wala naman po ako nararamdaman na masakit or wat . ang timbang kopo is 55 . pero medyo malaki po ang puson ko . salamat po
Hi Trisha! May ilang mga kondisyon na maaaring magdulot ng pagtigil ng iyong regla. Ang angkop na gamot o lunas para sa iyo ay nakadepende po sa sanhi nito, at OB/GYN lang po ang maaaring magsuri sa inyo. Mainam po na magpunta na sa doktor para magpasuri at mapayuhan sa paggamot.
Hi i am venice 13yrs old na po ako nung august 24 po ako nawalan ng regla sakto pasukan po namin tas last month po wala po akong dalaw tas this october di ko po alam kung magkakaroon po ako this month?
Hi Venice! Normal lang po sa mga nagdadalaga katulad mo na hindi pa regular ang regla, pero magiging regular rin po ito kalaunan pagkatanda mo. Basahin rin po ito: https://doitright.ph/tl/pagdadalaga/
Hello po. Regular po ako every month nag kakaroon. Ngaun lng po nanguari ung 2months akong di nag ka roon and no contacts po. Ano po ba ibigsabhn nito? Dapat po ba ako mangamba?
Hi Mikee! Gaya nga po ng inyong nabasa sa artikulong ito, maraming posibleng sanhi ng pagbabago sa regla. Matutukoy po ang tiyak na sanhi kapag nagpasuri sa OBGYN. Karamihan naman po ng posibleng sanhi ay hindi malubha, pero mainam pa rin na magpasuri sa doktor para maniguro at para mas maintindihan ang iyong katawan, lalo na kung may iba pang sintomas na nararamdaman.
18yrs old na po ko. Irregular po ung mens ko, nung march po nagkaroon po ko umabot po sya ng 2 weeks mahigit na puro pahabol lng(mahina), nung nawalan po ko nun august na po ko ulit nagkaroon bali 5 months po kong di nagkaroon, nung nagkaroon po ko nung august puro malakas nman po ung mens ko tumagal din po sya ng 2 linggo mahigit, tas nung nawalan po ko ulit mga ilang linggo nagkakaroon po ko ng mga pahabol. Tas napansin ko po na nagkastrerch mark po ko nung 5 months po kong d nagkaroon.
Hi Mary Rose! Normal po para sa mga nagdadalaga katulad mo na makaranas ng irregular menstruation dahil dumadaan pa sa ilang pagbabago ang iyong katawan. Magiging normal rin po ito kalaunan pagtanda mo. Walang kinalaman ang irregular menstruation sa iyong stretch marks.
Hi I’m rose, 14 palang ako and 1 year po ako hindi niregla, then nag karon uli ako 2 months ago, tapos hindi na uli ako nag karon. Can you help me? It’s hard to go to the doctor right now because of the pandemic. :<
Hi Rose! Normal po para sa mga nagdadalaga na kutald mo makaranas ng irregular menstruation dahil dumadaan pa sa ilang pagbabago ang iyong katawan. Magiging normal rin naman po ito kalaunan pagkatanda mo. Basahin rin po ito: https://doitright.ph/tl/pagdadalaga/