Irregular Periods (Missed Period): Causes, Symptoms, Treatment

Irregular Periods

An irregular period is an alarming situation for your reproductive system. In fact, for many women, irregular periods are early infertility symptoms this makes irregular periods treatment more necessary. Before jumping to the treatment it is important to understand what consists of irregular periods, what are the irregular periods causes and how to diagnosis irregular periods symptoms.

What is an Irregular Period?

Dr. Pavitra B.S, Chief IVF And Infertility Specialist at Indira IVF Hospital, Explained that: “Irregular periods are related to the number of days between two menstrual cycles.” Your periods are irregular if:

• It comes more frequently than 21 days.
• You go 35 days or more between two menstrual cycles
• The length of your cycles

The Irregular Period Myth

1. The 28 days Cycle

You may have heard that a 28-day menstrual cycle is normal. And, if your cycle is shorter or longer than 28 days, you might be worried if your periods are irregular.
The 28 days menstrual cycle is a myth. The accurate fact is beyond this single number.
A 28 days cycle might be the average menstrual cycle length. But you shouldn’t consider this an ideal digit. Irregular periods are when the length of the cycle is more than 35 days or less than 21 days. Any other number that falls between this considered normal.

Your period can be longer or shorter than this, and you can still be very fertile. While another fact that needs to be considered here is, irregular cycles can signal a fertility problem while regular cycles don’t guarantee your fertility is perfect. There are many causes of female fertility, and many of them are related to menstruation but not all impact menstruation.

Occasional Irregular Periods

If your periods are frequently irregular, this may signal some problem with your reproduction system. But sometimes your periods can be irregular occasionally due to some normal health issues.

Healthy women may have a missed or irregular period if they:

• Experience illness, including the flu or bad cold
• Are under a lot of stress
• Are traveling, especially if their sleep patterns have been thrown off
• Are breastfeeding, which in the early days may cause lactational Amenorrhea (a condition with total lack of periods)
• Are pregnant

Why are my Periods Irregular?

In many cases, irregular periods of cases are related to a condition called an-ovulation. This means that ovulation has not taken place during the menstrual cycle, it generally happens due to severe hormonal imbalances. Causes of Irregular periods can be divided into two major factors.

• Lifestyle Factors
• Medical Factors

Lifestyle Factors

1. Stress – being stressed at home, at work or in other areas of your life may affect your hormones and the hypothalamus (the part of the brain that controls your period). Stress is the most common irregular periods cause, affecting more than every second woman suffering from it.
2. Weight loss or weight gain – sudden changes in your weight can change the manner how your body functions, and can stop ovulation.
3. Too much exercise – exercise is good for health but too much of it can affect ovulation. if you exercise a lot, or you have increased the amount of exercise in a short space of time, your periods may stop. It is always suggested to exercise.
4. Shift work – working evenings and nights can affect your internal biological clock and also your period.
5. Travel – Going on holiday, especially traveling to different time zones, can affect your internal biological clock and most importantly, your hormones. Your period will likely go back to normal when your life goes back to normal.

Medical Factors

1. Pregnancy – a late period is often an early sign of pregnancy. If you think there is a chance you might be pregnant, do a pregnancy test, or make an appointment with your gynecologist.
2. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) – PCOS upsets the hormone levels. Due to PCOS small cysts can form in the ovaries which can lead to irregular ovulation or can stop it completely. If you notice other symptoms of PCOS, such as more hair on your face and other body parts and acne, you need to consult your doctor for the treatment of PCOS.
3. Early Menopause – Menopause usually begins between 45 and 55 years. Early menopause is when women start to experience symptoms by the age of 40, including missed or irregular periods.
4. Thyroid Issues – an overactive or under-active thyroid gland can cause late, missed or irregular periods. Because the thyroid controls the metabolism of the human body, hormone levels can also be affected causing irregular periods.
5. Endometriosis – Like PCOS, Endometriosis is also a problem with the female reproductive system causing irregular periods.
6. Birth Control Pills – Most of the birth control pills contain a combination of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. These pills prevent ovarian cyst that is available, For releasing the eggs to prevent pregnancy. Going off or on birth control pills can affect menstruation cycle. Many women report having irregular or missed periods for up to six months after discontinuing birth control Irregular periods are the alarming situation for females, there are some irregular periods home remedy and symptoms, myths which are disclosed by oIrregular periods are the alarming situation for females, there are some home remedy and symptoms, myths which are disclosed by our specialists here. ur specialists here. pills.

What Are Irregular Periods Symptoms?

The common irregular periods symptoms are:

• Irregular periods are the alarming situation for females, there are some home remedy and symptoms, myths which are disclosed by our specialists here. If your menstrual cycle occurs less than 21 days or more than 35 days.
• If you have missed two or more periods in a row.
• If your menstrual flow is much lighter or heavier than usual
• If your periods that last longer than seven days
• If your periods that are accompanied by pain, cramps, nausea, or vomiting
• If you face bleeding or spotting between your periods, after menopause, or following intercourse.

If you only have three or four periods a year, or if you continue to have irregular periods, make an appointment to your doctor for a complete check. As we said earlier, it can lead you to infertility. You can also get an opinion of a fertility expert regarding your missed periods for better guidance.

What are the possible Irregular Periods Treatment?

Irregular periods treatment depends on finding what are your causes. Most of the time, lifestyle changes and prevention of the causes are enough to tame your irregular periods. Medication is suggested when the irregular periods causes are related to some medical factors.
Below are a few common lifestyles and natural treatments recommended to everyone.

• Practice Yoga – if stress is the cause of practicing yoga is the best solution. Practicing Yoga 30-35 minutes a day, 6 times a week may help regulate hormones and menstrual cycles.
• Maintain a Healthy Weight – As mentioned above, Being overweight or underweight can cause irregular periods. Maintain a healthy weight so that your biological clock can work flawlessly.
• Exercise Regularly –Moderate for exercise can help control weight, which may help to regulate your menstrual cycle. It may also reduce the pain before and during your period.
• Get Your Daily Dose of Vitamins – Low levels of vitamin D may increase the risk for your period’s irregularity. Taking a daily dose of vitamin D supplements may help regulate your menstrual cycle. Vitamin B may also help reduce PMS and regulate menstrual cycles.

A couple of irregular periods in a year are usually nothing to much worried about. If you face anything more than that, you should see a doctor or a fertility specialist to be sure regarding any ovulation problem or other problems with reproductive systems.

At Indira IVF and fertility center, our fertility experts are keen to help and resolve all your queries related infertility or IVF. You can book your appointment for a free consultation now.