You are not alone, Sister!
Periods or Menstrual Cycles are an integral part of a woman’s life. They start with irregularity at the time of Menarche, that is, at the time of puberty and they again become irregular before the time of Menopause, that is, some years before a woman stops menstruating. This is normal for every girl and a woman. And in-between Menarche and Menopause, every woman accepts & adapts to her own menstrual cycle and pattern in which she sheds blood regularly, nearly every month.
A Normal Period and a Menstrual Cycle
The menstrual cycle is said to start from the first day of the period and it goes on till a woman or a girl again gets the first day of the period of the next cycle.
On average one menstrual cycle of a woman is 28 days long, meaning a woman will have consecutive 1st days of her periods (menstruation) after a gap of approximately 28 days. But this is just an average number, not every girl or a woman will have her 1st day of the cycle after 28 days, and this is normal.
The menstrual cycle for different women varies from 21 days to 35 days in which they bleed for 3-8 days and the flow of blood changes during the bloody days. The permutations and combinations of the menstrual cycle days vary for each woman, because every woman’s body is different.
One might feel that the woman bleeding lesser in her menstrual cycle or having a longer menstrual cycle is lucky, but every menstruation is not just about bleeding. No two women experience their menstrual cycle in a carbon copy way and the cycle goes beyond the period days. What is important for good health is that the menstrual cycle & the flow remains similar every time for the woman.
A menstrual cycle is said to be normal or regular when the gap between the first day of the period of the consecutive cycles remains near about same every time. It often varies by a day or two and sometimes by approximately 7 days too. This is also a reason why women should always keep a track of their dates to avoid any unwanted situations.
During her overall menstrual cycle, a woman will have her period days in which she will bleed and after that, her body will prepare itself for pregnancy, which if it does not happen due to personal choice or any other reason, then the body will prepare itself to bleed in the next menstrual cycle. This is the normal biological process happening in the bodies of all women in every menstrual cycle.
So, then the question comes –
What are Irregular Periods?
An early onset or a delay in having the 1st day of the Periods as per the anticipated date of the menstrual cycle, that is, having a short menstrual cycle or a longer menstrual cycle will be considered an irregular period, because the period dates deviated from the menstrual cycle that was regular.
Similarly, any change in the flow of blood during the periods which is different from the regular pattern of the menstrual cycle will be considered an irregular period.
Once in a blue moon, having an early period, that is having the first day of the period before the anticipated date is not a point of worry medically, even if an early period puts a woman in a panic situation when she unexpectedly gets into a bloody situation and has to urgently seek sanitary support from other women around, in most cases. Almost all women and girls go through such an episode at least once in their entire lives.
Similarly, a delayed onset of periods by a few days may occur in the menstrual cycle at rare times. Delayed periods are often accompanied by varying mood swings since hormones are doing their play inside the body.
Having a different flow of blood in one or two menstrual cycles as compared to previous ones is also common.
When do Irregular Periods (Menstruation) become a matter of high concern?
Look out for any of the following irregular periods symptoms which occur for more than one or two consecutive menstrual cycles –
- Periods coming again before 21 days from the first day of the last periods.
- Periods coming again after more than 35 days from the first day of the last periods.
- Periods lasting for more than 8 days.
- Periods getting skipped for more than 3 times.
- Change in menstrual flow, that is too heavy bleeding or very light bleeding or only spotting.
- Bleeding or spotting occurring other than the period days of the cycle.
Consult the doctor if any of the above symptoms occur.
Any new change in the periods is a sign of some change in the body which may be a matter of concern.
Causes of Irregular Periods
Change in lifestyle can alter the periods and their dates.
- Working in night shift
- Not getting enough rest or sleep
- Change in diet
- Change in weight – gain/loss
- Mental stress about something
- Sedentary life lacking physical activity
- Excessive exercise
- illness
- Birth control methods
- Excessive alcohol intake
- Smoking
Usually, the menstrual cycle gets back to its previous pattern after one or two irregular cycles.
However, there can be other underlying causes due to which the periods will not become regular naturally and proper treatment would be required.
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
- Endometriosis
- Fibroids
- Hormonal Imbalance which can be due to multiple reasons
- Thyroid
- Early Menopause
- Uterine Cancer
- Cervical Cancer
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Medications which affect brain
Consulting a Doctor is a must if the periods remain irregular for more than 2 cycles.
Other than these, if a woman is nearing menopause then the menstrual cycle will become irregular till the period or the menstruation eventually stops. For more information on Menopause, read the article at the link below –
CLICK HERE – Symptoms of Menopause & Solutions
Similarly, after menarche, it can take up to 2 years for the menstrual cycle of a girl to form a regular pattern.
Even after childbirth, when a woman’s body gets ready to ovulate again, her menstrual cycle restarts with irregular periods before adopting to a regular pattern. Some women may not get their periods till the time they are breastfeeding, but there is no guarantee of it.
Some women also reported irregular periods for some cycles after contracting the Coronavirus or after taking the vaccine for it.
Irregular Periods affect the Quality of Life
Work & Social life
A woman getting an early period might think – ‘I was not ready for this!’. It can get highly frustrating to be bleeding again when the previous menstruation dates would have just passed. It can become annoying to get back to using menstrual products like sanitary pads/cups/tampons which would have been otherwise put away from the sight after the last period of the previous menstrual cycle. The entire experience can seem daunting.
Women and girls often plan their activities according to their period dates and an early or a late period could mean a change in the plan which further adds to the frustration.
And no one wants a surprise patch on their dress.
But there are other complications of irregular periods too.
Frequent or more blood loss than usual would lead to Iron Deficiency in the body. This would cause fatigue & weakness which would further hinder the ability to perform even the daily activities with energy.
One of the major reasons for infertility and pregnancy-related issues in women is irregular periods.
Irregular periods cause hormonal imbalances in the body which lead to several changes in the body and skin, along with mood swings – depression, anxiety, anger and overall stress.
Ignoring menstrual health can strongly affect one’s physical health, as well as work and social life.
Tips for Irregular Periods
To avoid messing with periods, the number one tip would always be to adopt a healthy lifestyle with the right nutrition and physical activity. However, in a fast-moving culture, it is difficult to maintain a perfect lifestyle every time. Though it is common for girls and women to have irregular periods once a while and periods usually return to the previous pattern after a cycle or two, but persistent irregular periods are a sign of worry and medical treatment.
Knowing about the causes of irregular periods can prepare girls and women to keep a sanitary product handy in case the need comes. And if the periods go haywire for more than 2 cycles, then a Doctor’s guidance can save from further consequences.
Thus, no matter how tedious it may seem, it is vital for every girl and woman to monitor her dates and every menstrual cycle.
The dates in women’s lives are not just the dates with their partners. Visit any doctor, especially a Gynaecologist, and the first question they would ask would be what was the last date of your period. And if the woman or the girl has not noted it or kept a track of it, she would start counting the days in her head or on her fingers and may give vague information about herself to the Doctor.
A good idea to avoid unwanted situations would be to mark dates in the calendar app of your smartphone or use a period tracking app.
A woman’s overall health largely depends a lot on her menstrual health, that is, on her Periods. Menstruation aids in pregnancy, but a woman menstruates for nearly 35 to 40 years of her life.
So, can a woman’s self-love & care be devoid of healthy menstrual dates with oneself?
You may also check Instagram account of No Hush Up for interesting content on Period Enlightenment & Women Empowerment. Link Below –
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Disclaimer: The article is based on the experiences of different women and the general knowledge every woman must have. Please consult your Doctor whenever required. Have Healthy Periods!
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