Everything You Need To Know About Irregular Periods

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What are Irregular Periods?

Irregular periods, as the name suggests, is when a woman experiences an imbalanced menstrual cycle as:

• The duration between the two cycles spans less than 21 days.
• Your periods are more than 35 days apart.
• The amount of blood flow varies between 2 cycles.
• The blood clots are larger than 2.5 cm.

The condition is medically called- ‘Oligomenorrhea’ and is usually rooted in imbalanced hormones. American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) reports an average of nine to 14 percent of women to record irregular periods between their first period and menopause. This irregularity is marked especially higher during certain life events such as puberty, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and premenopausal times.

While the above is a result of natural body processes and usually gets resolved on its own, Irregular periods at any other time suggest imbalanced hormones and are linked to a variety of other associated hormonal disorders. This is why immediate and specialized treatment is suggested.

Irregular Periods Causes & Symptoms

Causes

• Life cycle changes (such as puberty, premenopause, etc)

• Changes in Contraception

• Hormonal Imbalance

• Endurance Exercises

Symptoms

• Fluctuations in weight (increase/ decrease)

• Eating Disorder

• Painful Acne/Excessive sebum production

• Emotional Stress

Irregular periods Diagnosis

Self Diagnosis

Irregular periods are best marked by the patient herself.

Note down the start and end date of your cycles. Then try and look for patterns. If three consecutive cycles show irregularities, approach an OBGYN specialist at the earliest.

Also, note if you experience any change in blood flow or cervical mucus. The changes may mark a link with irregular ovulation and demand medical intervention.

Diagnosis by Doctor

As a primary diagnosis, your doctor shall first begin with assessing and finding patterns between your last three cycles. Your doctor may also need information on your sexual history and use of birth control.

Based on the corresponding symptoms and patterns, your doctor would then check for your heart rate, blood pressure, and weight while also suggesting a few lab tests to screen certain life conditions and/or associated hormonal disorders.

Tests

• Pregnancy Test: To screen the chances of pregnancy
• Blood Tests: To look for hormonal disorders by marking the level of thyroid-stimulating hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, cortisol, prolactin,17-hydroxyprogesterone, and testosterone in the blood.
• Urine Test: To assess the level of free cortisol
• Pelvic Ultrasound: To screen for any underlying conditions such as Ovarian Cyst, PCOS, Uterine fibroids, and endometriosis.

Disorders linked to Irregular Periods

PCOS

Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome is a hormonal disorder linked to imbalanced hormones, that is, when a woman has higher levels of testosterone instead of progesterone and estrogen. This disbalance marks irregular ovulation, and thus- irregular menses.

PCOS is one of the most common reasons in cases of irregular periods and is most often sourced in obesity/ genetics or unhealthy lifestyle. The condition marks serious symptoms, risks, and complications in cases of delayed treatment, and medical intervention is suggested at the earliest.

Thyroid Problems

The thyroid is a hormonal disorder where the thyroid gland starts to malfunction and leads to either the excess/ lesser release of thyroid hormones. This causes a chemical disturbance in the body and leads to irregular menses.

One out of every ten women in India suffers from problems related to thyroid and the condition remains one of the most common underlying causes of irregular periods.

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a health condition where the endometrium lining that typically grows inside the uterus starts to grow outside it. This causes abnormal heaviness, swelling, and pain in the pelvic area along with nausea and irregular periods.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease

Pelvic inflammatory Diseases are a range of diseases that occur because of infection in the female reproductive system. Though rare, it is one of the many underlying causes of irregular periods.

It is often accompanied by painful, burning, and difficult urination along with abnormal vaginal discharge and pelvic pain.

The immediate diagnosis and medication are suggested.

Irregular periods Risks & Complications

An irregular period is a direct indication of imbalanced hormones. Any delay in diagnosis or treatment then leads to worsening of the underlying disorders and risks infertility along with:

1. Frequent and intense mood swings
2. A constant tiredness
3. Abdominal swelling and heaviness
4. Unbearable cramping and pelvic pain
5. Nausea
6. Shift in appetite
7. Fluctuations in weight
8. Frequent and intense episodes of Urinary Tract Infection
9. Pain during sex
10. Anemia in case of excessive blood loss

Irregular periods Prevention

The best prevention against irregular periods is a healthy diet and lifestyle. This is why we suggest:

1. Exercise and keep yourself active

The basics of health is an active lifestyle.  This is why we suggest you pick an exercise you can practice daily. Walk/ cycle/swim/ pick a sport and do it a little every day. The time doesn’t matter, consistency does.

Keeping your weight in check will help maintain your hormones and body metabolism and in turn regulate your periods. 

    2. Choose a healthy diet

What you eat is what makes you. So choose at least one healthy and balanced meal every day, and keep yourself hydrated. Also, try and regularly include iron, vitamins, calcium, and fiber in your diet and keep a check on sugar.

This would help balance your insulin levels, keep your metabolism active and regulate your periods.

When to Consult a Doctor ?

We recommend you consult an OBGYN as soon as you see an irregularity in your period cycle. It could indicate an unwanted pregnancy, a reaction to contraceptives, or hormonal disbalance. Immediate medical assistance is suggested in all instances.

Irregularities are marked by:

• Period cycle lesser than 21 days or more than 35 days.
• The need for a change in pads or tampons every 1-2 hours.
• Bleeding for more than 7 days.
• Extreme cramping, fever, weakness, and chills along with bleeding.
• Bleeding in between cycles.
• Bleeding in between pregnancy.
• Bleeding post-menopause.

Irregular periods Treatment options & cost

• Contraceptives: Since everybody works and reacts differently, sometimes, the selection of certain contraceptives may be the ground cause for your abnormal/ irregular bleeding.

For example, intrauterine devices such as IUDs are known to cause slightly heavier bleeding than usual. Similarly, regular birth control at times induces spotting and mid-cycle bleeding. Generally, your body adapts to these changes within 3-6 months and your menses regulate automatically. However, a change in birth control may be suggested if the body doesn’t adapt and the irregularities severe with time.

Based on your case’s peculiarity, the treatment may range from INR 500- INR 5000 in India.

• Unwanted Pregnancy: If irregular periods are a result of unwanted pregnancy, abortion may be required. Your doctor may suggest the best method (abortion by medicine/ surgical procedure) based on your weeks in gestation, general health, and your personal choice.

Abortion my medicine may be suggested for weeks 0-5. A surgical procedure may be recommended hence after. Based on your health, severity, and the method of abortion, the procedure may cost anywhere between INR 2000 to INR 25,000 in India.

• PCOS: If period irregularities are rooted in Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome, immediate and strict lifestyle changes may be suggested along with pain relievers. If you weigh more than your body mass index, losing weight and yoga might also be a direct help.

An average cost for treatment may vary anywhere between INR 2000- INR 6000 in India.

• Thyroid: For period irregularities because of thyroid problems, medication to balance insulin levels may be suggested. A general cost line for thyroid treatment falls between the range of INR 2000- INR 5000 in India.
• Endometriosis: If period irregularities are diagnosed in endometriosis, hormonal therapy/ balloon ablation therapy may be recommended. Depending on the treatment, cost may vary from INR 50,000 to INR 5,00,000 in India.

I have irregular periods but suspect I may be pregnant. What should I do?

Can stress cause irregular periods?

What are the common lifestyle causes of irregular periods?

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