Many women will experience the experience of menstruation coming earlier or later than planned. Most menstrual irregularities are unnoticeable, but some illnesses may be lurking on the other hand.
Here, we will explain the causes of delayed menstruation and disordered cycles, how to deal with them, and guidelines for visiting a hospital.
Disclaimer of Health Information Provided – The medical information in this article is provided for your reference only. It should not be relied upon for diagnosis or treatment. For any medical questions, you should consult a doctor.
What is irregular menstruation?
Women’s menstrual cycle varies from person to person, but it is a cycle of about one month. However, it’s generally one month. A normal menstrual cycle occurs between 25 and 38 days. A typical menstrual cycle is every 25 to 38 days, with a cycle variation of 6 days or less and a duration of 3 to 7 days. In the case where there is a thing that does not fit in one of these conditions, menstrual irregularities or irregular menstruation is called.
What causes your period to be delayed or disturbed?
The most common cause is hormonal imbalance
Disorders in the menstrual cycle are caused by an imbalance in the secretion of the two female hormones that cause menstruation (estrogen and progesterone).
The causes of the imbalance in the secretion of female hormones are as follows.
- stress
- Lack of sleep
- Rapid diet
- Intense sports
- Diseases of the ovaries and brain
When female hormones cannot be properly secreted due to stress or illness, cycle disturbances such as delayed menstruation occur.
Irregular menstruation may lead to pregnancy and menopause
Delayed menstruation and disturbed cycles can be due to pregnancy or menopause.
The average age of menopause is around 50, but some people are in their 30s or 40s. Menopause is reached by a decrease in female hormone secretion with ageing. Still, instead of suddenly stopping menopause, the sexual cycle is gradually disturbed, and female hormone secretion decreases over 1 to 2 years. However, we are going through menopause. During that time, the menstrual cycle becomes longer or shorter. If your period becomes irregular around your late 40s, you may be preparing for menopause.
In this way, menstrual delays and cycle disturbances occur mainly when the secretion balance of female hormones is disturbed, but there are various causes.
Also Read: Fat after menopause? Eating vegetables to lose weight
Types of irregular menstruation
Oligomenorrhea
If the menstrual cycle is long and extends over 39 days, it is classified as “rare menstruation”. In some cases, the cycle gradually becomes longer, and in other cases, the cycle suddenly becomes longer. It is thought that the cause is that the ovaries do not work well and hormones are not secreted normally.
However, some people naturally take time to grow follicles. Even if you have a cycle of 39 days or more, it may not be a problem if you have regular menstruation.
Even with oligomenorrhea, pregnancy and childbirth are possible if ovulation is performed, but there are rare cases of anovulation, so if you are thinking of pregnancy and childbirth, oligomenorrhea It is recommended that you visit the obstetrics and gynecology department once when the definition is met.
Frequent menstruation
If the menstrual cycle is short and is 24 days or less, it is classified as “frequent menstruation”. Since the cycle is 24 days or less, some people have menstruation twice in a month.
As with oligomenorrhea, it is highly possible that the hormonal balance is disturbed due to insufficient ovarian function.
Excessive menstruation
If the period of menstruation is long and lasts for 8 days or more, it is classified as “excessive menstruation”. You may have problems with any of the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, or ovaries, resulting in an anovulatory cycle or inadequate progesterone secretion.
Short menstruation
If the period of menstruation is short and ends within 2 days, it is classified as “excessive menstruation”.
It is common to have “hypomenorrhea” with an abnormally low amount of menstrual blood.
The suspected causes include insufficient thickness of the endometrium caused by low secretion of female hormones and dysgenesis of the uterus itself.
What you can do to regulate your menstrual cycle
When commands from the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, which control the secretion of female hormones, are not normally issued due to stress, the balance between estrogen and progesterone becomes unbalanced, leading to a delay in menstruation. To manage your menstrual cycle, keep the following in mind.
Relieving stress and lack of sleep
The stress of changes, such as starting a new life or getting busy at work, can be a delay in your period. If you can adapt to the changes, it will naturally return to the initial cycle, but if strong stress continues and the disorder of the cycle does not subside, some measures are required. Talk to an expert or find a way to get rid of or relieve stress.
Do not excessive diet or dietary restrictions
Disorders in nutritional balance due to an unreasonable diet can be stressful to the body. Please stop dietary restrictions at your own discretion.
Try to refrain from exercising too intensely
Moderate exercise is important for adjusting your menstrual cycle, but continuing extremely intense exercise is not only stressful, but it can also stop your period due to lack of energy. If you have any idea, stop exercising and seek advice from a gynecologist.
Will menstrual irregularities be cured?
The most common problem with menstruation is ” irregular menstruation .” In other words, menstruation does not come regularly. Some people have had irregular menstruation since the first menstrual period. Others have temporary irregularities for only a few months due to taking an examination or getting a job or those who suddenly become irregular from the late 40s when menopause is approaching. In particular, many people have irregular menstrual periods even if they do not have gynecological illnesses. In such cases, taking low-dose pills can help align your period.
What should I do when my period is not over?
It is said that the period of bleeding due to menstruation is about 3 to 7 days, and if it exceeds this period, it will be treated as a long period of menstruation. When menstruation is prolonged or does not end easily, it is called excessive menstruation. Excessive menstruation is more often associated with diseases such as ovulation abnormalities and uterine fibroids than stress, and treatment for the disease may improve it. If you are worried about your prolonged menstruation, we recommend first consulting a gynecologist.
Contrary to excessive menstruation, it is called excessive menstruation when the bleeding period ends within 2 days. Short menstruation is caused by hormonal abnormalities, uterine dysgenesis, and uterine adhesions. Therefore, not only those who are uneasy because their period does not end easily but those who end their period early and have a small amount of menstrual bleeding should be examined by a gynecologist.
Beware of hidden illnesses! How to self-check?
It’s possible that menstrual irregularities aren’t just due to stress, but that the illness is actually hidden. Now let’s self-check whether the menstrual irregularities are due to stress or illness.
Symptoms that you should be aware of that may be ill are as follows.
- It interferes with daily life and is so painful that it is difficult to do daily life.
- Bleeding is so great that you have to change the napkin every hour
- Bleeding is also seen at times other than menstruation
If you have any of these symptoms, you need to take immediate measures. We recommend that you visit a gynecologist as soon as possible to have an examination.