In Which Menstrual Irregularity Situations Should You Be Treated?
Menstrual irregularities can occur from time to time in every woman’s life. While menstrual irregularities that occur once in a while do not create a significant problem, long-term irregularities can cause medical problems. If you are experiencing menstrual irregularity, it is useful to review this article.
In general, the average time between the beginning of two menstrual periods in women is 28 days. This interval may be shorter or longer than 7 days. If you have periods more than twenty-one days or more than 35 days, the reason should be investigated.
Hormonal disorders are the most common cause of irregularities in young women. Menstrual irregularities that occur at later ages can be caused by conditions such as fibroids in the uterus, polyps or uterine thickening. In addition, ovulation disorders in the menopausal transition period can also cause these irregularities.
If you are experiencing menstrual irregularity, it is useful to consider the questions:
1. How long have you been experiencing these complaints?
Rare malfunctions in the menstrual cycle do not cause any medical problems. In this case, it is sufficient to follow the next period. If menstrual irregularities persist for more than two months, we recommend that you be examined.
2. Do you have any other disease that can cause menstrual irregularities?
One of the hormonal disorders that can often cause menstrual irregularities is a lack or excessive secretion of thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism). In addition, conditions such as hyperprolactinemia in which milk hormone is secreted excessively or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) in which ovulation disorders occur negatively affect the menstrual cycle.
3. Are you close to menopause?
When the menopause period approaches, changes occur in the function of the ovaries. In the periods when the ovarian reserve begins to decrease, the frequency of menstruation first increases, and in the future, the periods break due to the decrease in the ovulation function. It is beneficial to evaluate the ovarian functions with ultrasonography and hormone tests in the irregularities that occur after the age of 40.
4. Have you experienced sudden weight gain or loss recently?
Adipose tissue has an important effect on hormonal balance. In case of weight gain, increased adipose tissue causes insulin resistance, which can cause ovulation disorders. On the contrary, in the case of rapid and excessive weight loss (more than 10 percent of your body weight in less than 3 months), hormonal adaptation may be delayed and in this case disrupted the number. In addition, in women with very low body fat rate, hormone release from the hypothalamus region of the brain decreases, and consequently, the problem of menstruation may occur.
5. Is there any possibility of pregnancy?
The possibility of pregnancy should be considered in every woman of childbearing age. If you normally have regular menstruation and there is an unexpected delay or intermittent bleeding in your period, you should definitely confirm whether pregnancy is present by performing a pregnancy test in urine or blood.
As you can see, there are many situations that can lead to menstrual irregularities. Most of these are temporary and minor problems. However, persistent menstrual irregularities must be investigated in detail. You can always get help from gynecologists in this regard.