The Menstrual cycle: The normal and the abnormal.

Your menstrual cycle can say a lot about your health which makes it so important to know it inside out. You need to understand how to start tracking your menstrual cycle and what to do about any irregularities that occur along the way.

Do you know when your last menstrual period began or how long it lasted? If not, it might be time for you to start paying attention. Tracking your menstrual cycles can help you understand what's normal for you, when do you normally ovulate in the menstrual cycle and can help you identify important changes such as a missed period or unpredictable menstrual bleeding. While menstrual cycle irregularities usually aren't that serious, sometimes they can be a signal of health problems.

What is the menstrual cycle?

The menstrual cycle is a monthly series of changes a woman's body goes through in preparation for the possibility of pregnancy. What happens is each month is that one of your ovaries releases an egg in a process called ovulation. You can keep a track on when you’re ovulating by using an ovulation calculator to track how your reproductive organs are working. At the same time, hormonal changes prepare the uterus for a pregnancy. If ovulation takes place and the egg isn't fertilized, the lining of the uterus sheds through the vagina causing the unfertilized egg to be expelled out of the uterus with blood and mucus and this is what we call a menstrual period.

So what’s a normal menstrual cycle?

The menstrual cycle is counted from the first day of one period to the first day of the next, which makes it different from person to person. Menstrual flow might occur every 21 to 35 days and last anywhere between 2 to 7 days. For the first few years after menstruation begins, long cycles are more common as you are yet developing physically. However, menstrual cycles tend to be shorten and become more regular as you age.

Your menstrual cycle might be regular and about the same length every month or somewhat irregular, and your period might be light or heavy, painful or pain-free, long or short, and still be considered normal. Within a broad range of cycles, ‘normal’ is what's normal for you.

Keep in mind that use of certain types of contraception, such as extended-cycle birth control pills or medication, will alter your menstrual cycle as these things could confuse the body and force the hormones to keep calm. Talk to your gynecologist to understand and know about what to expect. When you get closer to the menopause period, your cycle might become irregular again. However, because the risk of uterine cancer increases as you age, discuss any irregular bleeding around menopause with your gynecologist and other friends who have already reached menopause.

How can you track your menstrual cycle?

To find out what's normal for you, make sure you start keeping a record of your menstrual cycle on a calendar. Begin by tracking the start date of every month for several months in a row to identify the regularity of your periods.

If you're concerned about your periods, then also make note of the following every month:

• End date- How long does your period typically last? Is it longer or shorter than usual?
• Flow- Record the heaviness of your flow. Does it seem lighter or heavier than usual? How often do you need to change your sanitary protection? Have you passed any blood clots?
• Abnormal bleeding- Are you bleeding or experiencing a light spotting in between periods?
• Pain- Describe any pain associated with your period. Does the pain feel worse than usual?
• Other changes- Have you experienced any changes in mood or behavior? Has something new happened around the time of change in your periods?

What can cause menstrual cycle irregularities?

Menstrual cycle irregularities can have many different causes, including:

• Pregnancy or breast-feeding- A missed period can be an early sign of pregnancy. Breast-feeding typically delays the return of menstruation after pregnancy.
• Eating disorders, extreme weight loss or excessive exercising- Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa can lead to extreme weight loss and increased physical activity can disrupt menstruation.
• Poly-cystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) - Women with this common endocrine system disorder may have irregular periods as well as enlarged ovaries that contain small collections of fluid called follicles that are located in each ovary as seen during an ultrasound exam.
• Premature ovarian failure- Premature ovarian failure refers to the loss of normal ovarian function before age 40. Women who have premature ovarian failure — also known as primary ovarian insufficiency might have irregular or occasional periods for years.
• Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) - This infection of the reproductive organs can cause irregular menstrual bleeding.
• Uterine fibroid s - Uterine fibroid s are noncancerous growths of the uterus. They can cause heavy menstrual periods and prolonged menstrual periods.

What can I do to prevent menstrual irregularities?

For some women, use of birth control pills can help regulate menstrual cycles. Treatment for any underlying problems, such as an eating disorder, also might help. You should always go see your gynecologist first. However, some menstrual irregularities can't be prevented.

Here’s when you need to go see your gynecologist:

• Your periods suddenly stop for more than 90 days even though you're not pregnant
• Your periods become unpredictable after having been regular
• You bleed for more than seven days
• You bleed more heavily than usual or soak through more than one pad or tampon every hour or two
• Your periods are less than 21 days or more than 35 days apart
• You bleed between periods or have light spotting often
• You develop severe pain during your period
• You suddenly get a fever and feel sick after using tampons

If you have questions or concerns about your menstrual cycle, talk to your gynecologist. You should know what is up with your body so that you can regulate it and take care of your own health. Taking care and regulating your menstrual cycle will help you in terms of having a healthy pregnancy in the future as well as will keep your reproductive functioning at its best. Irregularities can affect you badly mentally and physically so as a woman, respect your body and seek the help you need before it’s too late.