As you become more familiar with your own menstrual
patterns, you will know what’s normal and what’s not. If
you are an athlete or if you have been dieting too much
lately, you may observe some changes in your menstrual
cycle. When these changes are observed, you need to be
checked by your doctor to know exactly what may be
causing them.
What does it mean when I have irregular menses?
Irregular periods mean that your menses do not come each month. Your period may come
this month and not the next, or it may come more frequently from time to time. Irregular
cycles are medically called
metrorrhagia. You actually experience bleeding in between your
expected menstrual periods. It may be caused by a lot of things:
What does it mean if my menses are too light and too infrequent?
When you experience very light menstrual flow that
occurs every 35 days or longer, then you may be having
oligomenorrhea. This condition may be due to:
-
Excess male hormones in the body due to polycystic ovary syndrome
-
No egg is being released by the ovaries (anovulation)
-
Emotional stress
-
Poor nutrition which may be due to too much dieting
-
Intense physical activity
What does it mean if my menses come too frequently?
If your period comes every two to three weeks or so, then you may be having
polymenorrhea. This is menstrual bleeding that happens less than 3 weeks apart. This may
be experienced in the first two years after your first period. It may also be caused by:
-
Anovulation
-
Hormonal imbalance
-
Emotional stress
-
Poor nutrition
-
Too much physical activity
What does it mean if my menses come each month but I bleed heavily each time?
You have a regular menstrual cycle but something else may be causing you to bleed heavily.
Heavy bleeding during your period is called
menorrhagia. This usually happens when blood
flow during your period is greater than 5 tablespoons or 80ml. It may be caused by:
-
Growths such as polyps or cysts in your uterus
-
Non-ovulation for an extended time
