Possible Causes Of Irregular Menstrual Cycle

A menstrual cycle is one of the most important biological difference between males and females. Menstruation is defined as a shedding of tissues and blood from the lining of the womb through the woman’s vagina. It is caused due to the changes in the women’s body when an egg develops and the body gets ready for the pregnancy. It is known as the menstrual cycle. Usually, the bleeding lasts for around five days, but women may bleed for about three to seven days with the first few days being the heaviest flow.

The length of the menstrual cycle can vary for each woman. Sometimes, women experience some changes in their menstrual cycle and there are various factors that can affect the length of the cycle such as stress, exercise, even traveling and some medical conditions.

Yes!! There are several medical conditions that are known to affect the menstrual cycle in women and make them irregular. There are many diseases that can affect the menstrual cycle and some of them are as follows:

1. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome is one of the most common problems that happen to women throughout the world. It is a condition that affects the menstrual cycle, hormones and the appearance of women. Problems with the menstrual cycle are the most common symptom associated with polycystic ovary syndrome and almost 90% of women having this disease experience this symptom.

Polycystic ovary syndrome occurs when there are changes in the levels of androgens, or particularly testosterone, in the body. Normally, in women, testosterone is produced in small amount by the ovaries but women with polycystic ovary syndrome, the level of testosterone are higher than the normal level. This disease is associated with a wide range of symptoms and it includes too much hair on the face and other parts of the body, thinning of hair, weight gain, increased glucose level in the body and darkening of the skin.

2. Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a chronic and progressive disease that occurs in women of reproductive age. It is a condition in which the cells or tissues that line the uterus grow in other parts of the body. Women who have endometriosis experience various changes in the body and symptoms, including infertility and pelvic pain. The abnormal growth of tissues causes changes in the body that causes infertility and pain.

Endometriosis is associated with various symptoms and problems with the menstrual cycle is very common. Women with endometriosis often experience heavy bleeding that can occur with or without clots. The problems with the menstrual cycle can vary from one woman to another as one may experience heavy bleeding for a long time, whereas other women may only get a spot. Other than an irregular menstrual cycle, women may have pain that can be felt in the tummy, back, pelvis, with a bowel movement, passing wind or urine, or when you ovulate. Some women may also experience bladder and bowel problems such as constipation, an urgency to urinate, and bloating.

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 3. Pelvic inflammatory disease

The pelvic inflammatory disease is characterized as an infection which occurs in the reproductive organs of the women. It can involve any part of the reproductive system such as uterus, endometrium, ovaries, fallopian tubes, pelvic peritoneum, and adjacent tissues. An irregular menstrual cycle is one of the symptoms of the pelvic inflammatory disease and some other symptoms that occur in women having this disease include, pain in the lower abdomen, a unusual discharge with unpleasant odor from the vagina, bleeding with sexual intercourse, and burning sensation while urinating.

There are various causative agents of pelvic inflammatory disease and Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis have been identified as primary causative agents. Women who are under 30 years, a Pelvic inflammatory disease is often caused by chlamydia which is a sexually transmitted infection that starts at the cervix and has a capability to spread to the uterus and surrounding pelvic organs.

4. Premature ovarian insufficiency

Premature ovarian insufficiency is a condition which occurs when a woman’s ovaries stop working before the age of 40 and whenever this disease occurs, the menstrual cycle is affected, it becomes irregular or it stops. When this happens, ovaries stop making hormones, as a result, it stops releasing eggs.

Premature ovarian insufficiency can occur in women of any age, in fact, some women develop this disorder during their teenage or even before they start to have a menstrual cycle. It is a rare case, but in such cases, such women do not experience the normal functioning of the ovaries. Premature ovarian insufficiency disorder can occur as sudden stoppage of a menstrual cycle and other symptoms of this disease are similar to the symptoms that occur during menopause. Menopause is that time in women’s life when she naturally stops having menstruation. The symptoms of menopause can include hot flashes, dryness of vagina, irritability, night sweats, and problems with sleeping.