Skipped Or Erratic Periods

A major populace of women experience eleven to thirteen menstrual cycles annually. This number might vary with some having more or lesser number of menstrual periods. Periods are normally irregular in the initial couple of years subsequent to menstruation initially commencing. The hormones that control menstruation might require many years for attaining a kind of balance.

Menstrual periods tend to become quite erratic during the concluding years of menstruation with many women are reaching the perimenopausal and menopausal phase. During this phase, the otherwise normally occurring periods abruptly turn irregular in nature. Menopause is known to occur when one has not had any menstrual periods since the past twelve months.

A skipped period is mostly an indicator of pregnancy. If one could be pregnant, then one needs to treat oneself as if pregnant till one can get some form of confirmation. A home pregnancy test is the preliminary step for detecting the presence of pregnancy.

If pregnancy is not diagnosed, then the other underlying reasons leading to skipped or erratic periods comprise of:

• Unwarranted reduction or increase in weight. Though low body weight is the prevalent reason behind skipped or erratic periods, being obese additionally could lead to a host of menstrual problems.
• Faulty eating patterns due to being either anorexic or bulimic.
• Heightened level of workout or increased exercising could also lead to skipped periods. A commonly cited occurrence amongst endurance sportspersons.
• Emotional turmoil or distress.
• Some form of ailment.
• Travel.
• Medications like hormonal contraceptive methods that might lead to the flow becoming slightly lighter with either lesser or more frequency, or missed periods or at time total cessation of the periods.
• Hormonal problems could lead to major fluctuations in the levels of hormones which the body requires to maintain menstruation.
• Illicit drug usage.
• Problems occurring in the organs of the pelvic region like imperforate hymen (hymen without an opening), PCOD or Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or the presence of Asherman’s syndrome (inflammation of the uterine lining due to scar tissue present in the uterine wall).
• Several women who breast feed do not regain their normal periods till they have stopped it. One needs to be vigilant as one could still have a likelihood of pregnancy in spite of no menstruation; hence it is vital to follow birth control practises if one does not desire to get pregnant.
• Premature ovarian failure occurs when one stops getting periods prior to reaching 40 years of age. Surgical intervention, chemotherapy and radiation therapy to the abdominal and pelvic region could additionally lead to premature ovarian failure.
• The presence of other ailments like IBS or irritable bowel syndrome, tuberculosis, liver ailment and diabetes could also lead to skipped or erratic periods, though this is quite atypical. However, if there is a presence of any of these ailments, then one would generally experience other signs in addition to menstrual abnormalities.

In case one has missed a period, one needs to unwind and try to restore emotional and physical stability that would be beneficial. Several women have occasional occurrences of skipped periods. Except if one is pregnant, one’s cycle would most probably return back to normal by the next month.

Popularity: 11% [?]