Why is irregular period

Repeat this for three months. If the number of days between stopping and starting your period is outside of the 21 to 35 days range, you have an irregular cycle.

Menstruation can also be considered irregular if your cycle length varies by more than 20 days from month to month. There are many variables that can affect the length and timing of your menstrual cycle. Some are correctable, but others can signal significant medical issues. Learn more before you use this method; many experts recommend new moms pair this approach with an additional birth control method , such as condoms, to increase effectiveness.

Also referred to as a spontaneous abortion , a miscarriage happens when an embryo or fetus dies before the 20th week of pregnancy. After 20 weeks, pregnancy loss is considered a stillbirth. A couple of irregular periods per year are usually nothing to worry about. Sometimes, a period is late for a very good reason. Before you schedule an appointment with your doctor, you might want to rule out pregnancy.

If stress is a possible culprit in your irregular cycle, try stress management techniques, such as meditation, yoga , tai chi , visualization, cognitive behavioral therapy, and biofeedback. Avoid over-exercising, and try not to diet excessively. For all medical issues, consult your healthcare professional. Absolutely yes, says Lynn. If you're not ovulating, you're not going to get pregnant , but if you are ovulating with irregular cycles, you can.

You can have bleeding without ovulating but it's a real period only if you ovulate. You should use contraception if not desiring pregnancy and to protect against STDs. If you are interested in ovulation timing for family planning or any reason, but you have irregular menstrual periods, see your doctor first.

If you do have PCOS or another condition, you can get treated as soon as possible. Ovulation calculators are not very helpful for women with irregular menstrual cycles. Although none of these fertility awareness methods FAM are foolproof, women with regular or mildly irregular periods may be able to help predict ovulation by monitoring themselves for ovulation symptoms such as changes in cervical mucus or changes in basal body temperature and by tracking their cycles.

November 02, Topics: Gynecology. Why is My Period Late? This bleeding typically lasts about five days. Then, the monthly cycle repeats itself. What is an Irregular Period? Reasons for a Late Period, Missed Period or Irregular Period There are a number of reasons why you may have an irregular, missed or late period, ranging from stress to more serious medical conditions.

Common causes of irregular periods include: Uncontrolled diabetes — If you have uncontrolled diabetes, you may have irregular periods because the interaction between your blood sugar levels and hormones can disrupt your menstrual cycle. Eating disorders — If you have an eating disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia, you may have irregular or missed periods.

This is because your body is not producing and circulating enough hormones to control your menstrual cycle. Hyperprolactinemia — Women who have too much of a protein hormone called prolactin in their blood can have irregular periods.

Medications — Certain medications, including anti-epileptics and antipsychotics, can cause irregular periods. Sometimes a girl may bleed for 2 days, sometimes it may last a week. That's because the level of hormones the body makes can be different from one cycle to the next, and this affects the amount and length of bleeding.

If your cycle is not regular, you'll want to pay attention to the clues your body may give you that your period is coming soon. These may include:. Keep some pads or tampons in your backpack or purse, just so you'll have them handy in case your period comes when you're not expecting it. You may even want to carry an extra pair of underwear. Most of the time, irregular periods are part of the normal changes that can happen when you're a teen. As you get older, your cycle will probably settle into a recognizable pattern.

Sometimes, irregular periods can be caused by some medicines, exercising too much , having a very low or high body weight, or not eating enough calories. Hormone imbalances can also cause irregular periods. For example, thyroid hormone levels that are too low or too high can cause problems with periods. Some girls have extra androgen, a hormone that can cause hair growth on the face, chin, chest, and abdomen.

Extra androgen can also makes girls gain weight and have irregular periods. Talk to your doctor if you have had sex and have missed a period because you could be pregnant. Also let the doctor know if:. The doctor may prescribe hormone pills or other medicines, or recommend lifestyle changes that can help you to have regular periods. Reviewed by: Robyn R.

Miller, MD.