Irregular Cycles
The average menstrual cycle? lasts 28 days; however, it is not unusual to have cycles as short as 22 days or as long as 35 days.
A cycle length variation of a few days every month is common, but if the variation of your cycle length is greater than 5 days, you have irregular cycles.
Don't worry, irregular cycles do not automatically mean that you will have problems conceiving. They do however generally reflect hormonal imbalance, which is a possible cause of infertility.
30% of women in their reproductive life experience irregular menstrual cycles. Many women may also experience irregular menstrual cycles in the form of a missed period, continuous periods or periods that occur twice in one menstrual cycle.
What are the causes of an irregular menstrual cycle?
Irregular menstrual cycles are often caused by hormonal deregulation. Menstrual cycles and periods are regulated by several hormones, such as progesterone?, estrogens?, FSH? (Follicle? Stimulating Hormone), LH? (Luteinising Hormone) and GnRH? (Gonadotropin Releasing Hormones) which are coordinated to trigger ovulation? and menstruation?. Irregular cycles usually result when these hormonal signals are deregulated.
Hormones levels can be deregulated by many factors:- Stress: Stress can change your level of cortisol which directly impact the secretion of your reproductive hormones. Fatigue and anxiety can also cause fertility hormones levels to vary.
- Diet: Extreme weight loss or weight gain can also cause irregular menstrual cycles or periods by affecting hormone levels. Women with anorexia often have irregular menstrual cycles.
- Excessive exercise: Intense exercise is another cause of irregular menstrual cycles as it can cause hormonal imbalance.
- Menopause: A recent change in cycle regularity may be a signal that menopause is approaching. A blood test checking your FSH or AMH levels will indicate if this is the case.
- Hormonal birth control: When you stop using the contraceptive pill, your body needs time to readjust and it is quite common to experience irregular menstrual cycles for a few months.
- Recent childbirth or miscariage: During pregnancy the hormones levels are very different to the ones you experience when you are not pregnant. It often take a few months before they return to their baseline, in particular if you are breasfeeding.
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Other medical causes of irregular menstrual cycles
- Polycystic Ovary? Syndrome: Polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS is a condition affecting approximately 1 in 10 women. PCOS has several symptoms associated to it: including weight gain, hair growth, acne and irregular cycles.
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Inflammatory bowel disease is an inflammation of the lower intestines or bowel and is linked to irregular menstrual cycles.
- Uterine abnormalities:Fibroids, cysts, polyps and endometriosis can cause irregularities in your cycles. Endometriosis is also linked to painful periods, so if you have irregular cycles and have very painful periods, you should consult your doctor.
- Thyroid function: Your thyroid plays an important role in the control of your hormone levels. If your thyroid is over-active or under- active, this can dirrectly affect your cycles.
If you have been experiencing irregular menstrual cycles or irregular periods for a short time (4 months or less), it is likely that your cycles will adjust themselves. If you are experiencing irregular menstrual cycles due to a medical condition, treatment for the condition should help you to start ovulating regularly again. Certain hormonal treatment can help you in certain cases. Do not hesitate to ask your doctor for more information if you are experiencing irregular menstrual cycles.
If you are experiencing irregular menstrual cycles, DuoFertility will help you to identify your fertile days and maximise your chances of getting pregnant.
Sharon Morris, fertility coach explains “The two methods that I would recommend to detect ovulation are urine test strips or monitoring the woman’s body basal temperature. However, if the woman has irregular cycles, she may find it difficult to use urine tests, as it will probably be difficult for her to choose the right days on which to carry out the tests. I suggest that monitoring body basal temperature using a fertility monitor such as DuoFertility would be the best option for her.”
