5 Possible causes of irregular menstruation every month

Normal menstruation will take place regularly every month. Although it may fall on a different date, but the routine is never missed every month. Conversely, you may not have your period for a month or two, and will only get it the following month. Actually, what is the cause of this irregular menstruation?

What are the causes of irregular menstruation?

The normal menstrual cycle is calculated from the first day menstruation ends until the menstrual period in the following month. In other words, a normal menstrual cycle will last 25-38 days. If more than that, your period falls into the category of irregular.

There are various possible causes for this condition, including:

1. Stress

Stress can make cortisol levels in the body increase, which indirectly affects the production of reproductive hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle. As a result, the process of releasing eggs (ovulation) becomes abnormal, which results in disruption of your menstrual cycle.

2. Use of contraceptives

Contraceptives, whether in the form of drinking pills or spiral birth control (IUD), are at risk of causing irregular menstruation. Before deciding to use a type of contraception, you may have first found out what are the advantages and disadvantages of this contraceptive.

Well, one of the side effects is messing up your menstrual cycle. This is because contraceptives interfere with the stability of reproductive hormones in the body. Consult your doctor further if you feel bothered by this condition.

3. Drastic changes in body weight

Without realizing it, extreme changes in body weight - whether reduced or increased in number - can interfere with the work of reproductive hormones in the body. Take for example, a drastic weight loss will make it difficult for the body to produce enough of the hormone estrogen which is useful in the ovulation process.

While weight gain results in soaring estrogen levels that affect your menstrual cycle, explains Angela Chaudhari, MD, a gynecologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in the United States.

4. Pre-menopause

Before actually entering menopause, you will first go through a transition period known as pre-menopause. Although it may occur earlier, most women get this period when they enter the age of 40.

Typically, the length of time that a pre-menoapuse lasts is four to eight years. During this time, you will experience various symptoms associated with menopause. One of them is changes in the menstrual cycle, due to erratic levels of estrogen in the body.

5. Have PCOS

PCOS or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a reproductive disorder caused by hormonal imbalance in the body. Women with PCOS usually have imbalanced levels of sex hormones (estrogen and progesterone), excess androgen or male sex hormones, and have small cysts on their ovaries.

All of these things then interfere with the ovulation process, thus disrupting the menstrual cycle. You can have your period twice a month, or even not get your period for several months.