Common menstrual changes may be related to the frequency, duration, or amount of bleeding that occurs during menstruation.
Normally, menstruation drops once a month, with an average duration of 4 to 7 days and appears in adolescence, ending at the onset of menopause.
However, some changes may occur and some of the most common ones include:
A delay in menstruation occurs when a regular menstrual period, usually 28 days, does not start on the scheduled day and may indicate that the birth control method is not working as expected or, in some cases, it may indicate pregnancy. More information: Late menstruation.
Dark menstruation is usually a blood loss similar to coffee perches and is performed in small amounts; in most cases, this does not indicate any problems, appearing at the beginning and end of the menstrual cycle in women who have regular menstruation.
However, in some cases, this can occur when the woman changes birth control pills to another, taken the pill the next day or is the result of stress.Read more: When dark menstruation is a warning sign.
Irregular menstruation is characterized by menstrual cycles that can range from month to month from 21 to 40 days, making it difficult to calculate the fertile period and know when the period falls.
When the girl has her period for the first time, it is normal that during the first months the period is irregular.Learn more about the causes that can lead to irregular menstruation.
Small menstruation is normal for women taking contraceptives and in most cases does not indicate any gynecological problems, however, if the woman does not have menstruation, known as amenorrhea, she should go to the gynecologist as this may indicate a problem or sign of pregnancy.
See what are the main causes of low menstruation and what to do in each case.
Heavy menstruations occur when the woman has a great loss of blood, using more than 4 dressings a day in 24 hours, in these cases it is important to go to the gynecologist, since excessive blood loss can cause anemia, causing symptoms such as fatigue and Fatigue Learn how to treat: Menstrual bleeding.
Menstruation lasts about 4 days, but can last only 2 days or persist for up to a week, depending on the woman’s body.Usually, if it persists for more than 8 days, you should go to the gynecologist, especially if the blood loss is significant.
Menstruation can cause pain in the abdomen, scientifically known as dysmenorrhea, but when it is very intense it can indicate problems such as endometriosis or polycystic ovaries, for example, and in these cases it is important to go to the gynecologist.
Menstruation may be accompanied by lumps, which are blood clots, but this situation is usually normal and does not require treatment because it is caused by an imbalance of a woman’s hormones; However, in some cases, this can be a sign of problems such as anemia or endometriosis.For other causes, read more about: Why did menstruation fall apart?
Inter-period bleeding, called metrorragia, can occur when a woman often forgets to take the birth control pill, interrupting the menstrual cycle; However, it is important to go to the gynecologist to evaluate the case.
Prolonged menstruation, which lasts more than 10 days, can be caused by diseases such as endometriosis or fibroid and can cause anemia that leads to dizziness and weakness, so it needs to be treated with medications indicated by the gynecologist.
All changes may be normal or indicate problems such as hormonal changes, normal puberty, caused only by stress or thyroid diseases that alter hormonal balance or even specific problems of the female reproductive system, such as malformations or endometriosis.
Therefore, it is very important that in the presence of these changes, the woman always consults a gynecologist to assess the cause and, if necessary, initiate the best appropriate treatment.
Find out when to see your doctor at: 5 signs that you should see your gynecologist.