Irregular Periods

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Irregular Periods

Normal Menstrual Cycles (Periods)

Normal menstrual cycles begin at the age of 10-14 years and for the first 3-4 years the menses can be slightly irregular since the whole process which controls these
cycles has not yet fully matured.

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After this the normal menstrual cycle is usually regular (every 25-35 days) and bleeding may be erratic and heavy. This certainly needs to be investigated.How do normal periods occur?

Several factors work together to produce normal periods. The ovaries (glands
situated beside the uterus) produce an egg every month. This developing egg
produces a hormone (estrogen) which thickness the inner layer of the uterus. The
egg matures and then ruptures and another hormone (progesterone) is now
produced. This hormone scrapes off the entire layer which has been built up earlier
and throws it out in a controlled manner and periods result. Since the whole process is well controlled by the specific hormones, the bleeding will occur at the expected date and will last for a finite time. The whole process of development, ripening and breaking open of the egg is called 'ovulation'.

What happens if there is no ovulation?

If the egg formation does not occur properly the entire process occurs in an
uncontrolled fashion. The secretion from the developing egg does not occur in a
normal manner and hence the development and discarding of the layer of the uterus
does not take place properly. This leads to heavy and irregular periods. This is called 'an ovulation'.

What causes an ovulation?

There are a large number of causes for an ovulation and we will advise you he appropriate tests for finding the exact cause. One must remember that excessive
weight is one of the most important causes and you must make an attempt to lose
weight by diet and exercise. Remember that there are no medicines to lose weight.

Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD)

Another important and common cause for irregular periods is a problem of the ovary called polycystic ovarian disease (PCOD).

In PCOD the structure of the ovary is faulty and this is associated with an imbalance in the hormonal levels. This does not allow the egg to develop normally and thus leads to an ovulation as explained above.

This disorder results not only in irregular periods but also makes pregnancy more difficult to achieve and may also make you more prone to develop excess body hair
and pimples. If you are overweight you also have an increased risk of developing
diabetes and blood pressure later on in adult life.

Treatment of PCOD

It may not be possible to cure this problem entirely but we can treat it easily with
good results. Moreover such problems are known to go away after a pregnancy. This means that you may have to be on treatment for quite some time. The type of
treatment will be chosen carefully by us based on your needs. Although no one would like to treated with medicines for long, rest assured that it is in your best interests.

A number of people may advise you that it is not correct to use any hormonal treatments: such advice may be well meant but not necessarily correct. Any
treatment that has been scientifically thought out and designed will not produce
untoward effects. We are trying to help your fight your problem. Please be sure to
discuss your queries with us.

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