Menstrual Irregularities

Menstruation is a natural process, but it can be problematic for many women. Visit board-certified OB/GYN Asia Mohsin, MD, at PWH Fertility Evaluations in Mission, Texas, if you experience menstrual irregularities. Dr. Mohsin is an expert in diagnosing and treating problems like irregular, heavy, painful, and missed periods. Call PWH Fertility Evaluations to request a consultation or book an appointment today by completing the online form.

What are menstrual irregularities?

Menstrual irregularities are anything abnormal about your periods, such as:

• Irregular frequency
• Missing periods
• Bleeding between periods
• Excessive pain (dysmenorrhea)
• Heavy and/or prolonged bleeding (menorrhagia)
• Little to no bleeding

The primary criterion for menstrual irregularities is determining what’s abnormal for you.

A standard menstrual cycle lasts 28 days but differs for each woman, so periods may occur anywhere from 21-35 days apart. However, the intervals between periods should be roughly the same whether you have them every three, four, or five weeks.

Some women experience more pain and/or bleeding than others, and the period length varies between two and seven days. You can expect problems like oligomenorrhea (infrequent menstruation) during puberty and perimenopause, and many women find their periods change after having children.

Why would I have menstrual irregularities?

Menstrual irregularity has many causes, including:

• Hormone imbalances
• Excessive stress
• Perimenopause (the transition to menopause)
• Uterine fibroids
• Endometriosis
• Hormonal birth control
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Thyroid disorders
• Ovarian dysfunction
• Adenomyosis
• Non-hormonal intrauterine devices (IUDs)
• Anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant drugs
• Reproductive organ cancers

Dr. Mohsin completes a medical history review, discusses your symptoms, and performs a pelvic exam to see what might be causing your menstrual irregularities.

You might need blood tests to check your hormone levels, sexually transmitted disease testing, or a diagnostic procedure, such as an ultrasound scan, hysterosalpingography (moving uterine X-ray), hysteroscopy, or laparoscopy.

What treatment might I need for menstrual irregularities?

The menstrual irregularity treatment Dr. Mohsin recommends depends on your condition’s cause and how important it is to improve or preserve your fertility. You might benefit from changing your lifestyle, for example, improving your diet, exercising regularly, and learning to manage stress.

Talk to your doctor about an alternative if your medication or birth control method affects menstruation. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and hormonal birth control can address some menstrual irregularity causes. If you have PCOS, you could benefit from metformin to reduce your insulin levels, encouraging regular ovulation and menstruation.

You might require surgery to remove uterine fibroids or scar tissue caused by endometriosis. Patients with endometriosis could undergo endometrial ablation, but this isn’t an option if you want to preserve your fertility.

Similarly, a hysterectomy (uterus removal) and/or oophorectomy (ovary removal) will resolve menstrual irregularities, but you won’t be able to bear children afterward.

Call PWH Fertility Evaluations for expert menstrual irregularity care or schedule a consultation online today.