Your cycle may have changed from 28 to 31 days for several reasons, including changes in diet, exercise, hormone changes, or stress. It's normal for your period to vary from cycle to cycle. Slight variations are nothing to worry about for the most part. More severe causes include conditions like diabetes and thyroid disorders.
Regular periods are one of the body's vital signs. Having regular periods, starting at puberty and ending when you reach menopause, lets you know your body is working as it should. Read on to learn about changes in menstrual cycle length and what to do if you have irregular periods.
What Do Blood Clots During Your Period Mean?
Periods typically happen every 21 to 34 days. Cycle length can be less predictable in adolescents, ranging from 21-45 days. Two to seven days is considered a normal length for menstrual bleeding. People lose an average of 2 to 3 tablespoons (tbsp) of blood during each period. Some people have heavy periods, while others have light periods.
Ovulation typically happens between days 11 to 14 during a 28-day cycle. Ovulation is when one of the ovaries matures and releases an egg. The egg leaves the ovary and enters the fallopian tube. Sperm may fertilize the egg if sexual intercourse occurs. A new menstrual cycle begins with menstruation if pregnancy doesn't happen.
The age of onset for the first period, or menarche, is between ages 12 to 13 in the United States. People continue to get regular periods for nearly 40 years. Menopause typically occurs at age 51. Menopause is the natural end of periods after 12 months.
How To Track Days Between Periods
Keeping track of how many days pass between your periods can tell you if they're regular. Note the first day of each period to track them. You can track periods on a calendar and journal your symptoms. Several apps can help you track your periods and symptoms as well.You'll need to mark the first day of a few periods before seeing a pattern.
You may note any premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms and when they happen. Keeping track of symptoms, such as severe cramps, and when they occur can help a healthcare provider diagnose underlying conditions.
Other factors to keep track of include:
- How long your period lasts
- How many pads and tampons you use, and how often you change them
- How much menstrual blood you lose
- If you have menstrual cramps that keep you from engaging in your daily activities
- When your period is heaviest and lightest
You can approximate when you ovulate if you know when to expect your next period. Knowing when you ovulate helps if you're trying to get pregnant.
Periods are different for every person. Having one period every four weeks is an approximation. It's regular if your period comes once every 21 to 35 days. It's also normal if your cycle has changed by a few days—say, if they average 31 days apart, but there's a 28-day gap in some months.
As many as 25% of people with periods have irregular menstrual cycles. Some people have fewer or more days pass between periods than average, including those with:
- Amenorrhea: Periods don't happen for three months or longer, in the absence of a pregnancy, or if someone doesn't get their period by age 16
- Oligomenorrhea: 35 days or more pass between each period
- Polymenorrhea: 21 days or less pass between each period
Risk Factors
Several factors increase your risk of irregular menstrual cycles, such as:
- Age: Menstrual cycles can take up to three years to become regular in adolescents. Your period will likely have an established pattern in your 20s or 30s. Cycle length can once again change during your perimenopausal years.
- Certain medications:Drugs that treat epilepsy or mental health conditions can cause irregular or absent periods.
- Eating disorders: Anorexia may cause irregular periods.
- High prolactin levels:Prolactin is a hormone the pituitary gland in the brain makes to make breast milk. This is why postpartum breastfeeding parents experience lactational amenorrhea. Too much prolactin, in the setting of other disorders, can cause irregular cycles.
- Hormonal birth control:Pills, patches, injections, implants, and intrauterine devices (IUDs) control the hormones estrogen and progesterone to stop ovulation and can impact your cycle. You can use some types of hormonal birth control, like the pill, to stop periods.
- Perimenopause:This is the transition to menopause during your 40s and 50s. Your period becomes irregular until it eventually stops.
Certain conditions can also cause menstrual irregularities, including:
- Asherman's syndrome:This condition causes scarring inside the uterus, which can lead to irregular periods
- Congenital adrenal hyperplasia:This condition causes problems with the adrenal glands, which are found on top of the kidneys, and can result in irregular cycles
- Cushing's syndrome:People with Cushing's syndrome have high cortisol levels. The body produces this hormone during stressful times. You may experience infrequent or absent periods as a result.
- Diabetes:Diabetes can cause irregular periods if it's untreated.
- Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI):This is when the ovaries stop functioning normally, and menstruation ceases before age 40.
- Thyroid problems: An underactive or overactive thyroid can interrupt the menstrual cycle and cause irregular periods.
Do Long Menstrual Cycles Affect Fertility?
Some people with long menstrual cycles may worry about their fertility. Ovulation, when an ovary releases an egg, plays a key role in fertility.The timing of ovulation can vary your cycles.
Each menstrual cycle has three phases: the follicular (which includes menstruation), ovulatory, and luteal phases. The follicular phase occurs before ovulation and the luteal phase after. The luteal phase is relatively constant in every person, with a duration of 14 days. The follicular phase can vary in duration, from 10 to 16 days. A longer follicular phase may mean you ovulate later in your cycle, and can lead to a longer menstrual cycle overall.
Many people with long or irregular menstrual cycles get pregnant without problems. Infertility occurs when you cannot become pregnant after one year of trying to conceive.Talk to a healthcare provider if you're experiencing infertility. Artificial reproductive technology (ART), such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), can also be an option to get pregnant.
Consulting a healthcare provider may help if your periods are irregular. Long cycles may indicate an underlying health condition, like POI, eating disorders, or thyroid problems. A healthcare provider can run blood tests to check your hormone levels and prescribe treatments.
Bleeding after your period within three weeks may be a sign of an infection, fibroids, or, in rare cases, cancer. A healthcare provider will likely send you for an ultrasound to figure out any issues.
How To Delay Your Period in a Safe, Effective Way
A Quick Review
Periods typically happen every 21 to 35 days and last two to seven days. Your cycle may be irregular if fewer or more days than that pass between periods. Keep track of the first day of a few periods until you see a pattern to determine the regularity of your periods.
Consult a healthcare provider if your periods are irregular or you have other symptoms like severe cramps. They can run tests and prescribe treatments to help restore regular periods.
