home Audience 12 The menstrual cycle shifts. Sensitive nipples make it difficult to exercise. What can cause menstrual irregularities?

The menstrual cycle shifts. Sensitive nipples make it difficult to exercise. What can cause menstrual irregularities?

Very often on online medical forums, gynecologists are asked questions like “I have irregular periods. Please advise how to treat?”

Dear girls and women! In order to find out what causes an irregular menstrual cycle, the causes of delays and methods of treatment, advice should be obtained not on the Internet, but in the chair of a specialist. Yes, procedure gynecological examination is not one of the most pleasant, but what are a few minutes of your patience worth compared to possible long years of treatment?

“Women’s special days” - punishment of fate or physiological necessity

Incredibly, almost none of the girls have any idea what happens in their body during menstruation. As a rule, “these days” are perceived either as a punishment “from above” for everything female, or as an annoying obstacle to full life with some shameful meaning. In fact, everything is much simpler.

The frequency of functioning of reproductive mechanisms in a woman’s body, which is accompanied by bleeding from time to time, was not invented by nature by chance. What do you think is the most important purpose of a woman? “Get a decent education!”, “Benefit society!”, “Self-realization!” — the answers of young maximalists can be heard. Yes, all this is true, only our natural, most important purpose is to continue the human race on the planet. To do this, approximately once a month, an egg ready for fertilization begins to wait for the fastest “tadpole”. Over the course of a lifetime, approximately four hundred such eggs mature, but only a few wait for their “finest hour,” and that’s when babies appear in the family. And if the moment of fertilization does not happen, then the egg, naturally, becomes unnecessary for the body. Since its lifespan is only a few hours, it is excreted from the body along with the mucous membrane on which it was attached, awaiting its luck. Such rejection is akin to microscopic childbirth, and some women even feel cramping pain. Like any injury, the removal of the egg and mucous membrane is accompanied by bleeding, and continues for several days until the surface of the uterus heals.

But why is it that sometimes the cycle, which nature envisages as continuous and regular, is disrupted?

Irregular menstrual cycle: main causes

There are only two options when menstruation is irregular due to the fact that the body is taking a “vacation” for itself - if the girl is still too young, and ovulation (maturation) of eggs has not yet begun to occur strictly according to schedule, and vice versa, if a woman is already in adulthood approaches menopause and ovulation occurs less and less often. In all other cases, violation of the “schedule” is a signal of concern! So, when do you need to think about the causes of disruptions in the female cycle?

Childbirth, artificial termination of pregnancy.
Various cleanings, scrapings. Of course, after a “foreign” intervention in natural life processes, disruptions occur in the body, and menstruation becomes irregular. It should be noted that often the correct cyclicity is restored by itself, you just need to wait a little for the body to debug all its functions. If this does not happen for too long, then it’s time to visit the gynecologist!

2. Pathological causes

Insufficient output necessary hormones responsible for stable operation female system. These may be malfunctions of the most different organs, and it is possible to determine which one declared the “strike” only after a thorough examination.
Tumors, various “omas”, polyps, which can, growing in the uterus or appendages, disrupt the proper functioning of the genital area.
Ovarian diseases - cyst (single), polycystic (several), various dysfunctions of these organs.
Inflammatory processes that may have different nature, up to infections “from outside”.
Uterine endometriosis is a fairly common disease when the uterine endometrium grows on other organs, simultaneously disrupting their normal functioning. Why it occurs is not yet fully understood, but gynecologists consider endometriosis as one of the main causes of menstrual irregularity. How can a woman suspect that she has this disease? If you have brownish discharge before and after your period, you should consider visiting a doctor soon.
The contraceptives that a woman usually takes are not suitable for her body and conflict with her hormonal levels. In this case, it makes sense to consult with your doctor about replacing one remedy with another.
Other diseases that, at first glance, are not directly related to the genital area, but can have a fairly significant impact on it, for example, pathological processes in the thyroid gland, some blood diseases, diabetes. In any case, only a specialist can help, who should refer you to various studies, during which it may become clear the real reason Irregularity of menstruation.

Diseases of the female genital area can be very diverse, from the banal “I got too cold somewhere” to oncology. What exactly happens in the female organs - the uterus, ovaries, tubes or others - can only be determined by a gynecologist. Often the disease does not manifest itself in any way, nothing seems to hurt, and general state normal, but the menstrual cycle “jumps”. Only after passing the necessary examination and making necessary tests, a woman can find out for sure whether she has a pathology or not.

Irregular periods: how to restore your cycle

Where to start treatment, even if you have not yet seen a doctor?

First of all, reconsider your lifestyle, listen carefully to the sensations before, during, and after your period.
Give up bad habits, change your daily routine, and if there was room for working at night, give up that too. Establishing a sleep and rest schedule is very important if the body will work in normal mode, then this will immediately have a positive effect on all organs.
Review your diet - is it overloaded with excess carbohydrates and fats? Malfunctions digestive system do not have the best effect on reproductive function.

If after necessary examination the doctor will prescribe necessary treatment, carefully follow all recommendations, fulfill all appointments.

What steps can you take on your own, without harming the body, but on the contrary, helping it cope with disturbances in the functioning of one of the systems?

Woman and moon

The menstrual cycle directly depends on the phases of the moon, and ideally it is 28 days. If everything is in order in a woman’s body, menstruation occurs on a new moon or full moon, when the influence of the moon’s gravity is strongest (even seas and oceans react to this with the strongest tides). To bring the body's work into line with the phases of the moon, use this ancient technique that our grandmothers knew - do not curtain the windows tightly. If you need to close the window at night (for example, from overly nosy neighbors), then the lower half will be enough, and top part Let the window be open for the free penetration of healing moonlight.

“What should I do if I live in a metropolis, and the moon is practically invisible due to the bright night lighting?” - asks an inquisitive reader. Yes, in the city it is difficult to communicate with the moon, but this can be fixed. You can create a full moon effect if within three last days the expected cycle, turn on a weak night light, and every night it is better to curtain the windows with thick curtains, preventing the penetration of lantern light.

Folk remedies for normalizing the monthly cycle

During the ten days before the expected start of your period, include bread made from sprouted grains in your menu. This bread contains a lot of biological active substances, vitamins (including E), which help “debug” the functioning of the ovaries.
Will help restore normal cycle and an infusion for which they use pennyroyal: two spoons of dry herb should be poured with a glass of boiled water and left for five minutes.
Normalizes the functioning of female organs and fresh carrot juice: mix 150 grams of juice with cream (about 50 grams), drink before meals in the first ten days of each month.

Normal periods and sex

It is well known that during orgasm a strong uterine contraction occurs and a large number of hormones, and all this contributes to the normalization menstrual cycle. It was not for nothing that nature “invented” such an ability of our body as obtaining an orgasm - think about it. If sexual function doesn't work properly hormonal balance the entire body is disrupted, the woman begins to age quickly and notice more and more new age-related changes, up to diseases, which include disruption of the normal menstrual cycle.

And lastly, in our fast-paced, hectic life, a modern woman is less and less able to have a normal, full rest, but this is very important! Being in a state of constant stress, the body is unable to for a long time withstand such a load and invariably begins to “fail”. Learn to relax, disconnect from worries and restless thoughts. Remember that it is very important for your loved ones to see a healthy, cheerful wife, mother or grandmother next to them, because on women’s shoulders lies the responsible mission of maintaining warmth and comfort in the home, and therefore maintaining happiness in the family. Be healthy!

It just so happens that the reproductive function is activated in the girl’s body at the moment when she does not care about this function at all. Having just put the dolls aside, the girl is faced with a whole series of little-understood processes occurring in her body, which immediately begin to be heatedly discussed among her peers, with consultations from those who are older. And mothers in this situation do not always rise to the occasion, since they themselves are poorly versed in this topic.

So, let's figure out once and for all what happens to you every month, dear women, what is considered normal, what should alert you.

Most women answer a question about the length of their menstrual cycle with a similar phrase “about once a month, a couple of days earlier than the previous month”- this intricate phrase denotes the duration of the cycle of 28 days. This cycle length occurs in most healthy women, but does this mean that a shorter or longer cycle is a manifestation of pathology? No!

Recognized that a normal menstrual cycle can last from 21 to 35 days, that is, plus or minus a week from the average of 28 days. The duration of menstruation itself can normally range from 2 to 6 days, and the volume of blood lost should be no more than 80 ml. A longer cycle occurs among residents of the northern regions, a shorter cycle among those living in the southern regions, but this is not an absolute pattern.

Regularity is important in the menstrual cycle. That is, if a woman’s cycle is always 35-36 days, then this can be absolutely normal for her, but if it is either 26, then 35, then 21, this is not the norm. Thus, Irregularity can be considered a pathology(when menstruation comes at an uneven period of time), long cycle(more than 36 days) or short cycle(less than 21 days). In general, the menstrual cycle can vary greatly depending on the condition of the woman and the situation in which she finds herself.

However, different women lability of the menstrual cycle depending on external and internal factors can be different. For some, a little stress can already lead to a delay in menstruation, while for others, severe depression is not a reason for menstrual irregularities. One woman's menstrual cycle can match another's if they long time exist together. This is often seen on women's sports teams or when living together in a dorm. It is not entirely clear what explains this fact. All we can say is that menstrual cycle although there is a clear mechanism, but can vary significantly in normal healthy woman and these changes are a reflection of the body’s reaction to external and internal factors.

The menstrual cycle is not always stable

The most irregular period is the first two years after the start of menstruation and three years before its end (menopause). Violations during these periods are due entirely physiological reasons, which we will talk about below.

Where do these numbers come from and why might they change?

The menstrual cycle is divided into three phases: menstruation, the first phase (follicular) and the second phase (luteal). Menstruation lasts on average 4 days. During this phase, the lining of the uterus (endometrium) is shed due to failure to become pregnant.

First phase lasts from the end of menstruation until ovulation, that is, on average until the 14th day of the cycle with a 28-day cycle (the days of the cycle are counted from the moment the menstruation begins).

This phase is characterized by the following events: several follicles begin to grow in the ovaries (from birth, the ovaries contain a lot of small vesicles (follicles) containing eggs). During their growth, these follicles secrete estrogens (female sexual hormones) into the blood, under the influence of which the mucous membrane (endometrium) grows in the uterus.

Shortly before the 14th day of the cycle, all follicles except one stop growing and regress, and one grows to an average of 20 mm and bursts under the influence of special stimuli. This process is called ovulation. An egg emerges from a ruptured follicle and enters the fallopian tube, where she waits for the sperm. The edges of the ruptured follicle gather (like a flower closing for the night) and this formation is now called the “corpus luteum.”

Starts immediately after ovulation second phase of the cycle. It lasts from the moment of ovulation until the start of menstruation, that is, about 12-14 days. During this phase, the woman's body waits for the pregnancy to begin. In the ovary, the “corpus luteum” blossoms, formed from a burst follicle. corpus luteum grows into blood vessels and begins to secrete another female sexual hormone (progesterone) into the blood, which prepares the uterine mucosa for the attachment of a fertilized egg and the onset of pregnancy. If pregnancy does not occur, then a signal is sent to the corpus luteum and it curtails its work.

When the corpus luteum stops secreting progesterone, a signal is sent to the uterus, and it begins to reject the no longer needed endometrium. Menstruation begins.

With different cycle lengths, the duration of the phases is reduced - this means that one woman needs 10 days for the follicle to mature, while another needs 15-16.

Having understood what the menstrual cycle consists of, it is easy to understand what determines its duration normally and in the presence of pathology.

Why is everything often unstable at the very beginning and then, after childbirth, it gets better?

The female reproductive system matures gradually, and being a complex mechanism, requires a setup period. The fact that a girl's first menstruation occurs does not mean that its system is mature and ready to work fully(although for some, the menstrual cycle starts working correctly from the very beginning).

The functioning of the female reproductive system can best be compared to an orchestra, the coordinated play of all the instruments of which creates the unique sound of a piece of music - in our case regular menstrual cycle. Just as instruments in an orchestra require a period of tuning, all components of the reproductive system need to agree with each other to understand and work together harmoniously. Such a rehearsal usually takes about 6 months - for some it is longer, for others it is shorter, and for others it may take longer.

Why do there be delays or do my periods start earlier?

Everything is very simple - if during the first phase of the cycle it is not possible to grow a full-fledged follicle, which could burst in the middle of the cycle (ovulation), then the second phase of the cycle, accordingly, does not begin (no ovulation - there is nothing to form the corpus luteum from). The first phase lasts a long time, until the uterine mucosa (endometrium), which has grown under the influence of estrogen, begins to be rejected on its own (like a pyramid of cubes collapses when it is stood too high). The cycle in this situation can last up to several months.

In this case, in the next cycle, ovulation may occur and the cycle will have a normal length. When such alternation occurs, they speak of an irregular menstrual cycle.

Another reason for delayed menstruation may be too long existence of the corpus luteum. As I noted above, it lives for about 10 days and then begins to curtail its work, since pregnancy has not occurred. But sometimes it happens that despite the fact that pregnancy has not occurred, the corpus luteum continues its work and menstruation does not occur, and occurs only when the corpus luteum finally decides to leave.

More earlier onset of menstruation This is usually due to the fact that the notorious corpus luteum, on the contrary, stops its work too early. This leads to more early start menstruation.

Remember how the orchestra sounds when it tunes its instruments - the same cacophony from the menstrual cycle is often observed at the beginning. The components of the reproductive system negotiate so that they can grow a follicle in 14 days, start the ovulation process, and maintain the functioning of the corpus luteum for at least 10 days. At the beginning, she does not succeed in all stages of this work and this is manifested by an irregular menstrual cycle.

But this adjustment can be seriously interfered with by the person himself. Nothing has such a negative impact on the development of the reproductive system as stress(intensive study, exams, unhappy love), reinforced sports training, extreme weight loss, frequent illnesses, smoking, alcohol and drugs. Against the backdrop of all of the above, quite often periods disappear and then you have to wait a long time for them. And the reason is very simple, I would say there is simple biological expediency in this - in extreme conditions life and when, for health reasons, a woman cannot bear healthy offspring, the reproductive function is turned off until better times. It’s not for nothing that during the war, most women stopped menstruating; this phenomenon was even given a special term “wartime amenorrhea.”

What to do about it?

Let me make it clear right away that I don’t take into account various diseases, I'm talking about some common menstrual cycle adjustment problems. Such cycle disorders are solved by taking hormonal contraception. Here we need to return again to the comparison with the orchestra. If the orchestra starts to go out of tune, you must stop playing completely, give the musicians a rest and start again. Hormonal contraception does just that. She turns off reproductive system and she “rests” the entire time she takes contraception. Then, after its cancellation, the system begins to work again and, as a rule, the cycle failures disappear.

Why does the cycle quite often become stable after childbirth, and sexuality flourishes?

The orchestra can rehearse as much as it wants, but it is finally played only when it performs its first concert from beginning to end. Pregnancy is the only purpose for which the reproductive system is designed in the body. Only after the first full pregnancy After childbirth and the period of breastfeeding, the reproductive system matures completely, since during this period all the functions provided by nature are realized. After pregnancy, a woman finally matures and all the not fully “unpacked” properties of the body finally begin to work in full force.

The reproductive system must be used for its intended purpose - this is important; menstruation is not a function of the reproductive system, but a monthly reminder that it exists at all and is still working.

Let's step beyond 30...

Time passes, the reproductive system, which on average is allotted to exist in working order for 38 years (from 13 to 51), instead of performing its function is limited only to regular menstruation.

For reference: on average, a woman experiences about 400 menstruation during her life (with 2 births) and loses about 32 liters of blood, while during reproductive behavior (pregnancy, childbirth, 3 years of breastfeeding, and only then 1-2 menstruation and pregnancy again ) there are about 40 menstruation periods.

In addition, as a woman ages, her history of various gynecological and common diseases , and all this begins to affect the state of the reproductive system and, therefore, is reflected in menstrual irregularities. Inflammation, abortion, gynecological operations, overweight or underweight, general chronic diseases may cause problems.

Menstrual irregularities in the form of delays or earlier onset of menstruation a couple of times a year can occur even in the absence of any pathology.

As a rule, this is due to climate change or other stresses on the body (illness, hard work, personal problems, etc.). All nervous professions can lead to either delays in menstruation, their earlier onset or complete cessation.

Every woman is different, so everyone's cycle will change differently depending on the type of stress response and the phase of the cycle in which it occurs. For most women nervous work have no effect on their menstrual cycle at all. Cycle disorders, especially if it was stable before, often make a woman think that something is wrong with her. Not in all cases you need to panic.

If you can clearly remember any negative events in the recent past that greatly shocked you, then most likely this is a one-time cycle disruption and there is nothing wrong with it. If there is no menstruation for a very long time (and the pregnancy test is negative), then you need to consult a doctor. If menstruation came earlier and does not end, this is also a reason to rush to see a gynecologist.

Sometimes Cyclic disorders can manifest as very frequent menstruation(several times a month). And there is no need to delay it - see a doctor immediately.
But if the regularity of the cycle disappears completely– this is also a reason to see a doctor.

Regularity– the main indicator of the normal functioning of the reproductive system. Sometimes it happens that a cycle had one duration and suddenly becomes shorter while maintaining its regularity. As a rule, this is due to the fact that the second phase of the cycle becomes shorter, as the corpus luteum begins to work less. Such changes are more often observed closer to 40 years. This is not a reason to panic, but simply a reflection that your reproductive system will change as you age, just like you.

Early menopause

This is one of the very common fears of women. In fact, this fear is exaggerated, since early menopause quite rare. It is mainly due to rare congenital diseases, rare systemic diseases, a consequence of treatment (chemotherapy, radiation therapy for oncological diseases) and other rare conditions. There are situations when, as a result of surgery, a woman’s ovary or part of it is removed. Then menopause may occur earlier due to the fact that there is little tissue left in the ovaries that could support normal operation reproductive system.

Early menopause As a rule, it is manifested by the cessation of menstruation and the appearance of symptoms of insufficiency of female sex hormones (hot flashes, irritability, tearfulness, insomnia, etc.). There is no prevention of this disease.

Painful periods and PMS

For some reason it is generally accepted that bad feeling during menstruation it is normal phenomenon. Presence of pain, nausea, migraines during menstruation is not normal. This condition of painful menstruation is called dysmenorrhea and requires treatment. Even if these phenomena are expressed insignificantly, they can and should be corrected.

Dysmenorrhea it happens like primary(most often in at a young age), when it is most likely due to simply the immaturity of the reproductive system and secondary– when it is a reflection of a number of serious gynecological diseases .

The same applies to premenstrual syndrome. In general, the widespread popularization of this syndrome allows women to attribute their sometimes not entirely adequate actions and behavior to manifestations of this syndrome. However, PMS is not a woman’s personality trait., which everyone has to put up with. PMS is a disease, which has incompletely studied causes, a whole list of symptoms and specific treatment measures. Manifestations of PMS can and should be corrected. Take monthly illness for granted in modern conditions wrong. If you have such problems, consult a doctor.

How it all ends

Decline of the reproductive system usually occurs in the same way as its formation. Menstruation becomes irregular and there is a tendency to be delayed. This is due to the same reasons as in the beginning.

The ovaries respond less well to stimuli from the brain. It is not possible to grow follicles that could reach ovulation - accordingly, the cycle is delayed. If ovulation occurs periodically, the resulting corpus luteum does not work well. Because of this, periods either start earlier or, on the contrary, are delayed for a long time. Eventually your periods will stop, and if you haven't had them for more than 6 months, you should see a doctor. Based hormonal tests and ultrasound can suggest the onset of menopause.

Sometimes there are cases when menstruation stops for a long time, and according to tests and ultrasound, the onset of menopause is expected. This can be especially frightening for young women. However, this may only be a temporary period, and menstruation may resume on its own, for example after proper rest.

Thus, the myth that 28 days is the norm and everything that differs from this figure is pathology has been debunked. The main thing in the menstrual cycle is its regularity, and the duration of the cycle can fluctuate over a wide range.

And yet, there is a simple rule: if you regularly undergo preventive examinations with a gynecologist (at least once a year), if any violations appear, do not put off an “unpleasant” trip to the gynecologist - then you will almost never have serious gynecological problems.

The menstrual cycle is a physiological process that serves as an important indicator women's health. The onset of menstruation indicates that the girl has reached reproductive age and ready to conceive a child. And with age, there is a decline in reproductive function, which is reflected in the nature of menstruation.

Many women are sensitive about their periods and worry about any changes in their frequency or duration. And this is absolutely correct, since deviations in the cycle, as a rule, indicate certain problems in the body. Irregular periods occur at any age: in young girls and women after 40 years. But everyone is concerned about the same question - why does this happen and what needs to be done to normalize the cycle? Only a doctor can answer this after a complete examination of the patient.

Menstrual irregularities are a common complaint modern women. This is facilitated by many factors that require careful identification and competent correction.

Causes

The menstrual cycle is highly sensitive to the influence of various factors and is very sensitive to changes in a woman’s body. The causes of irregular periods can be very different, but largely depend on age. For young girls who have just begun menstruating, some deviations from the generally accepted norm are not critical, and, moreover, are considered quite physiological. The same can be said about women after 40 years of age, who begin to show age-related changes in the functions of the reproductive system.

However, irregular periods can be the result of more than just physiological changes, but also different pathological conditions. And if in young girls such disorders are mainly of a functional nature, then for women after 40 years of age, organic causes of instability of menstruation are more typical. Thus, we can identify the most common factors influencing the regularity of the cycle:

Stress, neurotic reactions.
Physical and mental fatigue.
Fasting, unhealthy diet.
Obesity.
Endometriosis.
Tumors, uterine polyps.
Ovarian diseases.
Endocrine pathology.
Infections of the reproductive system.
Taking certain medications (contraceptives, antihypertensives).
Bad habits (smoking, alcoholism).

This is far from full list conditions that can cause changes in the nature of menstruation. The cause can be almost any disease that is characterized pronounced impact on metabolic processes body.

It is possible to determine why a woman has an irregular cycle through a medical examination and additional diagnostics.

Symptoms

Cycle disorders are manifested by changes in the frequency of menstruation, as well as their nature. Can be various options such dysfunctions, which is determined by a violation of regulatory mechanisms at various levels - from the cerebral cortex to the uterus - provoked by an underlying disease or other condition. Therefore, to find out the cause of irregular periods, you need to consider the main symptoms of the pathological cycle. These include:

Amenorrhea – absence of menstruation.
Polymenorrhea - an increase in the duration of the cycle.
Oligomenorrhea – decreased cycle duration.
Proyomenorrhea – frequent discharge.
Opsomenorea – infrequent menstruation.
Hypermenorrhea – heavy periods.
Hypomenorrhea – scanty bleeding.
Algodismenorrhea – painful menstruation.

In girls and women after 40 years of age, an irregular cycle can manifest itself with the same symptoms, but the reasons can be radically different.

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is a common gynecological pathology, in which endometrial cells develop outside the lining of the uterus. It is more common at a young age than in women after 40 years of age. This is due to the fact that during active reproductive age the concentration of sex hormones responsible for endometrial growth is higher. The disease is characterized by the appearance of:

Algodismenorrhea.
Spotting between periods.
Uterine bleeding.
Pain during sexual intercourse (infrequently).

In many cases, endometriosis is completely asymptomatic, but despite this, it is accompanied by quite serious complications - adhesions, infertility, tumor degeneration. Sometimes the disease is disguised as another pelvic pathology, and often without additional examination making a diagnosis becomes difficult.

Half the cases female infertility accounts specifically for endometriosis. Therefore, during a gynecological examination of women with menstrual irregularities, it is always necessary to remember the likelihood of such a pathology.

Tumors of the uterus

Irregular periods often occur with tumor diseases of the uterus: fibroids, polyps, endometrial hyperplasia. Quite often this situation occurs among women after 40 years of age, when the processes hormonal changes, accumulate unfavorable factors and the risk of tissue degeneration increases.

If the size of the tumor is insignificant, the disease may be asymptomatic, but as the size increases, the nature of the cycle changes - intermenstrual bleeding appears - at first insignificant, and later increasingly depleting the woman’s body. As the tumor grows, pain may appear in the lower abdomen or lower back, which intensifies during sexual intercourse. Fibroids often reach significant sizes, and uterine polyps during reproductive age can lead to infertility.

A dangerous disease is uterine cancer. It most often occurs in women after 40 years of age, during menopause. At the same time, there are uterine bleeding(metrorrhagia), cloudy discharge from the genital tract is possible. As a result of tumor growth into nearby tissues, pain and dysfunction of the pelvic organs are observed.

Women should always be on alert for cancer, especially after 40 years. You should regularly undergo preventive examinations and do the necessary examinations.

Ovarian diseases

Ovarian pathology is one of the causes of menstrual dysfunction. If you have irregular periods, this may occur due to inflammatory processes (salpingo-oophoritis), polycystic disease, developmental abnormalities (leg torsion, hypoplasia).

Polycystic ovary syndrome occurs in 5% of women of reproductive age and is one of the leading causes of infertility. Along with various menstrual cycle disorders, including anovulation, the following symptoms are observed:

Obesity.
Hair development by male type(hypertrichosis).
Baldness, acne.
Ovarian enlargement.

Chronic inflammatory diseases accompanied by spotting bloody discharge, nagging pain lower abdomen. Untreated pathology leads to tubal infertility due to the development of adhesions.

Having determined why a woman has an unstable menstrual cycle, it is necessary to begin treatment immediately. With adequate therapy, reproductive function can be normalized.

Treatment

It is necessary to treat an irregular menstrual cycle differentially, depending on the identified pathology. If the changes are functional and impact mediated external factors on a woman’s body, then you can not take radical measures, but limit yourself to general recommendations to improve lifestyle. These include:

In certain cases, this is enough, especially for girls of asthenic physique who are prone to neuroses. However, when organic diseases are detected, it is necessary to carry out therapy aimed at restoring regular cycle. And it’s not always possible to correct the situation alone conservative methods, but you have to resort to surgery.

Conservative treatment

The basis conservative therapy- this is a technique medicines. Any medications are used in strict accordance with approved clinical guidelines and standards for the treatment of pathology of the menstrual cycle. You should take medications only as prescribed by a doctor, otherwise the imbalance may worsen. physiological processes and provoke a worsening of the condition. Typically, the following medications are used:

Hormonal preparations containing progesterone (Duphaston, Utrozhestan), antiestrogens (Danazol) or antiandrogens (Diane-35).
Hemostatic agents (dicinone, aminocaproic acid).
Antibiotics – for inflammatory processes (ofloxacin, amoxicillin).
Iron supplements – for anemia (gyno-tardiferon, globiron).

In addition, for many women with menstrual irregularities, it is indicated Spa treatment(balneotherapy). However, for tumor diseases, any physical procedures are contraindicated.

Timely correction of menstrual irregularities is of great importance. The restoration of reproductive function and the ability to become pregnant depend on this.

Surgery

The operation is important method treatment of various neoplasms. In case of a benign process, only removal of the pathological focus is performed, followed by drug support. If the tumor is characterized by pronounced cellular atypia, then it is necessary to use combined treatment with chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

Uterine polyps and glandular hyperplasia The endometrium is treated by curettage. If fibroids are diagnosed, the course of the operation depends on its location and size. IN menopause Removal of the uterus (hysterectomy) is recommended. In cases of severe endometriosis, electrocoagulation of the identified lesions is performed. In case of confirmed cancer, it is necessary to perform an extended extirpation of the uterus with appendages and regional lymph nodes.

Menstrual irregularities are a common problem among women of various ages. Its decision is determined by the timeliness and quality of medical care.

The female body is a great mystery! And like inexplicable events in nature, changes in the phases of the moon, a woman’s life also changes. Many scientists have noticed that the cyclical nature of the heavenly body is reflected in a girl’s menstrual cycle. But sometimes there are storms, and a woman’s health is susceptible to changes from the outside and disturbances occur in the body, which can bring a lot of inconvenience to a woman’s life, and most importantly, deprive her of the opportunity to experience the joy of motherhood!

Let's figure out what a normal menstrual cycle is

Regular menstrual cycle is a sign of health female body.

This is a cyclical, monthly period in the life of every healthy woman, except for the period of pregnancy and breastfeeding, starting from the first day of the appearance of bleeding (menstruation) and until the first day of the next period. Normally, this period ranges from 21 to 35 days, plus or minus 3 days. If the cycle is shorter or longer, then we can already talk about pathology and sound the alarm. The menstrual cycle plays a huge role in a woman’s reproductive function and is necessary for the ability to fertilize, bear and give birth to children.

A girl becomes a girl with the onset of her first period (menarche), which usually begins between 11 and 14 years of age. They may be irregular at first, but after a couple of years the cycle becomes established. And throughout life it is stable, until the period of premenopause, somewhere around 40–50 years.

From birth, a girl’s ovaries contain up to 2 million follicles; by the beginning of menarche, there are up to 400 thousand of them left. One menstrual cycle “uses” one ripening follicle to release an egg.

Cyclic changes normally in women have a two-phase cycle and are clearly controlled hormonal mechanism influence of the endocrine glands.

Normal parameters of the menstrual cycle:

The duration of the cycle is from 21 to 35 days. On average 28 days.
The duration of menstruation is from 2 to 7 days. On average 5 days.
Conditional blood loss is from 40 to 60 ml. On average 50 ml.

Cycle phases

The first phase, or follicular. During this period, the follicle grows and matures in the ovaries under the influence of hormones from the pituitary gland and hypothalamus (follicle-stimulating hormone or FSH). An egg is released from a mature follicle during ovulation (the middle of the menstrual cycle), ready for fertilization.
The second phase, or luteal. During this phase, again under the influence of brain hormones (luteinizing hormone or LH), the corpus luteum matures, releasing the follicle egg. If, nevertheless, pregnancy occurs during ovulation, then the corpus luteum of pregnancy is formed from this follicle, producing progesterone for up to 16 weeks, the high level of which helps to maintain pregnancy. And at 16 weeks, the placenta takes over this function.

Parallel to the ovaries, cyclic hormonal influence The endometrium in the uterus is also affected.

The endometrium, as is known, consists of several layers, the superficial layers are represented by the functional and intermediate layers. The basal layer is not rejected during menstruation, but ensures the restoration of the rejected layers. The intermediate one, being rejected, comes out in the form of menstruation.

Cyclic changes in the endometrium are distinguished in the form of the following phases:

Proliferation ( follicular phase). Active hormones V this phase is estrogen. It lasts from the 5th day of the cycle for 12–14 days. During this period, the surface layer of the endometrium grows with tubular glands up to 8 mm thick.
Secretion (luteal phase). During this phase, both progesterone and estrogen levels increase and lasts approximately 14 days. During this period, the tubular glands begin to produce secretions, the peak of which is reached on the 21st day of the cycle. Blood flow to the endometrial arteries increases on the 22nd day of the cycle, creating favorable conditions for implantation of the zygote.
Menstruation. When pregnancy does not occur, due to the low amount of hormones produced by the ovary, blood supply to the endometrium decreases, blood clots and spasms form in the vessels, and then their sharp expansion leads to endometrial rejection. This is observed by the 24th–27th day of the cycle. Menstruation itself consists of the following phases:

Desquamation (rejection of the functional layer).
Regeneration (healing of the functional layer). This phase begins immediately after the endometrial intermediate layer is shed. The basis for this, as mentioned above, is the basal layer. And on the 4th day, epithelization of the entire surface of the endometrium occurs after its rejection.

Continuous cyclical process of friendly reproductive organs– glands, ovaries and endometrium, throughout the entire menstrual cycle promotes maturation, release of the egg from the ovary and its fertilization, attachment to the already prepared endometrium (thanks to a two-phase cycle) and further development and maintenance of pregnancy, largely by ovarian hormones. If fertilization does not occur, then functional layer(necessary during pregnancy for the embryo to attach to it and ensure its vital activity) is rejected in the form of menstruation.

The process of regulation of the cyclic process is carried out by the neuroendocrine system through direct and feedback hormones, i.e. when some hormones decrease, others increase and vice versa. There is the following hierarchy of levels of regulation of the menstrual cycle:

The first level is the cerebral cortex, limbic system, hippocampus and amygdala. Influence top level depends on its initial state and the action of external factors. Therefore, menstrual irregularities often depend on mental state women, and sometimes you can observe a delay in menstruation after suffering stress.
The second level is the hypothalamus. It is influenced by the feedback principle of sex hormones coming from the blood.
The third level is the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland, which produces LH and FSH, prolactin, adenocorticotropic and thyroid-stimulating hormones.
The fourth level is the ovaries, thyroid and adrenal glands.
The fifth level is sensitive to the action of hormones (uterus, endometrium and mammary gland).

But, unfortunately, not all women have a regular menstrual cycle and work like a clock. All violations are divided into the following categories:

Irregularity of the cycle.
Pain when releasing menstrual blood.

Reasons why the menstrual cycle is disrupted

Impact on the body from the outside - stress, overwork, malnutrition, change of place of residence and climate.
Internal factors – accompanying illnesses(pathology of the ovaries, central nervous system, adrenal glands, endometrial diseases, curettage of the uterine cavity and abortions, liver diseases, impaired hemostasis, etc.).
Under the influence medicinal substances(hormones, anticoagulants, drugs used in psychiatry, etc.).

Types of menstrual irregularities

Algodysmenorrhea, or painful menstruation, is often not the norm, but one of the types of menstrual cycle disorders.

Menorrhagia (hypermenstrual syndrome)– cyclic heavy menstruation. It in turn is divided into:

Polymenorrhea – prolonged bleeding, occurring cyclically with an interval of less than 21 days.
Proyomenorrhea – increased menstruation.
Hypermenorrhea is a large amount of menstrual flow.

Hypomenstrual syndrome– external manifestation of decreased menstruation:

Hypomenorrhea – scanty menstrual flow.
Oligomenorrhea – duration of menstruation up to 2 days.
Opsomenorea is an interval between menstruation of more than 5–8 weeks.
Spaniomenorea - mensis is observed up to 2-4 times a year.
Amenorrhea is the absence of menstruation for more than 6 months.

– bleeding that began a year or more after the cessation of menstruation in older women.
Metrorrhagia – acyclic bleeding, not accompanied by endometrial rejection.
Intermenstrual bleeding – occurs between periods.
Algodismenorrhea – painful menstruation.
Juvenile bleeding – profuse bloody issues in teenage girls.

Treatment of menstrual disorders

After a complete examination of the woman, including collection of anamnesis, detailed general and gynecological examination, ultrasound examination, smear taking, clinical and biochemical analysis blood test, coagulogram, hormonal examination, hysteroscopy, and sometimes an MRI, you can begin treatment.

First of all, it is necessary to exclude the influence of external factors.
Treatment of concomitant diseases.
Hemostatic therapy is provided for bleeding.
Surgical treatment (curettage of the uterine cavity, removal of the uterus).
Hormonal therapy. Use combined oral contraceptives, gestagens, GnRH agonists.

Self-medication is extremely unacceptable! This is dangerous for a woman's life. If menstrual irregularities occur, you should seek help from medical institution, because delay can lead to inflammation in mild cases, endocrine disorders, infertility, and in as a last resort- To fatal outcome. Take care of yourself and your health - it is priceless!

When a girl reaches the age of 12-14 years, she begins to have her first critical days. This suggests that the body is physiologically ready to give new life. Regular menstruation ends at the age of 50-55, followed by menopause. This whole process is divided into cycles called menstrual cycles. These periods have very strict time frames, but sometimes they entail a number of diseases and simply unpleasant situations. But first things first.

Menstruation is the process of the body shedding the functional lining of the uterus. This happens if the egg is not fertilized during ovulation. Normally, the menstrual cycle lasts 21–35 days. This period is regulated nervous system- hypothalamus and pituitary gland. The thyroid gland, as well as the adrenal cortex, have a certain influence.

Girls experience their first periods differently. This depends, oddly enough, on the climate in which they live: the warmer the living conditions, the faster the organism matures, so it is known that in many Scandinavian countries The first critical days begin at 16, and the menstrual cycle can last up to 35 days. Failure for several days due to stress is quite normal. But what to do if such a failure happens regularly? What does this mean and how to treat it?

Causes of menstruation irregularities

After a girl gets her first period, her periods will be completely erratic for 8-10 cycles. During this period, the body undergoes a restructuring and a healthy menstrual cycle is established, which ranges from 21 days to 35 days. In adult women, menstruation is more stable, so it is much easier to monitor its irregularities and identify pathology.

Infection

The most common cause of cycle disruption is infections that affect the pelvic organs.

Possible signs of pelvic infection:

irregular menstruation (delay of 5-7 days or more);
prolongation of bleeding time (more than 7 days);
painful menstruation;
pain in the lower abdomen outside of menstrual bleeding;
increase in body temperature.

If you notice that your menstrual cycle has changed or your periods have become inconsistent, contact your doctor who will conduct an examination and prescribe treatment.

Most often, if the causes of the disorder are chlamydia, ureaplasma, mycoplasma or other bacteria, then special treatment will get rid of unpleasant discomfort. This is the most common cause of menstrual irregularities, and it is quite easy to cure. There are much more dangerous problems.

Often the menstrual period may shift or lengthen due to gynecological diseases (uterus and its appendages). In this regard, treatment is simply necessary, as this can cause infertility. When the uterus becomes inflamed, severe pain appears in the lower abdomen and mucous discharge occurs. If you run similar diseases, in the future they can manifest themselves in the form heavy bleeding, the menstrual period will lengthen or become completely unstable. In this case, you should definitely consult a doctor.

Both young girls and mature women face this problem. Hormonal disbalance often caused by insufficiency of the second phase of the menstrual cycle. But what will cause the unstable release of hormones in the body?

Malfunction thyroid gland. We can talk about both its hyperfunction and hypofunction.
Adrenal dysfunction.
Past acute and chronic diseases.

Hormonal pathology is often accompanied by a shortening of menstrual bleeding time and a long delay in the cycle. If your periods become scanty and continue to decrease, and the interval between them increases, you should consult a doctor.

When a woman uses contraceptive pills it causes a malfunction of the reproductive system, and therefore the sperm is not able to fertilize the egg. But, in addition to this, these drugs have a serious effect on the same hormonal background, due to which, against the background of their cancellation, the menstrual cycle may increase to 60 days. These medications should only be used after consulting a doctor.

Climate change

As mentioned above, girls who live in warm countries begin their periods much earlier. This indicates that climate directly affects the female body. It is for this reason that a change in climate zone can cause menstruation irregularities. But no treatment is needed in this case, the female body very quickly adapts to new living conditions and within a month everything will fall into place.

Bad dream

Lack of sleep is another cause of hormonal imbalance in women. The productivity of the body decreases, and it is no longer able to satisfy the female reproductive system in the required amount of life. important elements. As a result, menstruation may be disrupted for a day or two in either direction each cycle. There is no need to panic about this - normalize it

In this situation it is quite simple. You just need to get a good rest and schedule a work schedule that will include enough time for sleep and rest. After this, with high probability, everything will return to its place.

Diet can affect your menstrual cycle! For example, you decided to go on a diet, you limited your body from a number of harmful fats, cholesterol and other not so useful substances. The body immediately senses this and begins to adapt to hormonal level. This leads to failure. And if we also add physical exercise, then such an imbalance is more than likely. But in this case, treatment is not necessary, this process is largely adaptive and within a month you will be able to return to a stable menstrual cycle again.

An important point: strict diets and sudden loss weight can lead to amenorrhea. In this case, menstruation will be completely absent. A mandatory consultation with a gynecologist and nutritionist is required.

It has already been said above that menstruation can be delayed for several days. stressful situations and there is nothing terrible here, but depression and constant worries can lead to much more serious problems, and the change in the menstrual period will be only one of them. Delays in this case are possible up to 60 days. In such situation correct treatment– this is the only way out!

Anovulation

If you think that 40 days is a very long cycle, then, fortunately, you are not aware of such problems as oligoovulation (rare ovulations) and anovulation ( complete absence ovulation - maturation of the egg). This is very serious illness which requires medical intervention. With such a pathology, the normal cycle is disrupted, and natural attack pregnancy is almost impossible.

Stopping menstruation may be a sign of pregnancy. Each menstrual cycle, the uterus “restores” before ovulation, preparing the body for possible procreation. If fertilization has taken place, the lining of the uterus no longer needs regular renewal, and therefore menstruation stops. After childbirth, the menstrual cycle will gradually resume.

Cycle disruption in girls is a very common phenomenon and completely natural. The fact is that at a young age, hormonal levels are just beginning to establish themselves. The menstrual cycle either increases or becomes shorter, but within the first year after menarche it becomes stable, after which it is easier to create a women’s calendar.

Diets

Women who undergo extreme diets and begin to lose weight rapidly also begin to suffer from irregular cycle. Such sudden changes vitality very harmful to the female body. But not only diet is to blame, but also rapid weight gain. In this case, the menstrual period may become shorter or, conversely, longer. To avoid this outcome, use exclusively the diets prescribed by a nutritionist, exercise and eat right. The diet plays a role in this case. the most important role. Interestingly, among representatives of the fair sex who suffer from anorexia, menstruation stops completely due to severe exhaustion and weakening of the body.

This term is more familiar to mature women. At the age of 45-50 years, the body is no longer able to regenerate so rapidly, this also applies to the uterine mucosa: the menstrual cycle has become longer, and menstruation passes without heavy discharge. In this case, we can assume that failure of menstruation in adulthood is the first sign of menopause. This also applies to women with early menopause.

So, it's worth summing up. There are a large number of diseases and disorders that cause an increase in the menstrual cycle, its reduction or instability. There is no point in talking about treatment methods, because thousands of gynecologists from all over the world insist that diseases of the female body must be dealt with under the supervision of doctors, no self-medication, and even more so traditional medicine. All medications should be prescribed by a gynecologist after a thorough examination of the patient.

Factor	Causes	Symptoms	Consequences	Danger level on a 10-point scale
Cycle disruption without obvious symptoms	Infection	–	Transfer of infection to other organs, infertility	5
Cycle disturbances, prolongation of the menstrual cycle	Fatigue, heaviness in the body, nausea, changes in other organs	Decline female function, dryness and increased sensitivity of the genitals	7
Cycle disruption	–	Decreased sexual function, feeling of dryness in the bikini area	3
Cycle disruption	Change in climatic conditions		–	1
Cycle disruption	Heaviness, drowsiness, fatigue	–	2
Cycle disruption	Unbalanced diet	Heaviness in the body, fatigue	The appearance of unpleasant odors, itching and rashes	4
Disturbance and prolongation of the menstrual cycle	Stress and depression	Decreased activity, drowsiness	–	3
	Oligoovulation and anovulation	Pathological discharge.		10
Cycle disruption or complete stop	Inflammation of the uterus and its appendages	Lower abdominal pain, fever, unpleasant odors, copious discharge	decreased female function, infertility.	8
Stopping menstruation	Pregnancy	Drowsiness and fatigue, toxicosis	–	1
Cycle disruption	–	–	1
Increased or decreased menstrual cycle without cause of disease	Sudden weight gain or loss, anorexia	–	–	3
Stopping menstruation	Hot flashes, sweating, insomnia, sudden mood swings	–	2

Now you will know why the menstrual cycle fails and what to do when this happens to you. So if your periods regarding menstruation have changed, there is no need to panic yet, you need to study all the symptoms in detail, and it is best to consult a doctor immediately.