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Page 22
| Irregular Periods |
| Oligomenorrhea is the term used for infrequent periods. Normally the three phases of the cycle occur within 21 to 35 days. Periods occurring longer than every 35 days may be the result of a problem which warrants investigation. It is likely that a hormonal irregularity exists that is suppressing the onset of menses. Since periods are continuing, the likelihood of a structural problem causing infrequent periods is remote. One should not rule out the possibility of pregnancy when periods seem to become irregular. It is not uncommon for a woman to bleed in her first trimester of pregnancy, and it is possible that she has mistaken this bleeding for a period. If the woman is of reproductive age and sexually active, this possibility should be considered. |
| If periods occur more frequently than every 21 days, the condition is called polymenorrhagia. Again, the likelihood is that there are hormonal imbalances creating the situation. Stress may be the cause of hormonal imbalance. As stated earlier, stress may initiate the production of hormones other than those necessary for normal female reproduction, in which case there may be a shortage of these hormones. |
| Tests to ascertain the levels of hormones in the blood may help to determine the cause of menstrual irregularities. Several types of tests exist, but perhaps the two most common are blood tests which can determine the levels of estrogen, progesterone, FSH and LH as of the day the test is performed, and a saliva test which is done on 11 different days during the cycle. This latter test can indicate a woman's progesterone and estrogen levels on the 11 representative days of her cycle. A chart of these levels, compared to a chart of normal hormone activity, may give a |
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