What Are the Causes of Abnormal Periods?

Normally, menstrual cycles range from 21 to 35 days in length, with bleeding lasting anywhere from two to seven days. Yet according to epigee.com, 30 percent of women of reproductive age experience an irregular period. Irregular or abnormal periods can be longer or shorter in length, heavier or lighter in volume or just sporadic. There are many reasons for an otherwise normal period to become abnormal.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

• PCOS is a hormonal condition affecting 10 percent of women in the United States. PCOS causes a spike in androgen (male hormone) production and a fluctuation in estrogen. This androgen spike causes male pattern hair growth and hair loss, and a fluctuation of estrogen can cause problems with ovulation as well as causing menstrual cycles to become irregular. This irregularity can cause periods to be longer or shorter than normal and change in volume. Irregular periods caused by PCOS are treated with low-dose birth control pills that contain a combination of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, to regulate abnormal menses.

Menopause

• Two years before menopause begins periods may become irregular due to a steady decrease of the hormone estrogen. During this stage commonly known as menopause transition, women notice that they have unusual menstrual cycles. At this time cycles often change in length from longer to shorter or in volume from heavy to light. There is not much that can be done long term for this condition because of the impending menopause. Once menopause begins estrogen has been depleted, causing an end to ovulation and thus stopping menstruation altogether.

Birth Control Pills

• While birth control pills remain a popular choice of contraception for women of childbearing age, it doesn't come without its risks. This is even more so with the progestin-based mini pill. This pill is designed to stop you from ovulating, which causes an irregularity in menses. Other birth control pills such as Yaz cause a woman to have a period just four times a year. The latter is usually a desired effect of the medication. Women who use general birth control pills such as Ortho Tri-Cyclen report in between spotting and irregular periods up to six months after discontinuing use.

Breast Feeding

• After having a baby, your period can take between 30 and 45 days to resume a regular schedule. This irregularity is due to a hormone called prolactin, which is responsible for producing breast milk. Oestrogen, which is a hormone responsible for menses, decreases to allow prolactin to stay in production. This process causes your period to halt. Without breast-feeding, the general 45-day standard applies for resumption of the menstrual cycle, but if you choose to breast feed your period will often continue to be on "hold," at least for six months to a year, if not longer.

Endometriosis

• Endometriosis is a disease that causes the uterine lining to grow in places outside of the uterus. The tissue normally thickens within the uterus preparing for the attachment of an embryo. If a pregnancy is not achieved, the wall breaks apart along with the unfertilized egg and menstrual blood. This is passed through the cervix as a period. With endometriosis, the lining outside of the uterus still behaves the same, causing it to bleed and shed. This disease only affects women who still have menstrual cycles.