Irregular Periods & Risk of Pregnancy

Irregular periods can occur at any time in a woman's life for a number of different reasons. For women trying to conceive, irregular periods can be frustrating. For women trying to avoid conception, vigilant contraception is critical.

The Facts

• A period that occurs consistently every 24 to 29 days is considered to be a regular period, although cycles between 23 and 35 days are common..

Types

• Long term irregularity may be either a variation in length of a menstrual cycle from month to month or the absence of periods for months at a time. Irregularity is considered short term if a cycle is missed one month, but returns the next and is generally attributed to drug abuse, stress, nutrition or a hormonal imbalance.

Cause

• Significant weight gain, stress, drug and alcohol use, excessive exercise, eating disorders, uterine abnormalities, polycystic ovarian syndrome, hormonal imbalance, medications and poor nutrition are all potential causes of irregular periods.

Risks

• A woman who has short term irregular periods has a higher risk of unplanned pregnancy since the pattern of ovulation is not predictable. Alternatively, it is estimated that long term irregularity accounts for 30 to 40 percent of fertility problems.

Prevention/Solution

• Women suffering from irregular periods may find normalcy in their cycle by meditating regularly to reduce stress, eating a nutritious diet filled with a variety of vitamins and minerals, including calcium, magnesium and fish oil supplements and exercising moderately. Also, in order to avoid pregnancy, it is important to use birth control each time there is sexual intercourse.