The menstrual cycle includes ovulation and menstruation, and can vary in length from less than four weeks to over a month. Short cycles with a short luteal phase may make it difficult to become pregnant, while irregular cycles could be due to hormonal imbalances or other health conditions. It’s important to track cycle length and discuss any concerns with a doctor.
The length of the menstrual cycle refers to the entire cycle, including ovulation and menstruation. Sometimes people confuse this issue and think about the menstrual cycle only on the days when menstrual bleeding or period occurs. In fact, these days are simply the beginning and the cycle ends the day before the next menstrual bleeding begins. For many women, the length of the menstrual cycle is 28 days, but there is very normal variation.
Some women have relatively short cycles, lasting less than four weeks, and other women may have cycles much longer than that, possibly exceeding a month in length. These are not abnormal and represent the exceptional range of physical normality exhibited by the human female. There are clearly times when the cycle length is not what would be considered normal. Less than a three week cycle can be abnormal and even more than 40 days between periods can be viewed with some concern.
These differences don’t necessarily indicate poor health, but they could suggest reproductive health problems. This is especially true for a very short menstrual cycle which corresponds to a short luteal phase (the time between ovulation and the first day of the cycle). The short luteal phase is less than 10 days between ovulation and menstruation. It can be difficult for pregnancy to occur because the body does not create enough lining for the fetus to implant safely. Of course, when a cycle is very short, the luteal phase can be less than 10 days, and this is a good thing to discuss with a doctor if becoming pregnant is part of a woman’s plans.
Sometimes women will experience the cessation of their menstrual cycle altogether. This is not uncommon among competitive athletes, but also occurs in those with eating disorders or suffering from extreme malnutrition. When fat stores in the body fall below a certain level, amenorrhea or cessation of periods may occur. This is not necessarily dangerous, but if a poor diet or eating disorder is the cause, it is advisable to seek medical attention. Once they reach a higher body fat percentage, women usually revert to an average menstrual cycle length.
Perhaps more important than the days in a cycle is its regularity. A predictable cycle is helpful, but not all women experience it. Brief changes are common and a single period of delay is not an irregularity. Often having no idea when a cycle will start or end is a little more problematic and could have several causes.
The irregularity in the length of the menstrual cycle could be due to any condition that affects the regular production of estrogen or progesterone. As women get older and start approaching menopause, changes in menstrual cycle length are very common. However, since pregnancy is still possible, what appears to be a missed period should be investigated as a potential pregnancy. However, many women notice fluctuations in length and may have a variety of short and long cycles for several years until their periods stop.
Hormones can become imbalanced at other times, and conditions such as polycystic ovarian disease can lead to an irregular menstrual cycle length. Other gland disorders can affect hormone production. For example, people with thyroid disease or problems with the pituitary gland may have unpredictable menstrual cycle lengths.
Since occasionally varying cycle length can suggest other health conditions, it may be a good idea to track them for a few months. This information can be taken to a gynecologist or GP to discuss whether the irregularities could be cause for concern. What no woman should worry deeply about is a regular cycle that is a little shorter or longer than 28 days. This is extremely normal.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
