Long menstrual cycles

Menstrual cycle

The reproductive system of a woman is really remarkable. The two main hormones in a woman’s body are the progesterone and estrogen and they are responsible for developing of female sex characteristics. It is normal that every woman gets her menstruation once a month. Medically, a normal period between two menstruations in women is considered to be from 23 to 25 days. However, many women face many menstrual irregularities, such as excessive and heavy menstruation, painful menstruation, or the menstruation does not appear for several months. Long menstrual cycle is considered to be the absence of menstruation for two or more months, which is accompanied by heavy blood flow once it finally occurs.

Causes of long menstrual cycles

There are many reasons that are responsible for the occurrence of long menstrual cycles. For example, stress and anxiety can be potential causes of this condition. Unfortunately, nowadays, many women are almost under constant stress because of their many everyday duties and responsibilities. Because of that, many women have irregular menstrual periods. It is also proven that unhealthy diets can lead to this condition, which is why it is fundamentally important to eat regularly, without skipping meals, and to consume healthy foods, such as vegetables and fruits.

Furthermore, almost every medicine has its side effects. When a woman takes medicines as a part of a treatment, it may cause the delayed menstrual cycle. Regular excessive and strenuous exercising can cause long menstrual cycles. Moreover, it is normal that the menstruation cycle is irregular and delayed in the first year when a girl gets her first menstruation.

Perimenopause is a period of about four years before the menopause in women. In this period, the woman faces many changes due to the hormonal imbalance. The menstrual cycle becomes irregular and menstruation usually appears once in several months. When a woman does not get her menstruation for more then a year, it is the time when she enters the menopause. It is the period when her reproductive ability is ended.

One of the potential causes that are responsible for the delayed menstruation is the first sex. The menstrual bleeding may be delayed in the month when a woman had the first sex in her life because many hormonal changes occur when a woman becomes sexually active. There are also many health problems and medical conditions that may lead to the long menstrual cycles. Some of these conditions are diabetes, thyroid problems, pituitary disorders and liver problems, as well as pelvic inflammatory disease and polycystic ovary syndrome.