Irregular periods: what actually counts as irregular
· 1 min read
A few days either way is normal variation. Here is where the line usually sits, and what is worth raising.
"Irregular" gets used for everything from a period arriving three days late to one that has not arrived in six months. They are not the same thing, and the difference matters when you are deciding whether to see someone.
The usual definition
Clinically, cycles are called irregular when the length varies by more than 7 to 9 days between your shortest and longest over a year. A cycle that runs 28, 31, 29, 30 is regular. One that runs 24, 38, 29, 45 is not.
Normal reasons it happens
- The first years. Cycles are commonly irregular for two or three years after they begin.
- Perimenopause. Variability is often the earliest sign, sometimes years before periods stop.
- After stopping hormonal contraception. It can take a few months to settle.
- Illness, travel, significant stress, large weight change, heavy training.
When to get it checked
- No period for three months, and you are not pregnant
- Cycles regularly shorter than 21 or longer than 35 days
- Bleeding after sex, between periods, or after menopause
- Bleeding heavy enough to soak through a pad or tampon every hour for several hours
- Periods that have become dramatically more painful
The last three are worth a prompt appointment rather than a wait-and-see.
What helps the appointment
Three months of dates is worth more than any description. Bring the start date of each period, how many days it lasted, and anything unusual. Ten minutes is not long, and specifics use it better than adjectives.