Abnormal Menstruation

A normal menstrual cycle occurs every 28 days. The periods in this case last up to 4-5 days. Abnormal menstruation is when there is a flaw in the normal menstrual cycle. Any change in the frequency of the period, its flow, and even the pain caused by it, may indicate an abnormality in the menstruation process.

The kind of abnormalities that may be seen during this time could be:
i. Amenorrhea
ii. Menorrhagia
iii. Dysmenorrhea
iv. Polymenorrhea
v. Oligomenorrhea

Amenorrhea
An absence of periods over a long course of time is known as amenorrhea. In normal case, a missing period is caused by pregnancy. But there are women who have never experienced menstruation. In other cases, hormonal imbalances cause the menstruation to stop. This could be due to stress, extreme level of physical activity, especially sports, or a medical condition.

Menorrhagia
Medical science prescribes a loss of 30-80 ml of blood loss during periods as normal. Anything above 80ml is therefore a cause of concern. Menstrual blood loss of more than 80ml can lead to anemia. This condition is known as ‘menorrhagia’. In case, the blood is accompanied by clots, it is referred to as ‘hypermenorrhea’. This heavy bleeding could be a result of an infection in the fallopian tubes. It could also be due to fibroid tumor in the uterus.

Dysmenorrhea
Extremely painful periods are also considered abnormal. This severe pain usually occurs before the periods begin. Though dysmenorrhea is normally caused by cramps in the uterus, it could also be caused by fibroids, cancer, or infection in the pelvic area.

Polymenorrhea
Very frequent occurrence of periods is known as ‘polymenorrhea’. A short follicular phase or a less than adequate luteal phase may lead to polymenorrhea.

Oligomenorrhea
A condition where menstrual bleeding takes places after as many as 35 days or more is called ‘oligomenorrhea’. It can be caused by hormonal imbalances. Women such as dancers or athletes are known to suffer from oligomenorrhea.