Missing a period is not an uncommon occurrence and can affect even girls and women with ‘clockwork’ menstrual cycles. To women who are sexually active, a missed period may arouse the suspicion of pregnancy. Around the 40s, a missed period may mark the onset of perimenopause. However, there a number of reasons why the periods may be delayed or a woman may miss the period altogether. The medical term for a missed period is amenorrhea but the strict definition extends beyond just the odd month without menstruation.
The time period from ovulation to menstruation is marked with various symptoms some of which can vary among women. Abdominal bloating is one of these symptoms that many women experience and loathe as it not only is uncomfortable but can also alter the female figure. It is often termed as fluid retention but there is no significant evidence to suggest that fluid accumulation within the lower abdominal cavity accounts for all cases of menstrual bloating. Although the fluctuation in hormone levels may affect fluid retention, abdominal bloating in menstruation is largely due to functional bloating. This means that there is bloating that is not a result of any disease and neither is it associated with functional bowel disorders like irritable bowel syndrome where bloating is a common symptom.
For some girls and women, the entire menstrual cycle and terms associated with it can be confusing. The monthly periods (menstruation) are seen as a few days of inconvenience but beyond this, there is little understanding of the complex and fascinating changes occurring in the female body. Although the monthly periods are at times seen, both personally and culturally, as a negative occurrence in a women’s life, it is a representation of her fertility and the renewal of this ability in preparation for future pregnancy. The menstrual cycle is the period of on average 28 days where a number of changes driven by hormones occur in the female body in preparation for pregnancy and then ‘resetting’ of the system should pregnancy not occur. It is marked by two distinct occurrences – ovulation and menstruation.
During certain times in a woman’s life, having a menstrual period may be rather inconvenient for various reasons. In these instances she may wish to delay her period for a few days or weeks. While it is possible to do so, this should not be done frequently as it may lead to other problems such as irregular periods. It is advisable to consult with a doctor before taking any measures to delay a period to discuss the methods and consequences.
After delivery, most women are curious and concerned about when they will get their periods, if it will be any different from menstruation before childbirth, or whether there will be any changes in their periods if they are breastfeeding. A lot of changes take place in a woman’s body following pregnancy, childbirth and during lactation, but these changes are by no means the same in every woman.
The blood stained vaginal discharge continuing after delivery is mistaken by some women as menstruation. This discharge is known as “lochia” and consists of blood mixed with mucus and endometrial tissue lining the uterus. The lochia will gradually diminish in amount in a week or two but may continue for up to 6 weeks after delivery.
Ovarian cysts can occur in women of all ages and they are very common, however they are more common in women who haven’t gone through menopause and women who have irregular periods are more at risk of developing them than women whose periods are regular.
A cyst is a fluid filled sac like structure that develops on the ovaries, when ovarian cysts are first diagnosed it can be frightening however most cysts are benign, which means that they aren’t cancerous but harmless.
