Every month during your menstrual cycle, you release unfertilized eggs. To protect these eggs in case they become fertilized, your estrogen and progesterone hormone levels rise, thickening the lining of your uterus. If none of your eggs are fertilized, your body sheds this excess lining in the form of a period.

Typically, every 24 to 31 days a woman has a period that lasts between 4 to 7 days. During this time, approximately 4 to 12 tablespoons of blood are lost. But not all women have typical periods.

You may have more or fewer periods, your periods may be shorter or longer, or you may lose more or less blood. Some women miss or have irregular periods. These conditions can be caused by chronic medical issues or by changing medical or emotional circumstances. In most cases, the condition causing irregular periods can be resolved or treated.

• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
• Anovulation
• Menorrhagia
• Amenorrhea

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is a condition that results from abnormal levels of certain hormones. Women with PCOS may have irregular or no menstrual periods.

PCOS is a genetic condition, meaning that you were born with it. You may have a family member with PCOS and it may affect your children. There is no cure for PCOS, but its symptoms can be treated.

In some women, hormone changes may begin as early as their first menstrual cycle. In other women, changes occur over time. Signs and symptoms of PCOS vary, but may include:

• Excess hair on the face and body
• Acne
• Darkened color and change in texture of the skin along the neck and armpits and on the groin and inner thighs
• Obesity
• Irregular periods or no periods
• Trouble getting pregnant
• Vaginal yeast infections
• Hair loss.

Many women with PCOS are at an increased risk of certain health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

To diagnose your PCOS, your doctor will ask you questions about your health, your menstrual cycle, and your family history. A complete exam will be done, including blood tests to check your hormone and insulin levels and an ultrasound to look at your ovaries.

PCOS is a lifelong condition, but it can be treated in a number of ways. Treatment depends on your symptoms and whether you want to become pregnant. Long-term treatment may be needed if other medical problems arise.

Ovulation, releasing a mature egg from the ovary, is a normal part of the reproductive cycle. It usually starts around your first menstrual period and stops with menopause. Anovulation is the term used when you are not ovulating. Signs of anovulation include lack of or irregular periods and abnormal bleeding either between or during your periods.

Sometimes no specific cause can be discovered for anovulation. In other cases, your doctor can determine that your lack of ovulation is due to:

• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
• Problems with the central nervous system brought about by
• Extreme stress
• Excessive physical exercise
• Excess weight
• Overeating
• Travel
• Low thyroid hormone level
• Aftereffects of using certain drugs such as oral contraceptives
• An overproduction of the hormone prolactin
• Primary ovarian failure (POF).

The good news is that once the cause of anovulation is determined, it can be successfully treated with medication in the vast majority of cases.

Menorrhagia is defined as excessive menstrual bleeding. It occurs in one out of every five women. Your period is considered excessive if:

• Bleeding lasts longer than seven days.
• Bleeding affects your daily activities.
• Double protection (a tampon and a pad) is needed.
• Your tampon or pad needs to be changed more than every two hours.

During a heavy period, you may:

• Feel tired and nauseated
• Feel depressed or moody
• Experience severe cramps
• Have headaches.

While heavy periods are normal for some women, there are also medical causes for menorrhagia. These include:

• Hormonal imbalances
• Fibroids and polyps inside your uterus
• Infections
• Bleeding disorders that impair blood clotting.

Your doctor can help you determine the cause of your heavy periods. Once the cause has been identified, there are many treatment options available. If you plan to have children, your doctor may recommend both hormonal and non-hormonal drug therapy to help reduce your heavy periods. If you do not plan to have children, there are several surgical options that can relieve or eliminate menorrhagia. Talk with your doctor to determine the treatment option that is best for you.

Some women never start menstruating during their teenage years. Others who have had regular periods may stop having them. Not starting or not having a period is called amenorrhea.

There are several possible reasons for a missed period:

• Sudden change in weight
• Stress
• Extreme exercise, such as running long distances each day
• Hormone problems
• Taking certain medications, such as birth control pills or cortisone
• Illness.

If you miss three periods in a row and are not pregnant, you should see your doctor to determine the cause of your skipped periods. Your doctor will ask you questions about your health and your lifestyle to determine whether or not your amenorrhea is due to medical or emotional reasons. In either case, most cases of amenorrhea end on their own or with the help of medication. You should also see your doctor if you have not started having periods by the age of 16.