Written By: Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | Updated : April 14, 2016 9:27 AM IST
I am a 25-year-old female. I used to get my periods on the same date every month, give or take a day. But since the last few months, my menstrual cycle has preponed i.e.; I am getting my periods around a week or 10 days prior to my regular menstruation date. I am worried. What could be the reason? Does eating a high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet or bingeing cause such fluctuation?
The query is answered by Dr Nupur Gupta, Consultant Gynaecologist and Obstetrician, Director Well Woman Clinic, Gurgaon.
Early periods or preponed periods might be due to many factors like stress, use of oral contraceptives and other health conditions. If your periods have come within 15 or 20 days of your menstrual cycle, then it is known as polymenorrhea. If this is the case every month, consult your gynaecologist to rule out any health complications. If can also be due to nutritional deficiency or excessive stress, which can be dealt with increasing intake of nutrient-rich foods and lower the exposure of stress and practising meditation. Here are 10 commonly asked questions about periods.
What are main causes of early periods?
Stress: When you are stressed numerous hormonal changes occur in the body. One of it is the release of stress hormones, which trigger the production of glucose, leading to high blood glucose and high pulse rate. It disturbs the menstrual cycle by acting on the hypothalamo-pituitary ovarian cycle, thereby leading to irregular menstrual cycle, which can be early or delayed menstruation.
Oral contraceptives: Unlike oral contraceptives, use of emergency contraceptives might result in irregular periods as they contain high doses of the hormones, oestrogen and progesterone. The drastic hormonal imbalance in the body might lead to bleeding, thereby causing your periods to come early than the regular menstrual cycle. The same is the case with intrauterine devices.
Health conditions: One of the key causes of early periods is pelvic congestion, which could be due to an underlying inflammation in the pelvic region. Even, inflammation of the ovaries, PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) and genital tuberculosis might lead to early periods or bleeding. Other common conditions include thyroid dysfunction and high levels of prolactin, a hormone, in the blood. To know the exact cause of the condition, it is important to consult your doctor and get tested.
Although most people feel that high-carbohydrate and high-fat diet is the key reason for early periods, it doesn t have a direct role to play. Instead, intake of excess carbohydrates and fats increases glucose and lipids in the blood, which might lead to obesity, a risk factor of irregular periods. Also, it increases insulin receptor sensitivity that makes you prone to diabetes. Hence, intake of foods with high glycemic index should be under control to lower your risk of obesity and glucose. Also, bingeing might put you at risk of obesity, which can alter your hormonal levels. Here's your guide to decode menstrual problems.
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