First period: Irregular period, missing period, heavy bleeding- is it normal?

All your questions on period problems in young girls answered by Dr Bandita Sinha, Gynaecologist, World of Women, Navi Mumbai.

By: Debjani Arora | | Published: November 23, 2017 10:29 am

The first period is difficult for any girl. Obviously, she has to go through a lot of physiological and psychological changes. Add to this the irregularities and period problems she has to face during the initial years after she gets her first period. According to Dr Bandita Sinha, Gynaecologist, World of Women, Navi Mumbai, ‘There are a lot of irregularities girls have to face during the initial years of her periods. The first two years of a girl’s period are challenging. Missing periods, delayed periods or untimely periods are way too common at this time. This happens because it takes time for a girl’s hormonal cycles to settle and the periods to regularise. But till that happens periods could be like a nightmarish experience for both the child and parents.’ Here are reasons why girls these days are having periods as early as eight or nine years.

Heavy bleeding: While it takes some time for every girl to settle with the demands of menstruation and get to manage oneself well, heavy flow during the initial years could make it more challenging. It is one thing to have fears of stains and over soaking of your sanitary napkin in your mind all the time and completely different experience to tackle heavy flow during those five to seven days. Some girls might face severe heavy bleeding which could affect their daily activities too and make them almost bedridden. The flow could be so severe that she might have to change napkins hourly. This occurs due to various reasons: hormonal imbalances, structural abnormalities in the uterus like polyps or fibroids or other medical conditions like thyroid, kidney disease, PCOD etc. Did you know that fenugreek or methi seeds could also help in dealing with PCOD problem?

Amenorrhea: This is defined as the absence of periods where one might skip periods for three consecutive menstrual cycles. The typical sign of amenorrhea is the absence of a period of three months after it begins. Most people take this as a sign of irregular periods. However, for some others despite reaching puberty they may not have started with the menstrual cycle. If your child is well into her teens and has still not faced her first cycle, it is better to get checked for hormonal imbalances or other medical conditions that could be the underlying problem. Watch your child’s period cycle carefully. Missing periods for three months at a stretch during the initial two years is normal, but if she has not got a period for over six months after her first period, it is better to check with your doctor what could be the problem. Here are some causes of missing periods in women that every girl should know.

Dysmenorrhea: This denotes episodes of painful periods. One may feel intense menstrual pain and cramps depending on the severity. For some, it can be felt from the onset of the menstrual cycle and stay life-long. Many times, this occurs due to medical conditions like uterine fibroids, pelvic inflammatory disease, tumours and infections. In some teens, painful periods could also be due to an abnormal pregnancy.

In general, it takes around three years for the cycles to settle into a pattern and the hormonal upheavals to resolve. After three years of having the first period, most girls find it easy to deal with their menstrual cycle. However, if the above-mentioned problems exist going to a gynaecologist and checking on the underlying conditions that could cause these problems become necessary. PCOS, endometriosis, fibroids or other medical conditions could be the reason behind period problems. Consulting a gynaecologist and getting treated for the same is the best way to deal with the troubles and tackle menstruation problems.

Image source: Shutterstock

Published : November 23, 2017 10:29 am

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