Menstruation is a natural process that women go through as part of their reproductive cycle. Every woman's period experience is unique, both in terms of cycle variations and symptoms.
The average menstrual cycle lasts approximately 28 days, but cycles ranging from 21 to 35 days are also considered normal. What about menstruation that comes twice a month, Is it also normal? Check out the following discussion.
Is it normal to have your period twice a month?
Some people may have menstruation twice a month. This can be caused by a variety of factors, some of which are minor, while others are serious and require medical attention.
So, to determine whether or not your menstrual cycle is normal, you must first understand what causes it.
Why do you get menstruation twice a month?
Several factors can influence your menstrual cycle, causing your period to come twice a month. Some of these are harmless, while others may require medical attention.
Common causes of menstruation twice a month:
- Different cycle variations
The menstrual cycle lasts approximately 28 days, but shorter cycles of 21 days are also within the normal range. In these shorter cycles, menstruation may occur twice a month.
- Stress
Physical or emotional stress can disrupt the balance of hormones in the body. This causes changes in the menstrual cycle, including the occurrence of menstruation twice per month.
- Perimenopause
Perimenopause is the period before menopause in which the body begins to experience hormonal changes. In this case, the menstrual cycle may become shorter or irregular.
- Use of hormonal contraception
Missing a birth control pill or changing your hormonal contraceptive method can disrupt your menstrual cycle and cause unexpected bleeding. Certain birth control pills should be taken at the same time every day. A delay of more than three hours can result in a drop in hormone levels, triggering off-cycle bleeding.
- Pregnancy
Bleeding in the middle of a cycle can also be an early indicator of pregnancy. This is usually caused by implantation blood, which indicates that the fertilized egg has attached to the uterine wall.
Medical conditions that cause menstruation twice a month:
- Thyroid disorders
Thyroid gland disorders, such as hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, can disrupt the menstrual cycle, resulting in irregular or more frequent periods.
- Endometriosis
Endometriosis occurs when tissue similar to the inner lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. This leads to irregular menstrual cycles and bleeding between periods.
- Uterine fibroids
Benign tumors that form around or inside the uterus can result in more frequent periods, heavy bleeding, or bleeding between periods.
- Uterine polyps
The formation of polyps in the uterine lining can also cause bleeding between periods.
- Cancer
Some types of uterine or cervical cancer can cause menstrual irregularities or abnormal bleeding.
Consult your doctor if you have unusual menstrual changes, such as heavy periods, missed periods, or periods that occur more than once a month. Your doctor can help you evaluate and determine the cause of the problem, as well as recommend the best treatment.
Have other questions about menstruation? You can make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.
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- Sean Edbert Lim, MBBS
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