Viewing each menstrual irregularity individually and in detail:

Amenorrhea

Yes, even absence of menstruation is a problem.

Amenorrhea is of 2 types, primary and secondary. Primary is when the menstruation never occurs in the first place, and secondary is when it had occurred in the past but then it stops. Gestational amenorrhea is the normal absence of menstruation during pregnancy. (more…)

So, what about ovulation?

Doesn’t menstruation mean I am ovulating and that I can get pregnant?

Possibly. Ovulation may begin with menarche or it may not. When there is no ovulation, you are going through anovulatory cycles.

Pregnancy it has been known to occur even before the menarche. You need to understand that menarche may happen without involving the release of ova at all. The blood flow is from the uterine tissue disintegration and that may happen without ovulation. This is why you need to realize that there are many stops where essentially anything can go wrong, resulting in menstrual irregularities. (more…)

Now we will move to the understanding of a normal menstrual cycle.

The ovarian cycle and the uterine cycle

The ovarian cycle and the uterine cycle are two different things happening together and dependent on one another. The ovarian cycle is happening in the ovaries and the uterine cycle in the uterus. The blood flow is due to the effects of the menstrual cycle on the uterine cycle, resulting in a uterine blood flow. (more…)

Now, after much talk about perimenopause and menopause, we will take a u-turn and answer some very basic questions about your body.

The first question that brings you to us, or any physician, regarding your reproductive system is (usually) a menstrual irregularity. There might be many questions on your mind pertaining to the seriousness of the issue. (more…)