Menstruation: Among the Top Woman's Sexual Health Issues

Menstruation period is a major stage in a woman's reproductive cycle. It's one physical sign that a girl is turning into a woman. While some girls can't wait to start their periods, others may feel confuse, afraid or anxious. Many people don't have a complete understanding of a woman's sexual health or what actually happens during the menstrual cycle.

As adolescents get their first periods, irregular cycles for a year or two are to be expected because their sex hormones are in the process of stabilization. The same thing happens when a woman reaches the menopausal stage. The menstrual cycle becomes erratic. During this time, ovarian hormone levels begin to fluctuate. A woman again experience irregular cycles.

When a young girl haven't had a period by age 16, she needs to be evaluated by a doctor. Several factors may cause the delay such as eating disorders, hormonal problems, excess stress or exercise, and under-nutrition in a young teen. Other possible culprits could be a genetic disorder, ovarian tumors, ovary failure, poorly formed reproductive organs, or problems in the nervous system or pituitary gland which secrete hormones that trigger puberty.

For those women who have had a normal menstrual cycle, and then missed a period, see a doctor immediately. You may be pregnant.

When the possibility of pregnancy as the cause of a missed period is eliminated, the doctor may ask a few more questions to better determine the reason for an irregular or missed period. Possible causes include:
Breastfeeding
Medication use, including birth control pills
Menopause
Stress
Poor nutrition, including eating disorders
Depression
Extreme weight loss
Overexercising
Ongoing illness
Sudden weight gain or obesity
Hormonal problems including thyroid disorders and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Skipping one or two periods a year is not unusual. If you miss one cycle, chances are your next one may be heavier. That's because the lack of a period may have led to a buildup of the uterine lining from the last month.

However, missing more than two periods in a row is unhealthy for a woman's sexual health. You are more likely to be at risk for uterine cancer because of the excessive exposure to estrogen. On the other hand, missing a period from a lack of estrogen can increase the risk of osteoporosis.

Having irregular periods mean you are not ovulating properly. This can be of great concern to those who are trying to get pregnant.

Spotting in between periods can be a sign of a problem, particularly if it happens for a prolonged duration. Vaginal spotting in girls who are less than 10 years old, during pregnancy, or after menopause should be evaluated.

Those who use birth control pills and miss their dosage may experience light bleeding between periods. It means that the progesterone level in the body is not high enough or that the dosage of birth control pills may need to be adjusted.

Other possible causes of abnormal vaginal bleeding include:
Pregnancy problems
Ovulation
Perimenopause
Intraurine device (IUD) use
Breastfeeding
Overexercising
Hormone irregularities due to an overactive thyroid, or diabetes

A woman’s sexual health concern like menstruation should always be consulted to a doctor so that symptoms may be evaluated early on. Keeping a menstrual diary helps your doctor in making a proper diagnosis of your condition. It will also help you keep track if you’re having a normal cycle or not.

Article Source: http://www.qualityarticles.com

Monch Bravante is a freelance writer and advertising practitioner with special interest in public health issues. If you find this article very informative, you can read more articles at articles.drugstoretm.com/”>Articles of Drugstoretm

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