Menstrual Disorders Affecting Women

Being a woman isn't always easy. The demands of giving birth, the need to balance the resources of the family, the demands of rearing children, and the need to be an effective balance to the desires of her husband all take a toll on a woman. Yet despite all these, few woman seem to complain. This is because most women are cognizant of her role as the giver of life. However, this most basic of her roles can be sent to the back burner if a woman suffers from menstrual disorders, which significantly affects her ability to conceive and rear children, a frustration that could be so hard for every woman.

What is Menstruation

Menstruation may be associated with inconvenience and discomfort by some women. However, her menstruation plays a very important role in being a woman. Menstruation is regarded as the shedding of the uterine lining in the form of blood. This shedding of blood occurs at a regular interval. Among women, this interval is usually in the form of a 28-day cycle. Menstruation usually starts in young girls at the age of 12 and lasts up to approximately 45 years old. However, there are cases when menstruation may start late or abruptly end early. Once menstruation stops, it is known as menopause, and when this happens, a woman can no longer conceive.

Common Menstrual Disorders

There are women who suffer from one or another forms of menstrual disorder. Such disorders have varied effects on her health or on her ability to conceive. The most common form of menstrual disorder is when a woman has an irregular menstruation. Although it is common among women to have a 28-day cycle for her menstruation, there are instances when the cycle is for 32 days. Aside from irregular menstrual discharge, the following are the other problems that a woman may have in relation to her menstruation:

1) Anovulation. Having an irregular menstrual cycle is considered to be only a mild and temporary inconvenience as long as it does not affect a woman's ability to conceive. But anovulation is a more serious problem. This is a condition when there is absence of ovulation when it is normally expected. This condition is common among women although it can be easily treated by taking medications that enhance the activities of the follicles. Anovulation is usually manifested by the irregularity of menstrual periods, unpredictable variability of intervals, duration or bleeding during a menstrual cycle. In some cases, anovulation can cause total stoppage of periods or excessive bleeding.

2) Abnormal Menstrual Period Intervals. Another menstrual disorder happens when a woman experiences menstrual cycles that last for 21 days or less. On the other hand, a woman may also experience a menstrual cycle that lasts for more than 35 days. A more dangerous condition is the total absence of menstruation during a woman' reproductive years. This condition is known as amenorrhea.

3) Dysmenorrhea. Another common menstrual problem is dysmenorrhea. This is a condition when a menstrual period is associated with intense stabbing pain in the lower abdomen.