This is a popular question as many women have different experiences making them feel their period is abnormal.

 The menstrual period, its cycle, pattern, character etc., differ from one woman to another.

What this means is that before we can decide there is a problem with your period, we must assess you specifically as an individual.

Recognise an Abnormal Period

There are several occasions in a woman’s life when her periods change their pattern.

If you use emergency birth control like Plan B, you may experience delayed periods – read more about this here.

Your period pattern may also change as a result of pregnancy or certain medical conditions.

Fortunately, we can usually establish when a period is abnormal since the ‘normal’ period has a pattern that runs in regular, monthly cycles.

How can you recognise an abnormal period, then? Here are some instances:

• The length or duration of your flow changes
• Your flow becomes heavier or lighter
• If your flow stops or begins when it is not expected
• Developing symptoms with or without an obvious change to the cycle – pain, weight loss, vaginal discharge etc

The infogram below shows certain conditions where the period is abnormal.

You may use this chart to check what your period patterns are like, and watch this video to learn more about your menstrual cycle.

Infogram – Abnormal Menstrual Cycle

Or you can contact us directly for a menstrual period assessment to learn more about your cycle.

More Reading

• Being Real! Can You Get Pregnant From Period Sex?
• Period Sex, Ampicillin and Two Other Birth Control Myths To Avoid
• Heavy Periods Symptom Checker
• Emergency Pill Wahala! Why’s My Period All Over The Place?
• Painful Periods – a Simple Breakdown by AskAwayHealth

Editing By AskAwayHealth

Disclaimer

All AskAwayHealth articles are written by practising  Medical Practitioners on various healthcare conditions to provide evidence-based guidance and help promote quality healthcare. The advice in our material is not meant to replace the management of your specific condition by a qualified healthcare practitioner.
To discuss your condition, please contact a health practitioner or reach us directly here

Image Credits – Canva