Irregular periods among women have been on the rise for the last few decades and some of these cases lead to infertility. It has escalated into becoming a lifestyle disorder pretty fast and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. One of the causes behind irregular periods is a host of underlying and untreated medical conditions. In the wake of this growing concern, it is important to consciously lead a regulated lifestyle to ensure good health and also keep the symptoms of health conditions causing irregular periods under check.
Know more about – do irregular periods affect pregnancy, how irregular periods and pregnancy complications are closely related, and increase your chances of pregnancy. So, let’s dive in!
7 Possible Causes Of Irregular Periods
Irregular periods, as discussed previously, imply hormonal imbalances, which postpone your ovulation cycle. If you have been looking for the answer to – do irregular periods affect pregnancy, the reply is in the affirmative. However, this does not imply that it will lead to infertility. But it does raise the risk of infertility. Let’s discuss some common causes behind irregular periods and pregnancy complications being closely related. If you’ve often found yourself wondering – how to get pregnant with PCOS and irregular periods, here are some other health conditions at play, which have the same effect on your periods and fertility.
1. Anovulation
One of the most common causes of irregular periods, anovulation occurs when ovulation does not happen in a menstrual cycle. In cases where you are not ovulating because of this reason, you are most likely to need fertility treatments to be able to conceive.
2. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
How to get pregnant with PCOS and irregular periods, you ask? Let’s understand how this health condition affects your fertility first. PCOS does not cause infertility in everyone, but is one of the leading causes of women being unable to conceive. However, you may take time to get pregnant if you have PCOS. Note that this health condition also raises the risk of a miscarriage during the early stages of pregnancy.
3. Thyroid Imbalance
An overactive or inactive thyroid may lead to irregular periods, and might be the root cause of infertility in some cases. Some common symptoms of this health condition are unexpected fluctuations in weight, unexpected anxiety and depression, diarrhoea or constipation, tiredness, and inability to sleep well.
4. Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI)
Also referred to as Premature Ovarian Failure (POF), this health condition not only causes irregular periods but completely absent periods at times. POI is defined by low oestrogen levels, which manifests through vaginal dryness, hot flashes or night sweats, painful sex, unexplained depression or anxiety, and difficulty in sleeping.
5. Hyperprolactinemia
The name of the health condition is derived from the word ‘prolactin’, which is a hormone that primarily stimulates breasts to produce milk. When this health condition occurs, hormones remain elevated even if you’re not pregnant or lactating. Abnormally high levels of prolactin can cause irregular periods or even make your periods stop entirely. Possible symptoms include breast milk leaking from the nipples, tender or swollen breasts, vaginal dryness, and painful sex.
6. Obesity
This is one of the most preventable causes of periods being irregular and also decreased fertility. At times, weight issues can be the result of underlying, undiagnosed hormonal imbalance. In case you’re struggling with weight concerns despite a regulated lifestyle or have gained substantial weight without drastic changes in lifestyle, it’s time to consult a doctor.
7. Underweight
Being significantly underweight can also cause irregular periods as much as being obese can. Eating disorders can not only lead to absent periods but also infertility problems. At the same time, extreme dieting and exercise can also cause irregular menstrual cycles, which may lead to infertility or difficulty in getting pregnant in some women.
Impact Of Irregular Periods On Infertility
Irregular periods may make it difficult for you to ovulate and plan your sex accordingly. This may be a sign of certain underlying medical conditions, some of which we have discussed previously, or it may indicate approaching menopause. This does not necessarily mean infertility in every case, but it might be so in certain instances.
4-Step Process On How To Track Ovulation With Irregular Periods
1. Keep A Track Of Your Cycle
Note down the start and end of your periods every month and that will give you a fair idea about the average days of your menstrual cycle. Better still, there are several apps, available for free, which you can download and update with the relevant dates. And you will have no worries in keeping a tab of your average menstrual cycle, ovulation dates, and every information related to your periods.
2. Track Your Vaginal Discharge
Your vaginal discharge contains cervical mucus that changes during the time of your ovulation. This mucus is dry during the first few days of your menstrual cycle, while its quantity increases as you approach ovulation.
3. Check Your Basal Body Temperature
If you notice that your basal body temperature is comparatively high, it implies you are ovulating.
4. Invest In Ovulation Predictor Kits
Invest in these kits to evaluate the level of your luteinizing hormone (LH). The LH level rises just before the release of an egg from your ovary, which implies that you are ovulating.
How To Calculate Ovulation For Irregular Periods?
The first step towards wanting to get pregnant with irregular periods is tracking your menstrual cycle closely. Contrary to popular opinion, it is not just during your ovulation cycle that your chances of getting pregnant increase. Planning sex sessions before and after ovulation also can help you conceive, provided you do so on certain days. Let’s take a look at the dates closely. Here’s how to calculate ovulation for irregular periods.
Best Days During Ovulation
Your ovulation days are the golden days of your cycle – days when the chances of you getting pregnant are at their highest. The ovulatory phase occurs 13th to the 15th day after the start of your menstruation cycle, that is, the first day of your last period. The LH hormone experiences a surge during these days, which is a signal for your ovary to release one of its eggs. This is referred to as ovulation.
During this phase, the egg travels down the uterine tubes, showing it is ready for a sperm to fertilise it. Track your ovulation phase and increase the times you have sex during these days, to increase your chances of conceiving. Because this is the time when the chances of you conceiving are at its highest. To be more specific, the best time to get pregnant during the ovulation cycle is 6 to 7 days around the time of ovulation.
The egg released by your ovaries into the uterine tube stays healthy for about 24 hours after ovulation. On the other hand, sperm can live in your reproductive tract for 5 days. This means that you have a chance of conceiving even if you don’t have sex on the day of ovulation. Increase the number of times you have sex, not just during the ovulation cycle but also in a day, to raise the chances of you conceiving.
Best Days To Get Pregnant After Your Periods
The first day of your period marks the first day of your menstrual cycle. During your period, your oestrogen and progesterone levels are at their lowest. After your period, your pituitary gland releases a follicle-stimulating hormone that sends signals to your ovaries to prepare an egg and then release it. The oestrogen level also begins to rise during these days. The chances of you conceiving during this time is quite low, although it cannot be counted out entirely.
Best Days To Get Pregnant Before Your Periods
The chances of you getting pregnant just before the beginning of your next cycle is as slender as it is before your ovulatory phase. You are at your least fertile phase again. Known as the luteal phase, the progesterone levels will gradually start dropping if you haven’t already conceived while you were ovulating. This can be the trigger behind your pre-menstrual symptoms like mood changes, cramps, and headaches. Your oestrogen levels will also reduce, another reason why there are slender chances of you conceiving. This also indicates your next menstrual phase is drawing near.
To explain your question on how to calculate ovulation for irregular periods, the above hacks will help you in doing just that. So, irregular periods or not, the only way to conceive is to keep close track of your menstrual cycle, more specifically your ovulation period, to raise the chances of you getting pregnant.
4 Lifestyle Changes & Natural Remedies – How To Get Pregnant Fast With Irregular Periods
When your question is – how to get pregnant fast with irregular periods – here are some lifestyle changes and natural remedies that can keep you healthy enough to improve your chances of conception.
1. Follow A Daily Fitness Routine
For regulating your lifestyle, which is important for increasing your chances to conceive, following a fitness regimen is of utmost importance. It will enable you to keep your weight under control, which will in turn help you regulate your menstrual cycle. Besides, it can also reduce your pain before and after your period. Dedicate at least 10 minutes to a fitness routine daily to regulate your hormones as well.
2. Load Up On Vitamins
Increase the intake of vitamins B and D to regulate your menstrual cycle. Vitamin B is known for an additional benefit of reducing PMS symptoms.
3. Introduce Apple Cider Vinegar To Your Daily Diet
Drink 1/8th cup of apple cider vinegar every day as it is known for regularising irregular periods.
4. Add A Bowl Of Pineapples & A Dash Of Cinnamon
A pinch of cinnamon and a few pieces of fresh pineapple is believed to do wonders by regularising your menstrual cycle, although there is no scientific evidence to back the claim.
11 Possible Symptoms Of Pregnancy When You Have Irregular Periods
When to test for pregnancy if irregular periods? Look out for the following symptoms and opt for a pregnancy test every time you experience them. That will increase the chances of you knowing whether you’re pregnant as soon as possible, enabling you to take necessary precautions. Here are the possible signs of pregnancy when you have irregular periods.
- Cessation of menstruation
- Nausea
- Morning sickness
- Breast tenderness and enlargement
- Frequent urination
- Increased hunger
- Headaches
- Slight cramping or pressure in the lower abdomen
- Unexplained tiredness
- Mood swings
- Unexplained feeling of warmth
How To Confirm Pregnancy With Irregular Periods?
Now that we have discussed when to test for pregnancy if irregular periods, let;s move on to understanding how to confirm pregnancy when your periods are irregular. The only way to confirm whether you’re pregnant is to take a pregnancy test when you experience some of the above signs of pregnancy when you have irregular periods. You can invest in a pregnancy kit, which is readily available at pharmacies, and test for yourself or visit a gynaecologist.
How To Manage Potential Pregnancy Complications
Follow a healthy diet and a daily fitness routine to maintain a healthy lifestyle, along with all the other natural remedies that we’ve discussed earlier.
2 Ways To Calculate The Due Date With Irregular Periods
How many days to confirm pregnancy for irregular periods? How to calculate ovulation for irregular periods? It is easier to calculate your pregnancy due date if you have regular periods. However, calculating the date when your periods are irregular may be comparatively difficult, but not impossible. Follow the following methods to get a tentative idea about your due date.
1. The Pregnancy Wheel
Here, the expected due date is calculated based on the dates of your last menstrual cycle. Taking into consideration that you’ve noted down the date of the last monthly period, you can calculate the number of days between the first date of your last menstrual cycle and the first day of the next cycle. The day between this menstrual period will be the peak of your ovulatory phase. If you haven’t got your next period around the expected time, you might be pregnant. You can take a pregnancy test to confirm whether you are.
2. Dating Scan
Also referred to as the ultrasound, it determines the expected due date by measuring the baby’s crown-rump length, which is the length of the growing foetus. This length is completely developed around the thirty-first week of pregnancy, which is the time the foetus starts developing senses. This test is more effective to calculate the date when the pregnancy is still at its early stages and when the foetus develops at the same rate. In the later stages, some foetuses develop at a faster rate. So if you take a pregnancy test at a later stage, it may be difficult to answer the question about how many days to confirm pregnancy for irregular periods.
As you have just seen, getting pregnant with irregular periods may be comparatively more difficult or more time-consuming but it isn’t impossible together, in most cases. You’ve also seen the lifestyle changes and natural remedies you should follow to regularise your periods and increase the chances of conception. Follow these and learn how to keep stress under control, and you just might get good news soon.
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