First of all, your regular periods do not guarantee complete reproductive health. Around 80% of women erroneously assume that their regular periods mean their reproductive health is good, along with their fertility.
If your period cycle runs around 28 days every month, with similar flow, without any severe cramps, and lasts 5 to 7 days, then there are chances that your estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone are in good shape. But here is a thing-
If periods last around 21-36 days, come with irregular flow (varying between heavy and light flow), and you experience cramps, sometimes even severe pain, then this is not considered regular periods. Just because you are bleeding every month, that does not indicate that your hormones are also intact and your reproductive health is in good shape.
Health Benefits of Regular Periods
You know that a regular period is a basic need for your health, but did you know they work wonders apart from just being a vital indicator of your overall reproductive health? Let’s find out.
Your regular periods are a result of so many things: coordination between the brain and ovaries, where two brain regions build a conversation between the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, and intimately connect them with the adrenal glands, thyroid, and gut pathways. And if your periods become irregular, then this is the first sign that there must be issues in these pathways.
Hormonal balance
This is the common thing that every woman knows that their body is in homeostasis, where the internal system is maintaining a stable and balanced condition despite the changes happening in the outside world. This indicates that you feel great, have good energy, sleep well, have good intimacy with your partner, and your body is not under stress.
Bone health
Now comes the crucial part, which the majority of women don’t even know. If your hormones are balanced, they create an equilibrium between estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, which keep your bone health on point. The purpose of hormones like estrogen is to tell osteoblasts (bone-building cells) to create new bone and slow down osteoclasts (that break down bone). But remember, this is not it; you should eat good food and involve yourself in regular exercise to maintain good health and bones.
Thyroid function
Your thyroid acts like a transfer station in your body between the brain and the rest of the body. This helps to control every cell, gland, metabolism, repair, and growth. Your regular periods indicate a balanced endocrine system, and this happens because of the proper communication between hormones to regulate reproductive hormones. So if your periods are showing a red flag, then it is a sign that the thyroid is healthy and doing its part properly.
Adrenal function
If the body is continuously on regardless of any sources, this forces the body to generate stress hormones called cortisol, which aids in responding to a threat. This also impacts hormones like progesterone, estrogen, and DHEA. But if your body is continuously balancing cortisol through regular exercise, good food, and keeping yourself away from stress, then you can balance the brain-ovaries-adrenal gland loop, keeping your bodily functions in harmony. Your periods can be impacted by stress, and one month of irregular periods is a signal that your body is not working as it is supposed to be. You know what? Your proper adrenal function is protecting you from missed, irregular periods and PMS.
Weight Management
It is common for our body weight to balance several things in our body. But adipose tissue, which is around the waist, acts like an endocrine organ that creates estrogen regular energy intake and expenditure. But if you are overweight, then the risk of estrogen dominance and insulin resistance is high. Not just overweight; underweight women also have challenges, like their brain stops making hormones that are needed for ovulation.
What are you missing: concerns related to reproductive health
1. Ovulation
You can have your regular period cycle and can still deal with ovulation challenges. There are some of the challenges that women don’t even know about. Sometimes, estrogen alone builds up the lining in the uterus, and because the level of estrogen gets too high or drops, women shed. This might look like a normal period but with no eggs, and this is called a false period.
2. Egg quality decreases
Due to underlying medical health conditions, genetics, mitochondrial energy, or chromosomal alignment, the chances of reduced egg quality are there. And with regular periods, this issue can occur. But if you experience some disturbance in your ovulation, then make sure to go to the gynecologist for a checkup.
3. Uterine abnormality
Small uterine fibroids cause no symptoms, and your cycle can be normal in the beginning stage. But over time, it affects the menstrual cycle and can make your period prolonged with heavy flow. However, it completely depends on several factors like the size, number, and position of the fibroids. But women, if you experience a continuous pattern of changes in your periods, even a little, then you need to visit your gynecologist.
4. Tubal blockage or damage
Firstly, the menstrual cycle is controlled by the ovaries and uterus rather than the fallopian tubes. They only provide a pathway for eggs to meet sperm. If a woman is planning to have a baby can still have regular periods and ovulation on time. But if you are planning a baby and still not able to get pregnant, then this is worth discussing with a doctor.
This indicates that every woman should go for a regular gynecologist checkup to make sure that their reproductive health is being monitored properly. Because sometimes, the conditions don’t knock your door, and you only get to know when things get worse.
5. Endometriosis
Having a regular and predictable period does not rule out endometriosis, because your regular timing only indicates the shedding of uterine lining. But if your period comes with severe cramping, pelvic discomfort, pain during intercourse, chronic fatigue, lower back pain, painful urination, and unexplained digestive issues, then it is better to take action.
What do you need to do?
- Let’s start tracking your cycle, because it tells a lot about you.
- At home, you can measure the symptoms as well, because women tend to ignore lots of signs, which they should not.
- If you feel something unusual about the length of your period, or any difficulty during your ovulation, then you should not wait.
- Visit your gynecologist fr regular checkups as well, because you need to understand that some conditions come unannounced. Visiting your gynecologist can save you from long-term health conditions.
Conclusion
Your regular cycle does not mean that everything is going perfectly okay. And sometimes, we tend to ignore the signs even though we know something is not right. And this is when everything makes things worse. There are some hidden challenges that I don’t get to know about. That is why every woman needs to go for regular checkups, whether she is having any issues or not. But it is also crucial to know that your regular menstrual cycle also gives you a lot of benefits, like benefiting bone health, hormonal balance, and many more.
So, if you are serious about your health, then get your first-hand appointment at Cradle Children Hospital. Our gynecologist has expertise in women’s health and gives you full, legitimate information.
So, book your appointment now!
