Every month in the female body goes through physiological processes in the reproductive system, manifested externally in the form of menstrual bleeding. That period of time that is measured from the beginning of menstruation to the first day of the next menstrual bleeding, called a menstrual cycle. The normal length of the menstrual cycle is about twenty-eight days, but every woman is determined by the individual characteristics of its body.

What determines the duration of the cycle

Periodic onset of menstruation due to the fact that the activity of the reproductive system and the whole organism occur generally complex and diverse cyclic changes .  Average for cyclical changes in the flow of blood is determined by the interaction of synchronous important links neuroendocrine regulatory system .  Between the individual units of the system there is an internal connection - between the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland, between the hypothalamus and ovaries, functional status and interaction of which determines how the proceeds cycle .  If you violate this interaction, there is a development of dysfunctional disorders that can manifest different disorders (eg, bleeding or delayed menstruation) .  The duration and the main indicators of the menstrual cycle, women are under the direct influence of regulating the nervous system in general and its central departments (the cerebral cortex) .  Any negative impact of a trauma, stress How to beat stress? Create an oasis , Emotional overload will lead to various violations of the cycle and change its duration. It is proved that the same pathology can cause a variety of symptoms, such as hypothalamic disorders lead to dysfunctional bleeding and amenorrhea The absence of menstruation (amenorrhea) - ambiguous symptom .

The vast majority of women menstrual cycle has a duration of twenty-eight days. Acceptable variations are considered to be the duration of 21 or 35 days. This is so true to the normal cycle indicators. If menstruation become rare, coming after a long delay or, on the contrary, come 21 days earlier, and a woman should be tested to find out which of the levels of the system is malfunctioning.

Do I need to take into account changes in the cycle

During the menstrual cycle, the length of which should not change significantly, there is an alternation in the ovary of two phases - the follicular and luteal and, accordingly, the production of estrogen and progesterone hormones Progesterone - norm and pathology . Each phase lasts an average of about two weeks, due to the cyclic output of gonadotropins and ovulation Ovulation - How to determine as accurately as possible? . To detect the presence of irregularities in the cycle, you must keep a menstrual calendar. To do this, you need to register the beginning of the next menstrual bleeding and its duration.

Disturbances in the cycle can occur in women of any age. This could be the beginning of the formation of the loop (or at the time of formation of puberty) or the period of its natural extinction (or menopause). The most important thing for a woman to try not to forget to keep a record of the duration of the cycle, as this will identify the occurrence of pathological conditions. This is important primarily because any changes in the cycle lead to disturbances in the reproductive sphere and increase to a large extent the risk of cancer.

Marina Solovyov

The menstrual cycle is nothing but as a complex physiological process characterized by cyclic changes in the body and ending with bleeding - menstruation. On how the menstrual cycle, it is possible to determine the state of health of the woman. Menstrual disorders are considered to be perhaps the most frequent pathologies with which women go to the doctor. The menstrual cycle is dependent on many factors, and its violation may occur, it would seem, and "innocent" reason (for example, stress). Violation of the menstrual cycle can be a single or repeated over a long time. In the event of such a disease should immediately consult your doctor to identify and eliminate the cause.

Why disrupted menstrual cycle

The causes of menstrual disorders can be due not only to the pathology of the reproductive system, but also in all other organs and body systems. The first menstrual disorders caused by various hormonal disruptions. Also, menstrual disorders may occur as a result of the pathology of genitals, both congenital and acquired. These include tumors of the ovaries and uterus, endometriosis, pelvic inflammation, congenital malformations of the sexual organs (double uterus, intrauterine septum, etc.), incorrect use of contraception, abortion and miscarriage, difficult birth, and much more. Another cause of menstrual disorders are chronic diseases of internal organs (liver disease, and thyroid gland, diabetes mellitus Diabetes - threatening and incurable disease , Clotting disorders, infectious diseases). Disorders of the nervous and mental systems can also cause disturbances of the cycle. Well, of course, of great importance are stress, smoking, alcohol abuse, lack of vitamins, poor diet, and climate change.

Types of violations

Any deviation from the normal course of the menstrual cycle is considered the breach. It can be as long and heavy menstruation, so meager and short, as well as the change cycle in the direction of its shortening and lengthening. The main types of menstrual disorders include:

• algomenoreya - very painful menstruation;
• amenorrhea - absence of menstruation for six months or more;
• oligomenorrhea - rare, and usually scarce menstruation (not more than three times a month);
• gipomenoreya - reduction of menstrual bleeding (meager monthly);
• polimenoreya - plentiful, but the cyclic bleeding;
• metrorrhagia - acyclic uterine bleeding Uterine bleeding outside of menstruation - a sign of a serious breach   varying the intensity and duration;
• dysmenorrhea - menstrual disorders common and changes in the state of health of women (nausea and vomiting, headache, abdominal pain Abdominal pain: when to sound the alarm?   And so on).

Survey required in violation of cycle

In order to establish the cause of menstrual disorders, should pass the following examinations:

• gynecologist consultation;
• ultrasound of the pelvic organs (to detect cancer and inflammatory diseases);
• a study of hormonal status;
• Liver ultrasound, thyroid (if necessary);
• consulting specialists (the detection of chronic diseases of internal organs);
• diagnostic curettage Scraping - heavy and unsafe procedure   uterus with subsequent histological examination of scrapings of the endometrium;
• hysteroscopy;
• determination of blood coagulation.

Treatment of menstrual disorders

Treatment of menstrual cycle depends on its cause. In simple cases (vitamin deficiency, stress, poor diet) is sufficient to normalize the way of life, to make adjustments to diet and to appoint a multivitamin. Treatment of menstrual disorders, which were the cause of chronic somatic diseases (diabetes, liver disease, and thyroid) depends on the treatment of the underlying disease. Hormone therapy is used as stop the bleeding, and subsequently for the purpose of prevention and regulation of hormonal levels.