When Are Periods Considered Abnormal?

You envy friends who know, almost down to the minute, when they get their periods. Furthermore, when they get them, their periods come and go without too much hassle. 

Your experiences are different, and your menstrual cycles have become disruptive and uncomfortable, and they’re impacting your quality of life. The reality is that one-third or more of women qualify as having abnormal periods.

Dr. Karen F. Brodman and our team discuss abnormal periods in this month’s blog post. Let’s take a look. 

Heavy bleeding

One of the most common ways in which a period can be abnormal is when there's heavy bleeding. Under normal circumstances, periods are often heavy for the first day or two, and then they lighten for the remainder of the cycle. 

With heavy menstrual bleeding, you can soak through your tampon or pad every hour or two, and this can go on for days. This heavy bleeding can even happen during the night when there’s typically less bleeding.

We also consider it heavy bleeding if you’re passing large blood clots during your periods — about the size of a quarter or larger.

Heavy menstrual bleeding also describes periods that last for seven days or more.

Erratic menstrual cycles

Another way periods can be abnormal is when they’re unpredictable. A normal menstrual cycle should be every 21-35 days, and your cycle should be fairly predictable from one cycle to the next. 

Of course, if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or going through some other hormonal change, such as perimenopause, these cycles can get thrown off. That’s perfectly normal.

However, if you’re not going through any significant hormonal changes and your periods vary by seven days or more from one cycle to the next, we consider this to be abnormal bleeding.

Painful cramping

If you experience considerable pelvic pain before or during your periods, it’s considered abnormal menstrual cycles. This cramping can be severe enough that you have to skip activities.

Skipping periods

If you regularly skip periods or you go 3-6 months without a period, and then it comes back, this is irregular.

Spotting between periods

Another way you can experience abnormal menstrual bleeding is if you spot between your periods.

Get help for your abnormal periods

If you recognize any of the signs of abnormal bleeding we outline above, schedule an appointment with us. We want to emphasize that irregular periods can be unique to you — if you’re experiencing periods that are different and there's no explanation for the change, this is an abnormal period for you.

There are many gynecologic conditions and general health issues where abnormal menstrual bleeding is a symptom, so it’s important that we investigate. Once we identify the issue, we can address it.

For expert diagnosis and treatment of abnormal bleeding, we invite you to schedule an appointment with Dr. Brodman at our office on the Upper West Side of New York City today.