Fertility Awareness And Family Planning
Some women use fertility awareness as a method of natural birth control. One of the tools used is something called the Standard Days method. This establishes that if you have a period that is between 26 to 32 days long, days eight through 19 will be your most fertile days. However, this method is most effective when you have regular menstrual cycles.
If a woman has a regular period and uses the method perfectly, less than one to five women out of 100 will become pregnant. However, the key words here are perfect use. The typical use rate is different. Typical use means that the methods may be done incorrectly or measured inconsistently. In the first year of this typical use, 12 to 24 women out of 100 will become pregnant.
How Long Is Too Long
Generally, a period lasts between three to seven days. A menstrual period that lasts longer than seven days is considered a long period.
Your doctor may refer to a period that lasts longer than a week as menorrhagia. You may also be diagnosed with menorrhagia if you experience unusually heavy bleeding that lasts less than a week. Five percent of women have menorrhagia.
A long period may be a sign of a serious underlying health condition, such as:
- hormone irregularities
- uterine abnormalities
- cancer
Its important to see your doctor if you experience a long or heavy period so they can identify the underlying cause or rule out more serious possible causes.
Menorrhagia can cause discomfort during your period as well as disrupt your regular routine. You may find that the bleeding affects your activities or your sleep. You may also experience iron deficiency anemia if you regularly experience long menstrual periods, especially if theyre heavy.
Read on to learn more about long periods, including possible causes and what you can do to manage this symptom.
Long periods can be caused by a wide range of underlying conditions.
How To Use This Ovulation Calendar Tool
- Pick a date on the calendar that matches the day you started your last period
- The calendar will display your estimated ovulation date, marking it in red.
- The days leading up to your ovulation date will appear marked in purple those are the days you are likely the most fertile.
- If you have records of how long your own menstrual cycle lasts, change the default number of 28 days in the dropdown menu in the results box for a more accurate calculation.
You May Like: When Will I Get My Period Calculator
Changes In Your Periods
Your periods can change for example, they may last longer or get lighter. This does not necessarily mean there’s a problem, but it does need to be investigated.
You can see your GP, or visit your nearest women’s clinic or contraceptive clinic.
Bleeding between periods, bleeding after having sex, or bleeding after the menopause needs to be checked by a doctor.
It might be caused by an infection, abnormalities in the neck of the womb or, in rare cases, it could be cancer.
You could be pregnant if you miss a period and you’ve had sex. See your GP if you’ve taken a pregnancy test and the result is negative and you’ve missed 3 consecutive periods.
They will investigate the cause and recommend any necessary treatment.
Read more about stopped or missed periods.
Cancer Of The Endometrium
Cancer that affects the endometrium of the uterus can cause bleeding in women especially after 40 years. However, younger women may have prolonged heavy period, abdominal pain and vaginal pain during intercourse.
If your doctor suspects cancer as the cause of your long heavy periods, removal of the uterus or hysterectomy will be performed. Removal of the uterus with radio or chemotherapy can achieve cure if done early.
You May Like: Can You Be Pregnant And Still Get A Period
What Is Normal Bleeding
There is a range of normal bleeding some women have short, light periods and others have longer, heavy periods. Your period may also change over time.
Normal menstrual bleeding has the following features:
- Your period lasts for 3-8 days
- Your period comes again every 21-35 days
- The total blood loss over the course of the period is around 2-3 tablespoons but secretions of other fluids can make it seem more
Ovulation Calculator: How Do You Calculate Your Fertile Days
- To calculate your most fertile days, you must first calculate the average length of your cycle.
- Then, you will need to know your luteal phase to calculate the days around ovulation in which you will be the most fertile.
Assuming an average luteal phase of 14 days, your fertile days will be 13 to 18 days before your expected period. For a 28-day cycle, this would be days 10 to 16. Using an ovulation calculator can help you find your most fertile days more easily.
Recommended Reading: I Know I Ovulated But My Period Is Late
Hormone And Ovulation Changes
Changes to your hormones or ovulation may cause a long period. You may notice hormonal changes when you first get your period during puberty or in perimenopause. You may also experience a hormonal imbalance from different health conditions, such as thyroid disorders or polycystic ovary syndrome.
If your hormones arent at a normal level or if your body doesnt ovulate during your menstrual cycle, the uterine lining can become very thick. When your body finally sheds the lining, you may experience a period thats longer than normal.
Ovulation: Days 12 15
The pituitary gland releases a surge of luteinising hormone , triggering the release of the mature egg from the ovary and into the fallopian tube. Sperm can survive for up to 2 3 days in the fallopian tubes waiting for the arrival of the egg for fertilisation, however the egg has a window of approximately 12-24 hours in which it can be fertilised after release. The dominant follicle that has released the egg then forms the corpus luteum. This important structure releases progesterone which assist in maintaining the uterine lining.
Read Also: How Do You Make Your Period Go Away Faster
You Have Thyroid Issues
One in eight women will suffer from low thyroid function, or hypothyroidism, at some point in their lives, according to the OWH.
Your thyroid is a little butterfly-shaped gland that controls the hormones that regulate many systems in your body, including how fast you burn calories, how fast your heart beats, and yes, menstruation. Having too little thyroid hormone can cause your period to be super long and heavy, the OWH explains.
Other symptoms of hypothyroidism include weight gain, fatigue, and hair loss, so if you’re experiencing any of those, along with longer-than-normal periods, bring it up to your doctor, says Dr. Ross.
Track Your Most Fertile Days
Generally, the best chance of pregnancy is when sex happens 1-2 days before ovulation. If you have a regular 28-day cycle, count back 14 days from when you expect your next period to start. Plan on having sex every other day around that time — say, days 12 and 14. Keep in mind that having sex every day may lower a man’s sperm count. Your cycle may be longer or shorter, so an online ovulation calculator may help you figure out the likely day.
Recommended Reading: Periodic Table Of Elements Shower Curtain
When Do You Ovulate After Your Period
A womans monthly cycle is measured from the first day of her menstrual period until the first day of her next period. On average, a womans cycle is between 28-32 days, although some women may have much shorter or longer cycles.Most women ovulate anywhere between Day 11 Day 21 of their cycle, counting from the first day of their last period. This is your fertile time and when sexual intercourse has the best chance of producing pregnancy. Ovulation can occur at any point during this window and may occur on a different day each month.
A combination of methods such as observing your cervical fluid, taking your basal body temperature daily, and tracking your periods can help you identify your time of ovulation. Try our ovulation calendar to get you started. A Fertility Kit or Monitor from our sponsor Fairhaven Health is a great way to pin point your fertile days.
Is There A Chance I Could Be Pregnant Even If I Get My Period
No. You can’t be pregnant and have a period, but it is possible to mistake implantation bleeding for a menstrual cycle, says Dr. Berens. About seven days after conception, the embryo imbeds itself in the wall of the uterus and can cause spotting. Implantation bleeding is lighter and shorter in duration than a menstrual period but it can still be difficult to tell which you’re experiencing. If you’re unsure, take a pregnancy test in a week for a definitive result. If you experience profuse bleeding at any point in your cycle, call your doctor immediately.
Read Also: What Happens When You Get Your First Period
How Does It Affect Menstruation
Late ovulation may also affect menstruation.
Some people with late ovulation may have heavy bleeding during their period. According to the National Health Service in the United Kingdom, this occurs because levels of the hormone estrogen rise during the first part of the menstrual cycle, causing the lining of the uterus to thicken.
Then, ovulation triggers the bodys release of another hormone, progesterone. This hormone supports the uterus to maintain a pregnancy, should one occur.
However, late or missed ovulation means that the body does not secrete progesterone. Instead, it continues to release estrogen, causing more blood to build up in the uterine lining.
At a certain point, the lining becomes unstable and leaves the body as a heavier-than-normal menstrual period.
What Is The Cervical Mucus Method Of Determining Fertility
The cervical mucus method involves being aware of the changes in your cervical mucus throughout the month. The hormones that control the menstrual cycle also change the kind and amount of mucus you have before and during ovulation.
Right after your period, there are usually a few days when there is no mucus present or “dry days.” As the egg starts to mature, mucus increases in the vagina, appears at the vaginal opening, and is white or yellow and cloudy and sticky. The greatest amount of mucus appears just before ovulation. During these “wet days” it becomes clear and slippery, like raw egg whites. Sometimes it can be stretched apart.
This is when you are most fertile. About four days after the wet days begin the mucus changes again. There will be much less and it becomes sticky and cloudy. You might have a few more dry days before your period returns. Describe changes in your mucus on a calendar. Label the days, “Sticky,””Dry,” or “Wet.” You are most fertile at the first sign of wetness after your period or a day or two before wetness begins.
The cervical mucus method is less reliable for some women. Women who are breastfeeding, taking hormonal birth control , using feminine hygiene products, have vaginitis or sexually transmitted infections , or have had surgery on the cervix should not rely on this method.
Recommended Reading: Does The Depo Shot Stop Periods
Is Having Your Period For 4 Days Normal
A period that starts between one and four days earlier or later than expected is considered normal. Most periods last between three and five days, but a period anywhere between three and seven days long is also considered normal . A period that happens anytime of the month and is very unpredictable is considered irregular. Reasons for a late period
What Is An Irregular Period
The average length of a menstrual cycle is 28 days, which means that a normal cycle can last between 21 and 35 days with bleeding lasting three to seven days.1 Any pattern that strays from this is considered an irregular period.
It is important to differentiate between frequent periods that occur every two weeks and intermenstrual bleeding, which some women might mistake for a period. Let’s see how the two differ.
-
Intermenstrual bleeding is a medical term for bleeding or spotting between periods. The flow of blood is generally less heavy than during a period and not enough to soak through a panty liner.
-
Frequent periods, known as polymenorrhea, are defined as periods that occur less than 21 days apart, including every two weeks.2 Depending on a woman’s flow, she will likely use several full-size sanitary pads over the span of three to seven days.
Read Also: What To Eat To Get Heavy Period
Why Do I Have Period For 2 Weeks
A normal period is between 2 days and a week. If your period lasts more than a week, then its abnormal. Also, if you continue to see your periods for two weeks, then it is prolonged. Inform your doctor. Common causes of prolonged bleeding depend on your age. A uterine fibroid is common in young women while endometrial hyperplasia and cancer are common in older women.
You Had An Early Miscarriage
Early miscarriages are much more common than you may realize. Up to half of all pregnancies end in miscarriage, often before the woman even realizes she was pregnant, according to the .
Sometimes the only sign is an extra-heavy or long period. Your menstrual cycle length should return to normal within one to two cycles if it stays abnormally long after three cycles, call your doctor, Dr. Toth says.
About one in 100 women suffer from repeat miscarriages, so it’s important to rule out a condition that affects fertility, like endometriosis.
Also Check: How Do You Know Your Period Cycle Length
When Can I Get Pregnant During My Menstrual Cycle
You have the highest chance of getting pregnant on the days leading up to ovulation these are called fertile days.
Ovulation usually happens about 14 days before your period starts but everyones body is different. You may ovulate earlier or later, depending on the length of your menstrual cycle.
Your egg lives for about 1 day after its released from your ovary, and sperm can live in your uterus and fallopian tubes for about 6 days after sex. So you can usually get pregnant for around 6 days of every menstrual cycle: the 5 days before you ovulate, and the day you ovulate. You can also get pregnant a day or so after ovulation, but it’s less likely.
Many people track their menstrual cycles and other fertility signs to help them figure out when theyre ovulating. This is called fertility awareness some people use it to prevent pregnancy, and others use it to try to get pregnant. Check out our app, which makes it easy to chart your cycle and figure out your fertile days.
Some people have very regular cycles, and other peoples cycles vary from month to month. Its really common for young people to have irregular periods. Since your period can be unpredictable, its hard to know for sure when youll ovulate . So if you dont want to get pregnant, use birth control every time you have vaginal sex.