Menstrual cycles are an integral part of any woman’s life. Right from menarche to menopause – the years a woman menstruates, her body changes constantly. Apart from the monthly period and changes in hormone levels, her body changes physically and physiologically. Wondering how your menstrual cycle can change with age? Read on for details.
A menstrual cycle is a monthly cycle a woman experiences due to changes in her hormones. Every month, a menstruating woman’s body releases mature eggs for fertilisation and prepare for pregnancy. When fertilisation does not happen, the egg is absorbed back into the body, but the uterine lining has to be shed. This is what comes out when a woman bleeds during her monthly period.
A woman’s menstrual cycle evolves over time and changes with age. Other factors, such as underlying health issues, body weight, stress and hormone levels, have a big impact on the menstrual cycle. Even small changes in a woman’s menstrual cycle can have a big impact on her health and quality of life.
Changes in menstrual periods can be due to various factors. One of the most influential factors is the age. Here is how your periods can differ according to your age:
After a girl’s menarche (first period), the body takes time to settle into a rhythm. The periods are often heavy and accompanied by some painful cramps. Many girls have menstrual cycles that can be as long as 38 days. As a result, the periods can be irregular and not easy to predict.
Teenagers often experience acne along with bloating, digestive issues and changes in sleep patterns. The hormonal changes can lead to strong mood swings, which is very common even among older women during menstruation.
Tracking a teen’s periods can be a little challenging due to the irregularity and long cycles.
For women in their 20s, the menstrual periods can be more regular. The body will settle into a rhythm by now, and the cycles will be quite consistent and predictable. Women in their 20s will also try to conceive, for which tracking their dates is very important.
Some women may face issues like irregular periods, very heavy or light bleeding and sometimes even the absence of menstruation for a month or two. This could be due to various health issues, stress, drastic changes in weight or a very physically demanding lifestyle.
The cycles usually last anywhere between 24 to 38 days. The period can last between 3 to 7 days. For some women the length of the menstrual cycle changes after 30 years of age or as she nears her 40s. The changes vary from woman to woman.
Most women are in the perimenopause stage in their 40s. This can cause the periods to become irregular. Some women can experience heavier bleeding than before and some may bleed less. It is natural to experience spotting between periods too.
As the body slowly prepares for menopause – the end of menstruation, it can undergo many hormonal changes. Women in this stage can experience hot flashes, severe mood swings, weight gain especially around the abdomen and an increase in appetite. Changes in the menstrual cycle after 40 could be due to the decrease in estrogen levels.
Menopause is when a woman has not had her menstrual period for 12 months continuously. When she completes a year of no bleeding or period, she has attained menopause. Now her body will not release any eggs and pregnancy is not possible.
She can still experience hormonal fluctuations that can cause hot flashes, weight gain, muscle and joint aches, sleep issues, forgetfulness, vaginal dryness, etc. These symptoms can be very different for different women and the duration can also vary.
A woman’s menstrual period can be affected by various other issues like:
● Pregnancy – No periods for the entire duration of pregnancy
● PCOD – Polycystic Ovarian Disorder
● PCOS – Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
● Weight Gain – Excess weight gain can interfere with menstrual cycle
● Weight Loss – Sudden or excess weight loss can cause a woman to skip her monthly period
● Hormonal Imbalance – An imbalance in hormones can affect the estrogen and progesterone levels, which in turn can affect menstruation. Periods can be heavy, light or irregular due to hormonal imbalances.
There is not much one can do about the changes in menstrual cycles due to the age factor. For other factors that can contribute towards menstrual cycles, you can always change your diet and lifestyle, exercise regularly and keep track of changes in your body.
In the cases of persistent changes or issues with the menstrual cycle, it is advisable to consult your doctor instead of trying various remedies or trying to self-medicate.
Menstrual cycles vary by age and experience. The food consumed, stress levels, age and a lot more factors influence the menstrual cycle. It is very normal for a woman to experience changes from time to time. If you experience any sudden change in menstrual cycle length, it is advisable to consult your gynaecologist to find the right explanation and solution.
After menarche – the first period, a girl’s body will take time to adjust and stabilise the hormonal fluctuations. During this time, she can have irregular menstruation, heavy or light bleeding and the length of her period itself can vary from month to month. The menstrual cycle is more stable and predictable for women in their 20s and 30s. This is their fertile stage and many women try to get pregnant during these years. Once a woman reaches her 40s, her periods will slowly start declining and she will eventually reach menopause – the end of her menstruation.
Yes, the average age of menarche is steadily declining with time. Today many adolescent girls reach menarche at the average age of 11 -12 years as compared to their mothers who reached menarche between 13-14 years. The changes in food habits and lifestyle have led to girls as young as 10 years old getting their first period.
The evolution of the menstrual cycle is a complex topic with multiple theories. One of the theories suggests menstruation helps the body eliminate infectious agents carried into the uterus and another theory suggests menstruation helps conserve energy.
A 12-year-old’s period can range between 2 to 7 days. It can take a few years before it stabilises and becomes regular. At this age, the menstrual period can be irregular too.
