Several factors may influence the length of a woman’s menstrual cycle, and the following are the major ones;
Age. When a woman is younger, say just out of puberty, her cycle could be irregular because her hormone system hasn’t attained stability just yet. Many younger women experience heavy bleeding and the period lasts longer during their teens and early twenties. As they grow older, the cycle often becomes regular and the period may get shorter than what they used to experience in their teens or early twenties. For women approaching menopause (typically in the 40’s), the cycle can also become irregular and the period itself may become longer or a lot shorter than was the norm for them in earlier years.
Emotional state. Stress is one notable factor that can influence a woman’s menstrual cycle. In periods of high stress, a woman’s period may come earlier than expected or even delay even if that person generally has a regular menstrual cycle. Excessive excitement or happiness can also trigger cycle changes, which can explain why you shouldn’t be shocked when you get your period on or around your wedding day!
Extreme weight loss. When a woman loses a lot of weight in a short time and her body fat percentage drops below the required threshold, her cycle can be disrupted and her period will delay. This is because the body senses that she isn’t in the right physical shape to support a pregnancy, so preparations for nurturing a baby in the womb/uterus are halted while the body waits for her physical condition to improve.
Breast-feeding or pregnancy. Breastfeeding women may experience irregular periods because the hormones responsible for breastfeeding can disrupt those involved in getting an egg released so that fertilization can occur. Missed periods are also a possible indicator that one is pregnant, and a simple at-home test can let you know whether your delayed period is due to pregnancy.
Excessive exercising. Women who exercise heavily can experience irregular periods due to the immense levels of stress imposed on their bodies by the physical activity they are engaged in. Also, excessive exercising can result in one’s body fat dropping below the minimum levels required for the normal functioning of the menstrual cycle, thereby resulting in cycle changes.
Medical abnormalities like uterine fibroids, PCOS, pelvic inflammatory disease as well as premature ovarian failure (the ovaries no longer work as they should) can all lead to menstrual cycle changes.
It is important to take note of any cycle changes and talk to a health care professional for advice so any underlying causes of the changes you observe can be addressed in a timely manner. In many cases, the cycle changes you experience will be normal and adjust on their own.