Can Irregular Periods Cause Infertility? How Can It Be Treated?

One of the few things that signifies the transformation of a little girl into that of a mature lady is the occurrence of periods, or menstrual cycles. Occurring for the first time at the onset of puberty, the phenomenon continues well up to a woman's late 40s and early 50s.

In this interval of time, a woman gets her periods once every month. This monthly cycle is related to the release of eggs from her body. In this stretch of life, a woman is considered to be fertile and can get pregnant if she wants to and takes the necessary course of actions.

Sadly, for some women, the period is not very regular. They sometimes end up having their periods more than once a month. At other times, they go for months without having periods at all.

However, other than the regular irritability, it can also have more serious implications, including infertility. This article talks about the same and goes into the details of how it can be treated. Read on.

• General Irregular Periods
• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
• Tackling PCOS
• Modern Lifestyle
• Stress And Irregular Periods
• Tackling Stress Related To Fertility

• General Irregular Periods

There are girls who have regular periods right from their teenage. These women are always armed with pads in order to tackle conditions like periods. To them, the irregularity associated with periods is something that comes naturally and they do not consider it as something that needs to be treated.

However, if you are someone who is suffering from a condition like this since long, it is time you identified the same and consult a doctor about it. Even if you are not planning to conceive a child, you must not delay taking medical actions against the same. The longer you delay, the more difficult it will be for you in the long run.

• Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

This is one condition that is seen to affect 1 in every 5 Indian women. Although it is pretty popular, this is a pretty serious condition and is something that must not be ignored at all. Here, the ovaries become a little enlarged as compared to their regular size and it results in the occurrence of small, fluid-filled cysts.

One of the direct consequences of this (and usually the first and most prominent symptom) is irregular periods. In the extreme cases, this also goes up to the level wherein the woman has no periods. As a result, the ovulation cycle of the woman is affected and she may find it difficult to conceive a child.

• Tackling PCOS

PCOS is a condition that is seen to be affecting obese women all the more. Thus, tackling obesity is one of the first steps that you can take in order to fight obesity. On testing, it is often seen that women with high insulin have PCOS. Thus, on prescription by your doctor, you can go ahead and take medications to reduce the insulin.

This will not just increase your chances of getting pregnant but will also ensure that you do not suffer from type 2 diabetes. Ovulation can be stimulated and insulin resistance can be treated with proper attention by medical professionals.

Once that is done, regular ovulation and periods are restored in women suffering from PCOS. If none of it works out, the last resort in trying to conceive a child would be to resort to in vitro fertilization, which is seen to work well in women with PCOS.

• Modern Lifestyle

One of the things that is at fault for the growing number of cases of irregular periods and infertility in women is the fact that modern lifestyle is actually for the worse. These days, we have moved to an urban culture where we consume more of junk food and there is practically no mention of green and leafy vegetables in our diet.

Due to the long hours that we spend on social media sites, our sleep cycles are hampered. With most of us working in offices and gadgets and maids doing our household chores, we have moved to a more sedentary lifestyle. The cumulative effect of all of this is that it takes a toll on our general health and more so on our periods and reproductive health (causing the same to become irregular).

• Stress And Irregular Periods

The next factor that comes into play here is the role of stress. Stress (about anything; be it personal or professional) is something that causes irregular periods. If you have been trying to conceive for a long time and have been unsuccessful, chances are that you are stressed about the same.

1 in every 2 couples trying to conceive are seen to suffer from this type of stress. If you are one such woman, you should understand that this will in turn result in irregular periods, which will make your chances of getting pregnant even bleak. In this way, you will end up in a deadlock.

• Tackling Stress Related To Fertility

The only way out of this is to try avoiding bottling up your feelings. Try to open up to your partner about how you feel. Limit the intake of alcohol, cigarette and even caffeine. Indulge in fitness activities, as that will act as a release for both your physical and emotional stress.

You may even indulge in things like yoga and meditation. If none of it seems to be working, do not hesitate to go to an emotional support group. It is always better to go to these places before it is actually too late for you. Some people prefer to deal with stress by being logical at times.

If you are one of those, you can consider reading up as much as you can about your irregular periods and infertility issues. This will make you feel more empowered and help to reduce stress. Meanwhile, it is a wise idea to chalk out financial limits on medical treatment plans with that of your partner.