Are delayed or irregular periods a sign of infertility?

are delayed or irregular periods a sign of infertility

Delayed periods can be frustrating and problematic, but luckily, often it is not a matter of concern. Still, irregular periods can be a sign of underlying hormonal imbalance or female infertility.

It is important to get in touch with your doctor to have an appropriate discussion on the irregularities that you have been experiencing in your cycle. Your doctor will ask you to get some tests done for diagnosing the condition and will prescribe the treatment that will help to get your periods.

This guide will help you understand everything related to periods and identify whether it is a female infertility symptom or not.

What are irregular periods?

Normally, women get their periods between the periods of 28-35 days. However, sometimes women don’t get their periods in this much of a period gap and that is termed as irregular periods. However, women in their lifetime do experience irregular periods as a symptom of hormonal imbalance but it should not be very frequent or at unpredictable intervals. 

Frequent irregular periods are among one the signs of infertility in women. It is crucial to identify the issue before it gets worse as the right treatment and medication can be taken beforehand.

What causes irregular or delayed periods?

Below are some of the main causes of irregular or delayed periods:

  • Irregularities in your periods are common because of certain reasons such as traveling, stress, exercise, or change in routine.
  • There are consistent changes in the irregular periods mainly because of the reasons like weight gain, weight loss, eating disorders, or low and high thyroid levels.
  • There are other reasons such as hormonal imbalance that might happen because of birth control pills doses, patches, or estrogen supplements.
  • The most common reason for irregular or delayed periods of PCOS or polycystic ovary syndrome.
  • Lastly, the only reason for missed period is pregnancy but understand the difference between missed and delayed. If you get your periods after a month or two, then surely you aren’t pregnant.

Do irregular periods cause infertility in women?

Do irregular periods cause infertility in women

Irregular periods don’t always mean female infertility, there can be many other that one must identify such as age, stress, weight issues, and health conditions like PCOS or PCOD. To identify the reasons, it is essential to consult the best gynecologist in Delhi

How to know if you have irregular periods?

If you aren’t sure about the irregularities in your periods, then it is important at first for you to understand that keeping a track of dates plays a crucial role. You have to track down the timing of your periods and identify the gap between your periods every month in terms of days. 

For instance, if you get your period after every 25 days, then the high chance is next month you will get your periods on the same day or either it will come the day before the expected date or might delay for 1-2 days. If you see that the period is being delayed by 35 days or the days are exceeding every month or you aren’t getting your periods each month, then you must consider it as the irregularity in your cycles. 

Hence, it is recommended for you to get in touch with your gynecologist so that you have the clarity of reasons behind irregularity especially when you are planning to get pregnant.

Do irregular periods affect your fertility or chances of getting pregnant?

No, irregular periods don’t affect your chances of getting pregnant and not always affect your fertility. In fact, countless women with irregular cycles have conceived easily and have had normal pregnancies like any other female.

If you think that irregular periods are a sign of infertility in women, then the answer is no. However, it can be difficult for a woman with irregular periods to become pregnant.

That being said, if your periods are delayed, it becomes very difficult to track down the fertility bulletins and hence resulting in creating problems to identify when you should try to conceive. Often, women keep track of their cycles so that it is for them to know when ovulation occurs. But when there are months without bleeding and then you get your periods it causes intricacies in tracking the ovulation. As a result, women begin to look for other ways that can help them identify the day of ovulation.

The actual problem is that when it is about the delayed periods it may lead to causing the issue of irregular or absent ovulation. Without ovulation, no woman can get pregnant. Issues with ovulation are the main reasons for infertility which is around 30%.

If you find out that the main reason for irregular periods is the sign of ovulation issues or symptoms of infertility in women, then it is time for you to reach out to your doctor. They can help you understand whether you require treatment for getting pregnant or if there is any other major problem that requires serious attention first.

Treatment

Having delayed periods from time to time is usual and doesn’t need treatment. Moreover irregularity because of puberty, and contraception, doesn’t need treatment. Although, you need to get in touch with the doctor if;

  • Irregularity is obstinate and there is no apparent reason.
  • Delayed periods can be because of certain medication or some health condition like PCOS, Thyroid disorders, etc. 
  • If you are planning to get pregnant.

Here is the possible treatment that one can include for the treatment of irregular periods:

  • Hormone therapy is the most recommended treatment as it helps in managing the hormonal levels. It will help you in getting regular periods and managing the symptoms of conditions like PCOS.
  • If irregular periods are related to any sort of anxiety, depression, stress, or eating problems, then you must get mental health support.
  •  Additional medications are recommended to the females based on their health conditions and the cause of irregular periods. 

Final words

Irregular periods can be a matter of concern for many females especially when they are planning to become pregnant. If a woman is experiencing constantly irregular periods, she begins to feel that it is a female infertility symptom. It is not the case always hence one must get in touch with their doctor to get more clarification on it. 

We believe that this guide will help you gain an efficient understanding associated with irregular or delayed periods and fertility. Always remember that delayed periods don’t mean you are infertile.

There can be many other reasons that require proper diagnoses and consultation with the right treatment. You can consult Crysta IVF as we have got a team of experienced best gynecologists in Delhi with us offering their best services.