Why is My Menstrual Cycle Getting Longer?

A menstrual cycle occurs due to hormones that are produced naturally in the body. At its core, a menstrual cycle serves the purpose of reproduction. However, when a person does not become pregnant, they typically experience menstruation. This process of the body preparing for reproduction and then menstruating is what comprises a menstrual cycle. There is a lot more that happens in a menstrual cycle and we shall get into the details a little later in this article. 

Many factors affect menstrual cycles such as diet, lifestyle, exercise, medical conditions, stress and medical history. It is safe to say that while there are commonalities in the process of a menstrual flow, each person’s experience is unique to them. In this article we shall be discussing a whole lot about menstrual cycles, from the phases of a cycle, to factors that influence irregularity, as well as situations where medical attention must be sought. So let us get right into it.    

How Long Does a Menstrual Cycle Last?

In order to understand how long a menstrual cycle lasts, one needs to understand how a cycle is calculated. The first day after a period ends marks the beginning of the cycle, and it ends on the last day of menstruating. For many people this is a duration of 24 to 38 days. There are those who may have a shorter duration than this and others who may have a longer duration than this. There are reasons for this and medically, it is not an abnormality. Let us look at the phases of a menstrual cycle. Since we already mentioned that the cycle is calculated from the first day following the end of a period, we shall begin there.

1. The follicular phase: When a person’s menstrual flow ends, the body begins to prepare itself to become pregnant. The first step is to regrow the uterine lining following the shedding of the previous one. It also begins to develop a new group of eggs to maturity for a period of about two weeks. The way the eggs are developed is within tiny fluid filled sacs called antral follicles. The goal is to get at least one egg matured and ready for release to the next phase. 
2. Ovulation is the phase where one egg matures and is released from its antral follicle. As soon as this egg is released, the remaining antral follicles stop their development. Ovulation lasts for about a day and a half to two and is often referred to as an ‘ovulation window’. The reason for this is that it is the window within which a person can get pregnant. 
3. The luteal phase: Once released the egg begins to make its way to the uterus via the fallopian tube. The uterus at this time begins to prepare for pregnancy by releasing hormones that sustain the thickened uterine lining. remain elevated for about two weeks. These hormones are vital to the initial stages of pregnancy, so they remain elevated for about two weeks. If a person does not become pregnant, these hormones begin to decrease gradually. Without the support needed to remain thickened, the uterine lining begins to shed, and this is what causes a person to get their period. 
4. Menstruation is what is commonly known as a period and as we have seen it happens because a person did not become pregnant. Menstruation is a three to seven day affair, with some people having more days, and others having fewer days. The last day of menstruation marks the last day of a menstrual cycle.

How Does Age Affect Your Menstrual Cycle?

As a person gets older, it is natural for their hormone levels to gradually reduce. Since a menstrual cycle is regulated by hormones, it follows then that the regularity of menstruation and quantity in menstrual blood are affected by anything that affects the hormones. While the reduction of hormones may be gradual, the effects of even a slight change in hormone levels has the capacity to cause significant changes in a person’s menstrual cycle.  

Those who experience menstruation tend to have some aspects in common. Menstrual cycle counts are observed in two main ways; the average number of days of the cycle’s length as a whole, and the variations in the number of days of menstruation in each cycle. What has been observed is that when a person is 20 years or younger, their overall menstrual cycle is about 30.3 days on average, and the variation in the number of days of menstruation is 5.3 days on average. 

Again, when a person is between 35 to 39 years old, their cycle is about  28.7 days on average, and the variation in the number of days of menstruation is 3.8 days on average. In their 40s, a person’s average menstrual cycle length is 28 days on average at first, then it shifts 31 days on average. By the time a person gets to their 50s, the variance in the number of days of menstruation is 11.2 days on average. 

What Causes Your Menstrual Cycle to Change?

While hormones are the central cause of changes in a menstrual cycle, there are other factors that contribute to certain changes. As we have seen, age is one factor. Other factors include hormonal imbalances, perimenopause, stress, birth control, diet, and medical conditions.

Hormone Imbalance

Hormonal imbalances could be as a result of lifestyle, illness, or medical conditions. Thyroid conditions, amenorrhea, Cushing’s syndrome and polycystic ovary syndrome are some medical conditions that could cause imbalances in a person’s hormones, leading to irregularities in their menstrual cycle.  When these conditions are properly treated, a person can experience more regularity in their menstrual cycle. As well, changes in lifestyle can greatly improve healthy hormone production in the body, resulting in a healthier menstrual cycle. 

Perimenopause

For context, let us first talk about an ovarian reserve. The ovaries contain the supply of all the eggs that a female will have in their lifetime. This is what is called an ovarian reserve. In each menstrual cycle, several of these are released. This process gradually decreases the number of eggs a person has over the course of their life. 

The hormone estrogen is produced in the ovaries, as a result of the ovarian reserve. As the eggs decrease, so does the level of estrogen in the body. With a reduced supply of eggs and volume of estrogen in the body, a person begins to experience irregularities in their menstrual cycle. It is this phase in a person’s life that is referred to as perimenopause. 

Perimenopause can last months or even years depending on the rate a which the ovarian reserve is depleting. As well, a person may experience an increase in bladder and vaginal infections. This occurs because their body is not able to regulate the vaginal discharge that typically keeps the vagina clean and free of infections, which is supported by the production of estrogen.

Stress

Stress affects how the body produces and regulates hormones. When a person is stressed, the brain releases some compounds that prevent the hormones from being regulated efficiently.  When this happens, the regularity of a person’s menstrual cycle is impacted, and the effects could be long-term.  

Diet

The right nutrition helps the body to produce hormones efficiently. A nutritionally poor diet will impact this production and this is reflected in their menstrual cycle. Hormones are very sensitive to nutrition, so much so that even when a person has a healthy body weight, but they consume junk food excessively, it will affect their menstrual cycle. 

Birth Control

Birth control, particularly the hormone-based variety, typically prevents ovulation in order to prevent pregnancy. It goes without saying then that the hormones that facilitate ovulation when impacted, will have a domino effect on a person’s menstrual cycle. This means that they may bleed or experience spotting between cycles, or have reduced menstruation.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

It comes as no surprise that about 8 to 13 percent of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) cases are diagnosed during a person’s reproductive years, since this is the duration when the ovaries are actively producing eggs. PCOS is a condition where the uterus develops many cysts all over the ovaries, preventing the ovaries from developing healthy follicles. This in turn prevents normal ovulation, and reduces the occurrence of menstruation altogether. 

When to See a Doctor

Due to the many issues that impact a menstrual cycle, it is important to see a doctor if: 

• Your period lasts longer than 7 days 
• You experience spotting between periods regularly 
• Your period occurs more than two months apart on a regular basis 
• Your period is consistently accompanied by severe painful
• You change your tampon or pad hourly due to a heavy period 
• Your menstrual cycle is shorter than 24 days consistently

In Conclusion

While variation in cycle length and duration is normal, there are times when these variations are significant. To begin with, it is advisable that one adjust their lifestyle and diet, include exercise and manage their stress, to see some positive changes. As we have outlined, there are times to seek medical attention. If you have queries or concerns regarding medical conditions that could be having an impact on your regular cycle, contact IVF Fertility Center. We are happy to walk with you as we navigate your concerns together.