You often hear to "seek medical support or preconception care if you have an irregular menstrual cycle", but are left wondering what even IS a regular menstrual cycle?
A "regular" menstrual cycle can vary from person-to-person and throughout the lifespan, but generally a regular cycle can be defined by the below parameters:
Menstrual Parameter | Explanation | "Regular" Cycle |
Cycle Length | The length of time between the first day of one period to the first day of your next period (e.g. 28 days) | 21-35 Days |
Period Duration | How long you are bleeding for during each menstrual cycle (e.g. if your period started on Monday and finished on Friday, your period duration would be 5 days) | 3-8 Days |
Flow | How heavy is your period (e.g. how many pads/tampons/menstrual cups do you use per day?) | Blood loss 2-3 tablespoons of blood (other secretions can make it appear more) *This can be hard to gauge, but if you are barely filling your menstrual cup or are changing a super tampon multiple times through the day, it may be irregular |
Pain | Whether you have period cramps and how severe they are | Mild-to-moderate cramping can be normal, as long as it doesn't interfere with your daily activities |
Variations in any of the above can indicate hormonal or reproductive organ concerns and should be brought up with your healthcare provider!
We often say that your period is a "report card" for our overall health, so if there are concerns, these should be a priority
Do you have any markers of an abnormal menstrual cycle? Book in here for a complementary disocovery call to see if we are the right fit to work together (*Ontario Residents Only)
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