Many women face problems of irregular menstrual cycle (periods). However, this hardly disrupts the normal life; it is a cause of worry when you are trying to get pregnant. Irregular or abnormal ovulation’s make up to 40% of infertility cases. Therefore, it’s increasingly important to pay attention to your menstrual cycle whether or not you are planning a family immediately.
The best way is to visit a gynecologist and get yourself checked thoroughly, including the tests suggested by the doctor for fertility. If, after the tests, other medical conditions are ruled out, irregular periods would be the only cause of anxiety, especially for those sexually active women who are not planning a pregnancy.
The easiest way to suspect pregnancy is a missed period. But what in case of women who have an irregular cycle? For women with irregular cycle, it is important to keep in mind the other than missed periods pregnancy symptoms such as:
- Tender Breasts
- Fatigue
- Morning Sickness
- Darkening of the skin around areola
- Food cravings
- Vomiting
However, hormonal fluctuations can cause fatigue, even in case of irregular or delayed periods, frequent urination and nausea are one of the closest pregnancy signs that one can observe.
For most women, a home pregnancy test may give an accurate result, but not in case of women with irregular periods. A blood test after a time you’re sure of your symptoms is the best way to get the proof of pregnancy.
Some women also get cramps once the egg is implanted in the walls of the uterus. Slight bleeding, although not very common is also seen in some women. But they don’t last more than a day or two and is too slight to be termed as periods. If you get that, you might be pregnant and hence should visit a doctor immediately for tests. It is advisable not to take over the counter medicine for cramps as this may harm the tiny fetus (if you’ve conceived). It is always best to be sure from a medical practitioner.
Most women when pregnant feel abnormal bloating and retention of body fluid. If you have this symptom and feel it’s not overeating, you might be pregnant. Headaches and backaches are also very common during early pregnancy.
A woman with a long menstrual cycle is likely to ovulate 4 times less than a woman with a regulated cycle; hence the possibilities of conception are lesser. The only way this that can be assured in case of an irregular menstrual cycle is the fact that periods come after 14 days of ovulation. It is important to keep a tab of your irregular periods over a few months and notice the likely occurrence. Accordingly, you can calculate 14 days prior, as that will be the ovulation time.
Whether or not a woman is planning a child, it is always important to see a medical practitioner in case of a disturbed menstrual cycle. A disturbed menstrual cycle not only hinders the conception possibilities, but also has adverse effects on a woman’s body.