Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: thedoc on 13/09/2013 23:35:16

Title: What causes irregular or heavy menstrual periods?
Post by: thedoc on 13/09/2013 23:35:16
A period, or menstruation, marks the beginning of the process by which the uterus, or womb, prepares itself for pregnancy.  Sarah has a look at the process and what can go wrong including missed or late periods, intermenstrual bleeding, heavy periods, painful periods, pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS), and the menopause.

Read the article (http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/articles/article/sarahurquhartcolumn1.htm/) then tell us what you think...
Title: None
Post by: Draco malfoy on 02/12/2013 21:01:29
What???
Title: None
Post by: fruit muncher on 12/02/2014 00:29:03
Periods are unnatural and a sign of a toxic body
Title: Re: What causes irregular or heavy menstrual periods?
Post by: RD on 12/02/2014 02:31:52
Periods are unnatural and a sign of a toxic body

Not true ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amenorrhoea
Title: Re: What causes irregular or heavy menstrual periods?
Post by: ScientificSorcerer on 16/02/2014 01:48:02
It looks like hormones are responsible for changes in the menstrual cycle (obviously) I bet that irregular and heavy periods are most likely do to irregular levels of hormones in the body, probably stemming from diet.

Who knows what kind of crap they put in food nowadays it could be effecting people.
Title: Re: What causes irregular or heavy menstrual periods?
Post by: Bored chemist on 16/02/2014 17:11:04
I bet that... probably stemming from diet.

Who knows what kind of crap they put in food nowadays it could be effecting people.
Do you have any evidence for that, or are you just slandering the food industry and its overseers?
Title: Re: What causes irregular or heavy menstrual periods?
Post by: Promilla on 23/02/2014 12:04:26
I was always wondering why it is that anorexic girls loose they periods. It is said that it is body's defence against starvation, but I would consider it to be pretty important process in the body, so I don't know why it would stop in such a case.
Title: Re: What causes irregular or heavy menstrual periods?
Post by: RD on 23/02/2014 13:07:59
I was always wondering why it is that anorexic girls loose they periods ... I don't know why it would stop in such a case.

Could be a safety-mechanism to prevent pregnancy :  if they're already starving then there won't be enough food to "eat for two".

Title: Re: What causes irregular or heavy menstrual periods?
Post by: cheryl j on 23/02/2014 16:13:44
Gonadotropin Releasing hormone (GnRh)  made by the hypothalamus, travels through a tiny blood vessel to the pituitary which releases FSH or Follicle Stimulating hormone, that gets the menstrual cycle rolling, as well as Lutenizing Hormone, that triggers ovulation. So you have structures in the brain that are connected to the nervous system, as well as the endocrine system, and may be sensitive to feedback from both, or disruptions in either system.

According to wiki, feed back from estrogen and androgen levels in the rest of the body, polycystic ovarian disease, insulin, levels of neurotransmitters (norepinephrine, GABA, glutamate, dopamine) and of course pregnancy, can affect GnRh release.

It makes sense that evolution would discourage pregnancy in an undernourished female who may not have sufficient reserves. Generally if it's a contest nutrition-wise between the fetus and the mother, the fetus wins, but that endangers her level of care afterwards and future productivity.   Also, menstruation seems to be somewhat triggered by girls reaching a certain weight and body fat ratio, so if they dip down below pre-puberty levels, that may have something to do with it as well.
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Post by: Meru on 23/12/2015 06:53:04
Hi. I am having a problem for 2 months now. My period are originally regular but then 2 months ago, i didn't get my period on its usual time and it goes on for a month until it came. then now I am having the same problem and bad thing is that, it is very painful now like there is something blocking down there that I don't know what and why. I hope you can help figure out what kind of problem is this and how should i deal with it? Thank you so much.