The menstrual cycle is how your body prepares for a potential pregnancy. Every month, your body goes through the four stages of menstrual bleeding, the follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase. Any disruption to this cycle can make it harder to conceive but a doctor experienced in both gynaecology and fertility can help you to navigate these challenges.
Abnormal menstrual periods are often not an isolated condition in themselves but actually a symptom of another health issue. However, regardless of the underlying cause, having periods that are irregular, absent, or unusually heavy or prolonged can interfere with normal ovulation and make it more difficult to fall pregnant.
Effective management of abnormal periods and their consequences on your fertility involves understanding the underlying cause. Depending on your particular symptoms, whether your problem is periods that are irregular, infrequent, entirely absent, or excessively heavy or painful, a skilled gynaecologist will focus their investigations in a certain direction. In addition to taking a comprehensive medical history, testing may involve blood tests to assess hormone levels, imaging scans such as an ultrasound or sonohysterography, or a diagnostic procedure such as laparoscopic surgery, a hysteroscopy, or a biopsy.
There are a large range of causes for an irregular period. Generally, it is quite simple to determine the underlying cause with investigations such as blood tests and a pelvic ultrasound.
Yes, you can. However, it may take longer and it is typically more challenging as with an irregular period it is unclear if and when you are ovulating and when the fertile window is.
Even if you don’t have a period, it is always possible to get pregnant. So the best advice is to use contraception if you are not intending a pregnancy. Women can ovulate and be unaware that this has occurred. However, if you have an absent period this is something we would recommend investigating as to why this has occurred.
Dr Danielle Robson, fertility specialist, consults at three locations across Sydney: the CBD, Chatswood, and Manly. A referral from a general practitioner is required for all initial appointments.
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