Among all the delights in the world, there is nothing more delightful for a mother than to hold her baby in her arms and cuddle it. If married women feel that they have a proper understanding with their husbands, more often than not they indulge in hastening their periods and thereby shortening their period cycle.
If you’re a married woman thinking along those lines then this article is for you. In this article, we will study the factors affecting menstrual cycle regularity and how to make your period come faster naturally. So, kindly read on to find out.
What is a Period?
A period is a release of blood from a girl’s uterus, out through her vagina. If a teenage girl or a middle-aged woman had a period recently it means that she did not get pregnant during her last menstrual cycle.
The eggs that are produced by a woman’s ovary glands that are not fertilized are released along with the blood in a woman’s uterus during her menstrual cycles. The average frequency of a woman’s menstrual cycle is 23 to 35 days. Women generally stop ovulating (having periods) in their early 50s.
Factors affecting menstrual cycle regularity
There are quite a few factors that significantly affect puberty age, menstrual cycle duration, and menstrual cycle frequency in teenage girls and middle-aged women. Let’s have a look at them now.
Genetic Factors
Certain types of genes like estrogen-metabolizing genes, CCR3 genes, and CYP17 have a 23 to 57% effect on a woman’s puberty age. A woman’s puberty age can be shortened or prolonged by up to 5 years depending on the chemical composition and structure of the mentioned genes. Women worldwide generally attain puberty between the ages of 8 and 13.
Variations in the structure and chemical composition of the genes CCR3, CYP17, and estrogen-metabolizing genes can alter the level of the hormone, Androgen in a woman’s body thereby determining her puberty age and her growth.
Race and Ethnicity
Generally speaking, African women have the shortest puberty age and menstrual cycle, which can be as short as 21 days. Asian women come in second place with their menstrual cycle length (the gap between their periods) being between 24 and 38 days. American and European women have the longest menstrual cycle between 28 and 45 days. Korean women have the lowest puberty age between 8 and 9.5 years.
Lifestyle and Birth Weight
Generally speaking, Western women (women in America and Europe) who smoke cigarettes and cigars more than their Asian or African counterparts have the longest menstrual cycle of all the women in the world (28 to 45 days).
This is because cigarette and cigar smoking disrupts the placental blood flow and degrades the health of a woman’s ovaries. Birth weight is another major factor that affects the age of puberty in women.
Women who had a birth weight of 3 kilograms and above had their puberty age shortened by 3 to 6 years i.e., they attained puberty at the age of 8 or 9 years. Women who had weighed less than 3 kilograms at their birth generally had a longer puberty age between 12 and 13 years.
Other harmful lifestyle factors such as hypertension, high blood pressure (BP), and pregnancy diabetes can prolong the menstrual cycle (the gap between periods) to more than 30 days (between 30 and 45 days). Lifestyle impact on menstrual cycles is high.
Location
A study in France conducted on around 96,493 women showed that women who lived in urban localities had a significantly shorter menstrual cycle than those who lived in rural areas. The study also showed that women who earned low incomes or who lived far away from their families showed irregularities (had a 177% higher chance of irregularity) in their menstrual cycle (their period frequency and duration).
Climate
A team of researchers from France and Hong Kong who studied women worldwide recently proved that women who lived in tropical countries (in countries near the equator) had a significantly earlier puberty age than those who lived in temperate zones or polar countries like Greenland, Iceland, Scandinavia, Russia, Alaska, Argentina, Chile, etc.
The study also proved that pollution-causing gases like carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxide, nitrogen dioxide, etcetera harmed the health of eggs in women and prolonged their menstrual cycle and puberty age. Women who were frequently exposed to harmful radiations like UV rays also suffered similar consequences. Hence, women must apply sunblock/sunscreen lotions frequently.
Disorders
Studies have shown that endocrine disorders such as diabetes, thyroid disorder, and PCOS cause irregularities in women’s menstrual cycle. A regular menstrual cycle requires a proper balance of hormones in women insulin, adrenaline, estrogen, thyroid, and hypothalamic hormones. Endocrine disorders cause irregularities in these hormone levels in women and thereby cause irregularities in their menstrual cycle.
Natural ways to Induce Menstruation
If you are a married woman who wants to shorten your menstrual cycle to get pregnant soon, then the following are the natural ways to do it.
Eat ginger, turmeric, raspberry, and/or fennel every day
Ginger, turmeric, raspberry, and fennel have anti-inflammatory properties that reduce your bleeding during your periods. They also lower the levels of androgen, adrenaline, estrogen, thyroid, and hypothalamic hormones in your body thereby shortening your period duration (which is usually between 2 and 7 days for women).
Eat Vitamin B6 supplements
You can either consume one or two B6 supplements a day or eat dairy products like eggs, milk, and fish. Vitamin B6 reduces the thickness of the endometrial lining thereby reducing bleeding during your periods. It has also been proven to shorten the duration of women’s periods significantly (by 2 or 3 days).
Exercise regularly
Due to the elevated levels of hormones such as androgen, adrenaline, estrogen, thyroid, and hypothalamic hormones in their bodies, obese people undergo long and painful menstrual cycles. The pain is caused by larger than normal eggs which are in turn caused by elevated hormone levels in the bodies of obese women.
Exercising regularly will help obese women shed their excess pounds, lower their hormone levels, lower the thickness of their endometrial lining, thereby lowering the number and size of their eggs, thereby lessening the amount of bleeding and pain obese women undergo during their periods.
Top 5 symptoms of getting your period
Following are the top 5 symptoms that your period is coming soon. It would be better for you to consult a female doctor if this is the first time you’re getting periods to set right your menstrual health and well-being.
Abdominal cramps
Abdominal cramps are also called menstrual cramps or primary dysmenorrhea. They occur a few days before a woman gets her periods, last throughout her periods, and a few days after her periods have ended. The abdominal cramps can cause mild to severe pain that hinders a woman’s daily activities/routine.
Abdominal cramps are usually felt in the lower abdomen but can creep up to a woman’s thighs. Abdominal cramps are caused by the shedding of unfertilized eggs and blood in the inner lining of a woman’s uterus (endometrium). It is a sign that a woman has not yet become pregnant.
Certain diseases like endometriosis, cervical stenosis, adenomyosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and fibroids can aggravate the pain caused by abdominal cramps (secondary dysmenorrhea) during a woman’s periods.
Swollen breasts
During your periods, your Progesterone level will rise. This will cause your breasts to become swollen. The level of your breast swelling will depend on your other hormone levels and the constitution of your body.
It may only be slight for some women and severe for a few others. Women who undergo extreme breast swelling during their periods will experience significant pain and discomfort until a few days after their periods end.
Fatigue
The level of insulin in a woman’s body lowers significantly during her periods. As a consequence, the cells in her body don’t get sufficient glucose to perform their regular functions. Frequently feeling tired is a consequence of this. The discomfort of blood shedding and swollen breasts can cause some women to lose sleep at night further aggravating fatigue during their periods.
Headaches and mood swings
As mentioned before the level of estrogen in a woman’s body spikes during her periods. This in turn elevates the serotonin level in her body. Serotonin is a monoamine neurotransmitter hormone that can carry the feeling of pain to one’s brain cells.
Since the serotonin level in a woman’s body spikes during her periods, it is quite common for women to experience frequent headaches during their periods. Headaches are usually caused within the first three days of a woman’s period. The sudden increase in the levels of a lot of other hormones during a woman’s period also causes frequent mood swings (like anger, anxiety, depression, or irritability).
Lower back pain
The uterine and abdominal contractions triggered by the release of prostaglandins during a woman’s period may also cause muscle contractions to occur in her lower back. This will cause either pure pain or the feeling of having a cramp. The level of lower back pain experience varies from woman to woman depending on their hormone levels and body composition.
Various blood colors were observed during periods
There are a total of 6 blood colors observed worldwide during women’s periods. They are black, brown or dark red, bright red, pink, orange, and gray. They have their unique meaning. Some blood colors during a woman’s periods are a cause for concern while others are totally normal or only a minor concern. We shall have a detailed look at them now. This is an important part of menstrual cycle awareness and self-care.
Black
This blood color indicates that the blood in a woman’s uterus has had time to oxidize before exiting her body through urine. This blood color is only observed during the first two days of a woman’s period because fresh blood replaces old blood during the later days of a woman’s period.
Black blood can also indicate a blockage in a woman’s vagina. A woman should consult a doctor if she observes this blood color during the later days of her period. Consuming blood thinners has been proven effective in getting rid of black blood in a short period.
Dark red or brown
This blood color too is a sign of oxidized blood except here the blood has not had time to oxidize completely and turn itself black. Blood thinners are an effective remedy for brown or dark red blood too.
The color of a woman’s blood can turn brown during the first few months of her pregnancy. Doctors call this “implantation bleeding”. If brown blood is observed after three months of a woman becoming pregnant, it could be a sign of an impending miscarriage or planting a fertilized egg in a woman’s fallopian tube instead of her uterus. If a woman observes brown blood during or after the fourth month of her pregnancy, she should consult a doctor immediately.
Bright red
This is the most normal and common color observed during a woman’s period. It indicates healthy blood cells and eggs and the smooth flow of them through a woman’s vagina. However, if a woman’s blood smells foul while being bright red and she experiences loss of appetite and weight during her period, it could indicate that she has cervical cancer.
Pink
This blood color is observed when period blood mixes with a woman’s cervical fluid. Birth control pills can reduce the pink color in a woman’s period blood. If this blood color is observed during a woman’s pregnancy, it could be a sign of miscarriage and the woman should consult a doctor immediately.
Orange
This color too is observed when period blood mixes with a woman’s cervical fluid. Birth control pills can reduce the orange/saffron color in a woman’s period blood. This blood color could also be an indicator of a bacterial infection in a woman’s uterus such as bacterial vaginosis or trichomoniasis. If a woman observes this blood color during her period, she should consult a doctor immediately.
Gray
This blood color is a certain indication of bacterial vaginosis and a woman who observes this blood color during her period should consult a doctor immediately. The symptoms of this bacterial infection are itching in and around a woman’s vagina, a foul odor of urine (fishy smell), a burning sensation while urinating. Consuming antibiotics is the most common and cost-effective (relatively) remedy for bacterial vaginosis.
Doctors’ opinions on bringing forward one’s menstrual cycle
These are UK doctors’ opinions and tips on how to get periods immediately if delayed. A doctor consultation during your first period or abnormalities during your period is highly recommended.
Our Take
Periods are a completely natural biological process that no girl or woman should be ashamed of. These days there are plenty of articles, videos, and doctors’ advice on menstrual cycle awareness and self-care. Girls and women should watch them at least during their periods to detect any abnormal symptoms early and get medical advice and/or treatment on time.
The top doctors in the UK and the US to consult regarding your periods are Dr. Elizabeth Stewart, Gynecologist and Reproductive Endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic, Michela Bedard, Executive Director of PERIOD, and Dr. Pamela Wartian Smith, MD, MPH, Senior Partner at the Center for Precision Medicine.
FAQs
- What are the two important questions to ask when your girl is having her period for the first time?
The two important questions to ask when your girl is having her period for the first time are “What is the color of your urine?” and “Does your urine smell bad or have a burning sensation?” If the answer to those two questions is any color apart from light or dark red and “yes” then they are indications of a bacterial infection in the vagina and a doctor must be consulted immediately.
- What are the two most interesting facts about periods?
The two most interesting facts about periods are that can woman can still get pregnant while on her period and a woman spends an average of ten years in her life having periods.
- What is the average duration and frequency of a woman’s period?
The average duration of a woman’s period is between 2 and 7 days. The average frequency of a woman’s period is once a month.
- Why are periods called menstrual cycles?
The term menstruation originated from the Latin word “menses”, which means month, and the Greek word “mene”, which means the moon. In ancient times, the menstrual cycle was thought to be related to the moon’s cycle because both cycles last around 29 days.
- How many periods on average will a woman have in her lifetime?
Between the ages of 8 and 52, a woman will have around 480 periods, or fewer if she has any pregnancies.
- What is a girl’s first period called?
A girl’s first period is called “Menarche”.
- How much blood is lost during a girl’s or a woman’s periods?
A girl or a woman’s period lasts between 2 and 7 days and usually, between 2 and 3 tablespoons of blood is excreted via the vagina during this time.
