Irregular periods

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Cycles shorter than 21 days, longer than 35, or hard to predict month to month. They're common around puberty and perimenopause, and sometimes linked with stress, weight changes, PCOS or thyroid shifts.

You might notice

cycles shorter than 21 days or longer than 35
never quite knowing when your period will arrive
a cycle length that swings a lot month to month
skipping a period here and there
changes after a stressful stretch or a shift in weight

Who can help

A naturopathic doctor, nurse practitioner or women's health doctor is a good first stop. Acupuncture is often a gentle support alongside.

See everyone for your cycle →

Read

BookThis Is Your Brain On Birth ControlShop ↗

Where it can overlap

After birth control
Irregular periods can overlap with after birth control. Established
PCOS / PMOS
Irregular periods can overlap with PCOS / PMOS. Established
Overactive thyroid
Irregular periods can overlap with overactive thyroid. Established
Underactive thyroid
Irregular periods is often explored alongside underactive thyroid. Established
Under-fuelling (LEA)
Irregular periods can overlap with under-fuelling (LEA). Established
Thyroid symptoms
Irregular periods can overlap with thyroid symptoms. Established

2 more threads +

Hormonal acne
Irregular periods can overlap with hormonal acne. Associated
Missing periods
Irregular periods can overlap with missing periods. Associated

Established: well documented · Associated: linked, not a cause · Emerging: early research · Woo exploration: worth exploring, not yet sourced. A link isn't a cause.

Keep exploring

Missing periodsWhen periods stop for three months or more outside pregnancy, breastfeeding or menopause, it's a signal worth…Also in Hormones + cycle HA (hypothalamic)When the hypothalamus, the brain's hormone control centre, dials down the signals that run your cycle and periods…Also in Hormones + cycle Heavy periodsBleeding that soaks a pad or tampon every hour or two, comes with large clots or lasts longer than a week. It's…Also in Hormones + cycle

12 sources · how we checked

Everything on this page was researched from clinical guidance, government health sources and published reviews first, then single studies. Where a connection is only worth exploring, it says so.

A note from Woo: Body Map is here to help you explore and ask better questions. It isn't a diagnostic tool or a substitute for medical care. Relationships shown here represent areas that may be associated or worth exploring, not a diagnosis or statement of cause.

if this landed, here’s where to go next

Article · On our SubstackWho Should You See? What is a Practitioner?

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