If the menstruation came before the due date. Why can menstruation come a week earlier and should I be worried? The course of menstruation, if it began prematurely

The menstrual cycle is an indicator of a woman's health. Regular discharge indicates the correct functioning of the reproductive system, the thyroid gland and the hypothalamus, which gives commands. Deviations in the duration of menstruation always indicate a malfunction in the body. Menstrual disorders cannot be considered as the main indicator of health status.

Causes of premature critical days

Menstruation prematurely caused hormonal disruptions or physical disabilities. Depending on the source, premature menstruation is either considered a single occurrence that does not cause complications, or a symptom of a disease that requires treatment.

Premature discharge does not always indicate the onset of menstruation. It could be bleeding.

Cycle schedule not set

Irregular periods occur girls in adolescence, when the hormonal level is constantly fluctuating, and the body has not yet got used to the changes. At this time, early / late critical days are considered a natural process. If a girl does not observe additional symptoms in herself, there is nothing to worry about. Cycle failures occur and in mature women: after childbirth, operations, taking hormonal drugs. The attending physician is obliged to inform the patient about possible violations.

A regular monthly cycle signals to a woman that everything is in order with reproductive health. However, at any time, she may experience a menstrual failure, when menstruation occurs much earlier or is delayed for a week or two. What do these body signals indicate? When should you not delay a visit to the doctor?

Menstrual cycle

Menstruation is periodic bloody discharge from the female genital tract, which begins at a certain time and passes with a steady frequency. The cause of bleeding is the rejection of the functional layer of the endometrium due to changes in the level of female hormones.

The duration of the menstrual period in a healthy woman is usually 28 days, while menstruation begins at the expected time. Characteristic signs of a normal process:

duration - 28 days, plus or minus 7 days (21–35 in total);
the volume of daily blood loss is 20–50 ml;
the duration of blood loss is three to seven days;
loss of iron - a maximum of 16 mg.

The cycle is divided into two phases:

Follicular. Under the influence of follicle-stimulating hormone, the egg grows and matures. On about 14–15 days, the follicle bursts, and the egg enters the fallopian tube, where spermatozoa can “wait” for it.
Luteal. Luteinizing hormone affects the maturation of the corpus luteum, a temporary endocrine gland that produces progesterone, which is important for maintaining pregnancy. If conception does not occur, regression of the corpus luteum occurs.

Under the influence of hormones is also the endometrium in the uterus, which changes its thickness during the cycle. Its basal layer is not rejected during menstruation and ensures the restoration of the intermediate layer (it comes out during menstruation). With each cycle, the endometrium undergoes the following changes:

Proliferation. In the follicular phase, under the influence of estrogen, the surface layer of the endometrium grows up to 8 mm thick.
luteal phase. The period lasts about 2 weeks, characterized by an increase in progesterone levels. On the 21st–22nd day of the cycle, the most favorable conditions arise for the implantation of a fertilized egg.
Menstruation. In the absence of pregnancy, the low amount of hormones that the ovaries produce leads to blood clots and vasospasm. With their sharp expansion, the endometrium is rejected, which occurs on the 24-28th day of the cycle.

The continuous cyclical process is regulated by the hippocampus, limbic system, amygdala, hypothalamus, anterior pituitary gland, adrenal glands, ovaries, thyroid gland, endometrium, mammary glands. The female body does not always work like clockwork. Often, women and girls complain that early menstruation is observed. This is facilitated by many reasons, which are important to find out for maintaining women's health.

Why does menstruation start early?

Premature periods are always a concern. A woman is especially worried about abundant discharge with clots, in which one pad is enough for 3-4 hours. The cause of premature menstruation can be:

endometrial hyperplasia;
myoma;
polyps;
spiral;
an abortion committed shortly before;
endometriosis;
uterine pathology.

Each cause has its own symptoms and characteristics. For example, with sexually transmitted infections, it often pulls the lower back and hurts in the lower abdomen. Premature bleeding associated with hormonal imbalance can begin any day. They are plentiful, come out with clots.

The task of the doctor is to conduct a complete diagnosis and find out the exact cause of the disease, prevent severe blood loss and prescribe the right treatment. For this purpose, a woman needs to do an ultrasound of the pelvic organs, blood tests (general, for sex hormones, hCG, thyroid hormones), diagnostic curettage, and other studies.

Stress, hypothermia, excessive exercise

The female body is sensitive to stressful situations. In this case, menstruation may be delayed or go ahead of schedule. They are accompanied by weakness, drowsiness, apathy. Overvoltage and physical activity affect the hormonal background, cause vasospasm, which can be the cause of a cycle disorder.

Hypothermia, forced walking in wet shoes and a cold can also lead to dysfunction of the reproductive system. At the same time, against the background of weakened immunity, the development of inflammation of the appendages is likely. After eliminating the factor that caused stress, ovarian function is restored.

Taking hormonal contraceptives, abortion

Premature onset of menstruation for the first time after the start of the use of contraceptives is a variant of the norm. Everything should be back up by next month. Problems can also occur as a result of taking emergency contraceptives. In this case, earlier rejection of the endometrium provokes a loading dose of hormones. Abrupt withdrawal of contraceptives can also lead to menstrual dysfunction.

The early onset of menstruation after an abortion (medication, vacuum aspiration, curettage curettage) is observed due to hormonal imbalance. It is very dangerous if the blood has a scarlet color, you must urgently contact a medical facility.

Gynecological pathologies

Pathologies of the reproductive system often lead to regular cycle disorders. They can provoke inflammatory processes, cause hormonal imbalance, endometrial hyperplasia. Usually, early menstruation (not on time) can come under the influence of such pathologies:

Mycoplasmosis. Urogenital infection, the infection of which can occur due to unprotected intercourse. It proceeds in the form of urethritis, vaginitis, adnexitis, cervicitis. Symptoms of pathology - itching in the genital area, pulling pain in the lumbar region, ovaries.
Uterine fibroids. The growth of benign formations in the body of the uterus is caused by heredity, stress factors, a history of abortion, infections of the genitourinary system. With fibroids, prolonged bleeding with clots between menstruation, pain in the lower abdomen, menstrual irregularities are observed.
Ovarian cysts. The causes of benign tumors are a history of abortion, stressful situations, overweight, infections. With cysts, there are often failures in the menstrual cycle, pain in the area of \u200b\u200bthe appendages and during urination.

Somatic diseases

Menstrual failure is not only due to colds and infections. Lead to an imbalance in the work of the female reproductive system can:

pituitary adenomas;
adrenal adenomas;
tumors that produce cortisol, androgens;
syndrome of sclerocystic, resistant ovaries;
depression of various origins;
anorexia nervosa;
malformations of the uterus;
thyroid dysfunction.

Severe infections and medications

The hypothalamus is susceptible to the effects of viruses and infections. As a result, with a severe infection of the body, the menstrual cycle is likely to fail. Premature periods can go 5-10 days earlier than expected.

An imbalance of female hormones can lead to the use of drugs to suppress lactation. Similarly, there are drugs that affect the production of dopamine and norepinephrine - neurotransmitters responsible for the "hypothalamus-pituitary" connection. These are antidepressants, antipsychotics, phenothiazine derivatives and other drugs.

Minor damage to the walls of the vagina or cervix

The appearance of such microtraumas is possible as a result of rough sexual contact, the use of fashionable sex toys, and the unsuccessful installation of an intrauterine device. Usually, the capillaries are only slightly damaged and there is little bleeding within 4 to 6 hours. With abundant discharge, serious injury to the cervix and vagina should be excluded, for which you will have to visit a doctor. Bleeding is dangerous due to the loss of iron, which can lead to infection of the genital tract and pelvic organs.

Oncological diseases

A feature of oncological neoplasms in the pelvic area is an imperceptible course at the initial stage. Failures in the onset of menstruation, bleeding between them may indicate pathology.

The nature of the discharge should alert. With a tumor of the cervix, an early onset of menstruation is often observed. The discharge is dark brown and foul-smelling, accompanied by itching and pain when urinating.

Scanty periods and their absence are characteristic of cancerous lesions of the ovaries. In this case, paired organs cannot perform their functions and produce sex hormones, which means amenorrhea occurs. Timely detected oncological pathologies of the uterus and appendages are treated at an early stage.

Change of time zone or climate

When moving to another country or climatic zone, women often note that critical days are delayed by 10 days or come earlier. In this case, the body adapts to new conditions, biorhythms and hormonal levels change. Changes affect the work of the reproductive system. For this reason, doctors recommend making long trips no more than once every 6 months.

Rigid diet or complete refusal of food

An unbalanced diet, severe calorie restriction or starvation disrupts the metabolic processes in the body. With a lack of nutrients, the survival mechanism is activated, which is why the maintenance of childbearing function goes by the wayside. The production of sex hormones stops, in connection with which periodic failures may occur at first, and then menstruation stops altogether.

Age fluctuations in the cycle (adolescent or premenopausal)

It is considered normal if the monthly discharge went ahead of schedule in girls 12–18 years old during the formation of the cycle or in women during premenopause. During these important periods, the hormonal background is unstable, which can cause disturbances. In order not to miss the development of a serious illness, it is important to consult a doctor on the issue of menstrual irregularities.

The reason for poor discharge is pregnancy

Implantation bleeding is one of the first signs of pregnancy. It is noted in 25% of pregnant women. With a stable cycle of 28 days and ovulation on the 13th-15th day, it can begin approximately on the 22nd-23rd day, that is, a week before the expected period. Some women mistake implantation bleeding for their period and wonder why it came so early.

Implantation bleeding signals the introduction of the fetal egg into the uterine cavity. Blood occurs when microscopic vessels in the endometrium are damaged and comes out in the form of scanty light brown or pink discharge. Duration normally does not exceed 2 days.

When is a cycle failure a reason to see a doctor?

If menstrual bleeding came a week early in a woman who does not suffer from gynecological pathologies, it is important to choose observation tactics. You should fix what it is, and note every unusual nuance. The repetition of the situation next time, the protracted nature of menstruation, the appearance of clots requires a mandatory visit to a specialist.

When menstruation began earlier in a woman who is being seen by a doctor for polycystic, fibroids and other gynecological pathologies, it is important to immediately contact the doctor. This violation may be associated with an exacerbation of the disease, its improper treatment.

The reasons for the onset of a new cycle 2-9 days earlier than expected are quite harmless or serious, requiring competent medical care. The task of a woman is not to miss this alarming symptom and visit a doctor in time.

Evaluation of the menstrual cycle is the main indicator of the health of a woman's reproductive system. That is why it is so important for a woman to monitor the timing of menstruation, to note the amount and nature of bleeding. However, every girl at least once in her life faced with the question of why menstruation came early and what are the reasons? It is with this actual problem that we will deal with today.

Why menstruation came early: reasons

No gynecologist can give a definite answer to this question. Doctors tend to talk about the polyetiological nature of this phenomenon. This means that premature periods do not occur for one specific reason. Early menstruation is observed only when the girl has been influenced by a whole range of external factors. These pathological factors can be:

Stressful influences, previous psycho-emotional stress. At the same time, there is a powerful effect on the cortical and subcortical structures of the brain, which means that the synthesis of hormones changes, which leads to the early onset of menstruation. With light emotional stress, menstruation is delayed by a week, with severe stress - by 2 weeks or more. With the elimination of stress agents, the cycle is restored on its own by the next month.
Another reason is hard physical labor. If, in the premenstrual period, a girl overdoes it with classes in the gym or rearranges all the furniture in the room on her own, then you should not be surprised that menstruation came a week ahead of schedule.
The presence of concomitant somatic pathology: SARS, influenza and other viral infections lead to the failure of all body systems, especially reproductive and hormonal.
Infectious and inflammatory diseases of the uterus: endometritis, salpingitis, salpingoophoritis, etc. All these diseases lead to disruption of the uterine menstrual cycle, proliferation and desquamation of the uterine epithelium proceeds much faster, which leads to menstruation a week or two ahead of schedule.
Change of climate zone: flights, moving to another city will not go unnoticed for the health of the girl. They are one of the most common causes.
Menstruation 5-10 days ahead of time can occur if the day before the girl started taking birth control pills. The body adapts to the new hormonal background. Early menstruation in this case is not a reason for panic, everything is restored from the next cycle.
Nutritional changes. The desire to be as slim as the models from the covers of glossy magazine covers leads to the fact that girls exhaust themselves with diets and hunger. However, the female body is designed in such a way that without proper intake of fats and carbohydrates, the production of sex hormones stops. This leads to the fact that at first menstruation comes a week or two weeks ahead of time, after which the menstrual cycle lengthens, and then menstruation stops altogether.
Chronic poisoning and intoxication: smoking, excessive consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages, food poisoning.

Period started 2 weeks after previous period

Normally, menstruation can come in just 14 days after the last. This is typical for women who have a short menstrual cycle - 21 days. The menstrual cycle is counted from the first day of menstruation. If the cycle is 3 weeks, then it turns out that the next menstruation occurs only 2 weeks after the previous ones.

Important video: Reasons for early periods

When early menstruation is dangerous to health

Health hazards are "pseudo-monthly". This term refers to uterine bleeding, which women confuse with normal menstruation. Uterine bleeding occurs on any day of the cycle: a week or 2 earlier, 5 days ahead of schedule. If uterine bleeding is not recognized in time, then ultimately this leads to a loss of reproductive function - infertility.

Menstruation is a monthly phenomenon that occurs due to the rejection of an unfertilized egg and endometrial mucosa of the uterus. Any violations of the menstrual cycle of a woman can signal possible pathological conditions or physiological changes in the body. Scanty menstruation ahead of time, as well as their delay, can indicate a defective work of the reproductive system, a hormonal failure, or the onset of pregnancy.

Why did the critical days begin much earlier than the expected date, and is this phenomenon dangerous? - a question that worries female representatives who monitor the regularity of their menstrual cycle.

Causes of early scanty periods

Contraceptives - the culprits of the failure

The action of oral contraceptives is based on hormonal effects. Particularly influential are the so-called "emergency" - which are taken once at the risk of unwanted pregnancy. Against the background of taking contraceptives, the hormonal cycle changes greatly and goes astray. Menstruation can come literally - when they please and even in meager amounts. In order to choose the right means that do not affect the menstrual cycle, you should contact your gynecologist.

Injuries of the genital tract and uterus

Scanty early bleeding is possible due to trauma to the vagina, uterus or urinary system. If a woman had a childbirth or an abortion, then these processes could injure the genital tract, and as a result cause spotting. These bleedings are usually temporary and end after the wound has healed.

Sexual diseases and inflammation

Diseases and infections of the genitourinary system can provoke early scanty periods or their imitation. In the presence of pathologies (hyperplasia, endometriosis) or neoplasms (myoma) - in the uterus or appendages, there is a sharp failure in the normal functioning of the reproductive system. Against this background, the normal production of hormones is most often disrupted and rejection of the mucous layer of the endometrium occurs. Menstruation may come due to its natural origin or be only their appearance, in fact being uterine bleeding. In order to exclude or confirm possible dangerous diseases, with suspiciously early menstruation, contact your doctor immediately! The same reason can be: erosion, colds or inflammation of the genital tract and organs.

Diets and strength training

Any sudden fluctuations in weight can cause menstrual irregularities. So with a sharp weight loss, the body experiences stress and knocks down many biological rhythms. To prevent such sudden weight loss, you need to correctly adjust your diet, or better, contact an experienced nutritionist. Increased physical activity can also be the culprit of early menstruation. The female body is very sensitive and vulnerable, and strength exercises can affect it in the form of a cyclical failure.

Read also 🗓 After taking birth control pills, menstruation is scanty

Physiological processes

The physiology of a woman is very predisposed to changes and changes in the functioning of the reproductive system. So the causes of meager periods can be normal physiological processes that occur in every female representative. Monthly, at the end of 25-35 days, cyclic menstruation occurs. The reproductive system again and again lives the same processes laid down by nature, but they can be affected most often by completely natural factors.

Age

Young girls during puberty may experience irregular, meager periods, this is due to physiological changes and an unidentified menstrual cycle. Similar menstrual irregularities can occur in women over 45 years of age, resulting in menopause and menopause. This phenomenon can be considered the norm and a temporary inconvenience.

Pregnancy

Ovulation in a woman's body occurs every month in the middle of the cycle, if the egg is fertilized during the period of ovulation, then pregnancy occurs. With a new status, the production of the pregnancy support hormone, progesterone, begins, it prevents the release of menstruation and ensures reliable attachment of the embryo to the uterine wall. Normally, there is no bleeding during pregnancy, but such a phenomenon as early, short, meager periods may mean embryo implantation.

Ectopic pregnancy

A great danger to a woman's health can be the attachment of an embryo outside the uterus, namely, in her tubes. An ectopic pregnancy is characterized by sharp pains in the left or right side of the abdomen (depending on the affected tube). Women who experience such pain on the right side may confuse an ectopic pregnancy with appendicitis. The nature of menstrual flow in these cases may differ in its long duration. Painful sensations and irregularities in the menstrual cycle should be a reason to visit a gynecologist.

lactation period

After childbirth, the cycle is restored for a long time, and breastfeeding is another reason for physiological failure. Due to the high production of the hormone - prolactin, ovulation does not occur, and as a result - there are no periods, sometimes they begin earlier or later by 10 days in the form of scant discharge. Such intermittent periods are usually temporary and normalize after the woman finishes breastfeeding.

Not yet established cycle schedule

Most often, the reasons why critical days come ahead of time excite young girls. And this is quite natural: during puberty and hormonal changes, the menstrual cycle is set, and this process is by no means fast.

The situation for the menstrual cycle to be established immediately, once and for all, is extremely rare. So, young ladies, do not worry in vain if your period comes before the due date. In the absence of additional pain or some frightening symptoms, menstruation, which began earlier than the expected dates by 5 days, a week, even 10 days, does not pose a threat to the reproductive system.

Stressful situation

The next most common reason for early periods is stress. A nervous reaction to important events, expressive emotional experiences, depression - all this can disrupt the even flow of the menstrual cycle and cause early periods.

Excessive physical activity

Too intense workouts with a high load on the entire “lower floor”, namely: on the press, pelvis and hips, can also organize a failure of the female reproductive system.

This, in principle, does not carry something very terrible in itself, unless, of course, you exhaust yourself with such training all the time, but it may well lead to menstruation that has come a week or two ahead of schedule.

Therefore, please remember that the struggle for a beautiful athletic figure should not bury women's health under the rubble.

Strict diet

Continuing the theme of the war for beauty and harmony, often senseless and merciless, one cannot help but touch on the issue of diets.

Even without delving into anorexic extremes, from which, as you know, girls even die, it is important to know that frequent or overly strict diets can not only weaken and deprive the will to live, but also disrupt the natural course of female cyclic sexual health.

So, if you are a diet lover, do not be surprised if it suddenly happened that your period came earlier or later, for a few days or even a week.

Dramatic climate change

The love of travel with climate change can also play this unkind joke on you - make your period come early. Especially often this happens in the heat. In principle, even in a home climate, an unusually hot summer can disrupt the menstrual cycle.

In fact, the listed reasons regarding excessive training, diets, climate change, and even native, but abnormal heat, are just varieties of stress for the body.

Thus, if in a woman's life there is stress of any nature - physical, hormonal, emotional, psychological - critical days can come ahead of time.

Use of hormonal contraceptives

The use of hormonal contraceptives of any kind, both oral and vaginal, can theoretically cause premature (attention!) menstrual bleeding.

Therefore, if you decide to use hormonal contraceptives, which is certainly very commendable in terms of pregnancy planning, it is very important to contact a gynecologist to better implement this decision. The doctor will take into account your individual characteristics of development and select the drug that is most suitable for you.

By the way, it may not be a drug, but, for example, a vaginal contraceptive ring or a contraceptive patch. In general, if you are not going to become pregnant in the near future, the appointment of hormonal contraceptives is precisely designed to regulate the menstrual cycle.

The body works like a clock: 21 days you use a contraceptive, 7 days - a break, during which menstrual-like bleeding occurs. However, in the case of self-selection of such a drug, or with its inattentive and irregular use, these bleedings are also possible within the cycle: a week after the previous ones or a week ahead of schedule, or even 2 weeks.

Another point associated with taking hormonal contraceptives is the very beginning of their use. Whether you are starting to use them for the first time, or did you take a break for some reason - taking the first birth control pill, the initial setting of a vaginal contraceptive, or the primary sticker of the contraceptive patch is done strictly on the first day of menstruation.

And, in fact, this fact very often these same periods, firstly, delays, and secondly, it forces you to bleed periodically during the entire first month of your new menstrual cycle. It's annoying, but completely normal.

Once again, in this case, menstruation did not begin earlier, but intermediate menstrual-like bleeding occurs. In the instructions for hormonal contraceptives, all the necessary information about such phenomena is spelled out in detail.

Early critical days in girls: what is the reason?

The normal initial arrival of menstruation in girls is considered at the age of 12-13 years. Doctors also do not find the age of eleven too early. But if the first menstruation occurred in a girl under 11 years old, this is a cause for concern and an appeal to a pediatric gynecologist, and then, quite likely, to an endocrinologist.

The reasons for such an early menstruation can be both hormonal system failures and oncological diseases. But even if menstruation began ahead of schedule, that is, for example, a girl is 10 years old, the main rule for her and her parents is not to panic.

Obese girls can also be victims of early menstruation. There is an unspoken and scientifically unproven gynecological sign: if a girl has reached 40 kg, wait for the first menstruation. However, it is often confirmed.

If you realize that spotting is scanty, of an indistinct dark brown or blackish-red color, happened once or was limited to one day - this is not a full menstruation, but the so-called menarche.

Generally speaking, this term refers to the first menstrual bleeding in a girl, followed in due course by the establishment of a cycle. It happens that menarche can appear at 10-11 years old, and then disappear for six months, or even for more than a year.

In any case, even if you have no doubts about the health of your girl, but her period began at 10 or earlier, go with her to the gynecologist.

What to do with unexpectedly early periods?

First of all, you need to understand: did the menstruation come ahead of time or something else?

Norm Options

If you are not pregnant, are not in the postpartum period, have not had an abortion and do not see any special, unusual manifestations in untimely spotting, then figure out if any of the things listed in the first part of the article happened to you?

If you are still a teenager, or have recently experienced some kind of stress, or found yourself in an unusual heat for you, got carried away with a diet, or overexerted yourself in training, or maybe you use hormonal contraceptives - just relax and survive these unexpected periods that came ahead of time. It happened 5 days, a week, 10 days or 2 weeks earlier - it's okay.

Bleeding during pregnancy

But if you are in a state of pregnancy - then you can not hesitate. We must call an ambulance. During pregnancy, bleeding should not be at all - this is evidence of a threatened miscarriage.

Although, nevertheless, small spotting is possible in the early stages, in the first trimester. They occur just at the time when menstruation should have come if you had not become pregnant. However, the obstetrician-gynecologist leading your pregnancy must warn you about such secretions, and they should not come as a complete surprise.

Bleeding after childbirth, abdominal/groin injury, or abortion

Shortly after childbirth, there is still a high risk of uterine bleeding. Therefore, if you have recently given birth and suddenly found yourself with a copious discharge of bright scarlet blood without clots, you feel dizzy - urgently call an ambulance. While you wait, take something cold, put it on your lower abdomen and lie on your back, if possible, raise your legs.

All these warnings also apply to nulliparous women if they find themselves with the same symptoms: uterine bleeding sometimes occurs, especially with trauma, shock, unbearable physical exertion or heavy lifting. The consequences of an abortion can also lead to uterine bleeding.

In addition to uterine bleeding, it can also be vaginal: again, an injury or blow to the groin, rape, or even just hard sex can lead to a rupture of the vaginal wall. Such bleeding is also a reason for the mandatory call for an ambulance.

Take care of yourself and be vigilant: good health is the key to all kinds of life achievements.

However, even if you are a little unlucky and your periods came ahead of schedule - do not panic and do not despair, analyze the recent events of your life, and if you have any, even the slightest suspicion of a health problem, be sure to visit a gynecologist!

Remember that in such situations the most important thing is to consult a doctor in time and undergo treatment responsibly! Then all the problems with women's health will be left behind, and you will again enjoy life.