Periods are shorter than usual and less abundant: is this dangerous? Little discharge during menstruation, what could be the reasons? If you have had scanty periods.

Many women childbearing age do not attach importance to the nature of menstruation if they are regular and have a more or less regular cycle. However, not only the frequency of discharge and duration, but also their nature are of great importance.

Hypomenorrhea - menstrual dysfunction

Normally, a regular menstrual cycle should be established a maximum of 12 months after menarche (first menstruation). All its violations that occur after this period are a sign of pathology.

Scanty periods - or hypomenorrhea - is one of the menstrual dysfunctions. But depending on the age of the woman, the reasons for scanty periods will be different; these disorders can be not only pathological, but also absolutely physiological. This occurs at the very beginning of the formation of a woman’s menstrual function, in adolescence, when the first menstruation, menarche, has already passed, but the cycle has not completely established itself. A girl has a whole year to establish a cycle, during which menstruation can be not only scanty, that is, small in volume - less than 50 ml, but also rare, for example, like opsomenorea, when the cycle lengthens to 5-8 weeks; Menstrual flow may be short and last less than two days (oligomenorrhea). Menstruation can even be extremely rare (spaniomenorrhea), occurring only 2–4 times a year. But all these violations mandatory should disappear after one year (maximum two years) from the moment of the first menstruation. If this does not happen, and the cycle remains irregular and acyclic, then we can safely talk about the pathology of menstrual function.

Scanty menstruation, in a completely physiological sense, can also occur during the period of extinction reproductive function women, premenopausal. This period precedes the complete cessation of menstruation - menopause, and lasts about 2 years. Physiological hypomenorrhea during these most important periods of a woman’s life is possible, but this does not mean that it will necessarily be present in everyone. In addition, the presence of pathological hypomenorrhea cannot be excluded, for various reasons, during these two age periods, although this happens much less frequently.

Pathologically scanty menstruation, for ease of diagnosis, are divided into:

• primary hypomenorrhea, when, in fact, none normal menstruation it never happened. This is observed in teenage girls.
• secondary hypomenorrhea, when menstruation was absolutely normal for some time, and then impoverishment occurred, which became the cause of the woman’s anxiety.

Symptoms

The manifestations of hypomenorrhea are minor and therefore many women do not even suspect that they have this condition. The main thing, and perhaps the only symptom, is a decrease in the amount of menstrual blood released to 50 ml. The discharge may appear as bright red beads on your underwear, or as dark brown, dirty red streaks. In the absence of proper attention to the state of your health, such discharge may not be mistaken for menstrual discharge at all.

Hypomenorrhea, like other forms of pathological menstruation, can be accompanied by deterioration in health, malaise, headaches, even chest pain. Nausea, even vomiting, may also occur; nosebleeds of varying intensity, and disorders of mental and neurological well-being. But the most frequent symptoms accompanying hypomenorrhea are pains in the lower abdomen, quite intense, spastic in nature, like twisting; aching pain in the lower back, often bilateral, as well as a decrease in libido, which occurs due to a drop in the level of estrogen in the blood.

Reasons

Often the cause of hypomenorrhea is the low weight of a girl (since estrogens accumulate in fats).

To establish specific reasons for scanty periods(that is, the development of hypomenorrhea), it is necessary to determine whether it belongs to the primary form or is secondary. The occurrence of primary hypomenorrhea is associated with congenital anomalies development, including genital organs, various delays mental development. But most often, at present, in this case the cause is the girl’s insufficient or even critically low body weight. This connection occurs at the hormonal level, since estrogens, for the most part, are deposited in adipose tissue.

To the causes secondary form Hypomenorrhea involves many factors. If we talk about mechanical factors, then this is the presence of a pathological narrowing of the cervix, which simply does not allow spilled blood into the vagina, as well as previous injuries and operations on the pelvic organs, including the genitals. Another group of reasons is the development of endometrial inferiority with a decrease in its area after surgical removal parts of the uterus, or when the number of hormone receptors on its surface decreases due to excessive curettage, or during long-term and severe inflammatory processes. Another large group of causes is diseases of the endocrine system, and, as a consequence, disruption of the hormonal regulation of menstrual function. Weight fluctuations, as the cause of the primary form of hypomenorrhea, can also be safely attributed to these reasons. As well as stress, emotional overload and lack of vitamins in the food consumed. The use of oral contraceptives by a woman can also significantly lead to the impoverishment of menstruation.

Treatment

For any form of hypomenorrhea, you must seek help from an obstetrician-gynecologist. Even if a woman is sure of the cause of scanty periods, and believes that she can cope with this problem on her own, restoring the cycle, it is necessary additional diagnostics, including differential. Treatment of hypomenorrhea comes down to eliminating the causes that caused it.

Hypomenorrhea or scanty periods- this is one of the options for the condition reproductive system, in which there is an incomplete separation of the normal volume of blood during menstruation. In this case, the woman loses no more than 50 ml over the entire period.

What amount of discharge is considered normal?

The volume of discharge is a rather individual parameter. On average, it is believed that the volume of discharge should be from 100 to 200 ml. This volume depends on the size of the uterus, as well as a history of childbirth and diseases.

Symptoms

The main signs of scanty periods are discharge from the genital tract, which has a small volume. At the same time, menstruation will not always have a characteristic color; it is acceptable to change scanty menstruation to a brown tint or pink.

Many women may mistake the discharge of only a few drops of blood for a scanty period..

From common symptoms No signs may appear and only sometimes there is a deterioration in general health, accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen, headaches, etc.

First scanty periods

One of the manifestations of menstruation in adolescents is scanty periods that are small in volume and do not correspond to the clinical picture. A girl may complain of severe pain in the lower abdomen, feeling unwell, etc., but the discharge will be quite small.

Early scanty periods

Often young girls are faced with such a problem before the arrival of their periods as the appearance of a small amount of discharge, which has a characteristic brown tint and can resemble menstruation.

This type of discharge may be a signal of the body’s preparation for the onset of menstruation and the reaction of endometrial tissue to changes hormonal levels.

Prolonged scanty discharge

A similar condition can occur in women of any age and not always in this case the cause may be pathological character.

However, sometimes scanty discharge for a long time can be a sign of an inflammatory process or characteristic feature woman's body.

Reasons

After childbirth

Often after the birth of a child, a woman faces such a problem as scanty periods.

Let's consider this state more details:

Discharge rate:

1. The duration should not exceed two weeks and normally no treatment is required.
2. Such discharge may be accompanied by slight pulsating sensations in the lower abdomen. This is due to contraction of the uterine cavity.
3. An increase in volume may indicate pathology.

After an abortion

Almost every woman may experience scanty periods that occur after a medical termination of pregnancy:

• This is especially pronounced after curettage of the uterine cavity with a surgical instrument - a curette. As a result, an extensive knapsack surface is formed, which requires some time to recover.
• The cause of scanty menstruation can also be the remainder of the fertilized egg or chorionic villi. IN the latter case an inflammatory process occurs, which can aggravate the situation.

Normally, after an abortion, the duration of such scanty periods can be up to 10 days, on average about one week. If this time increases or signs such as bad smell, the presence of purulent contents, deterioration in general health, you should not postpone visiting a specialist, as this may be an unfavorable prognostic sign.

As a rule, menstruation shifts and the next cycle begins from the moment the abortion and curettage are performed.

During pregnancy

Many women are sure that pregnancy is a period when, from the moment of fertilization, menstruation ceases.

In fact, when in good condition hormonal levels, this is how it should happen, but in reality it turns out that sometimes a woman notices menstruation, and later finds out about pregnancy.

Causes of menstruation during pregnancy:

Scanty periods after curettage

This is a fairly common problem that can be encountered by representatives of the fair sex aged 40-50 years, who have undergone diagnostic curettage of the uterine cavity.

In this case, maximum removal of the entire mucous membrane of the organ occurs, and to restore its functional activity at this age may require long time.

In such situations, scanty periods can last for several cycles and this should not always be true. pathological cause, this may be a completely physiological condition.

Hypothyroidism

Characteristics of the disease:

1. Insufficient functional activity thyroid gland leads to defective ovarian function. This is explained by the complex interconnected work of these endocrine structures.
2. As a result of a lack of thyroid hormones, the follicle in the ovary does not mature. In response to such a mechanism, adequate maturation of the endometrium does not occur.

Menstruation with hypothyroidism:

1. Menstruation with this type of pathology is prone to delays, which can last up to several months and can only be caused by hormonal support.
2. In addition, after the onset of menstruation, they are scanty and have the character of a spot with a brown tint.
3. Their duration usually does not exceed two three days. In addition to cycle disruption, symptoms such as unmotivated weight gain, etc. may appear.

Anorexia and underweight

This process is usually associated with rapid loss of body weight and a decrease in the reserves of all nutrients. The body currently receives fewer substances necessary not only for the normal functioning of organs, but also of the ovaries in particular.

As a result, these structures become depleted. They decrease in size, the follicular apparatus will not be mature and their full work will not occur.

This condition may manifest itself either as a complete absence of menstruation, and the duration can reach half a year. This will be considered unfavorable pathological symptom, since subsequently they may not begin at all and infertility will be irreversible, since atrophy of all structures will occur. Menstruation, even if it begins, becomes scanty, its duration is short, and the volume of blood lost is negligible; it becomes more like a daub.

This is a disease of the reproductive system, which is associated with menstrual dysfunction.

Characteristics and features of the disease:

1. It is expressed by the fact that the body, as a rule, has a hormonal imbalance; this may primarily be hyperandrogenism.
2. The follicular apparatus of the ovaries is represented by a large number of large, but defective elements.
3. In this case, ovulation does not occur, as well as endometrial maturation.
4. Menstruation is regularly delayed; the duration of such delays can reach several months.
5. Unlike typical delays, which are characterized by heavier menstruation, with polycystic menstruation, menstruation is scanty and painful. Women may experience disruption at work endocrine glands, which is manifested by hypoandrogenism, increased hair growth, as well as increased body weight.

Having increased body weight

1. When there are a large number of fat cells in the body, advanced education female sex hormones, as a result the estrogen component increases. It is this disorder that leads to a relative deficiency of the progesterone component, which is the reason for the defective maturation of endometrial tissue.
2. Menstruation becomes scanty, their color may not differ from normal, but the duration is sometimes prolonged, which causes obvious discomfort in the woman.
3. In addition, such a reason can lead not only to the appearance of scanty periods, but also to the development of infertility. This may also be the reason for an increase in the production of androgens, leading to a complete imbalance in the functioning of a woman’s endocrine organs.

Disturbances in the functioning of the reproductive system organs

When there are disturbances in the functioning of the organs of the reproductive system, their formation is defective. Sometimes, when the ovaries are not working properly, when too little estrogen is produced by the body, the female genital organs do not grow sufficiently.

The main target in this case will be the uterus; it does not reach large sizes, as a result it cannot fully perform its function, so with uterine hypoplasia, the endometrial tissue is not fully formed, and menstruation becomes scanty.

In this case, women may never fully begin to have full periods, which will only manifest themselves as brown smudges from the genitals for 1-2 days.

Stress

Long-term nervous tension, as well as the effects of stress on the body.

Such situations very often lead to the woman’s body becoming depleted, nutrient reserves becoming minimal, and this leads to inadequate ovarian function and menstrual dysfunction.

As a rule, with prolonged stressful situation There is insufficient production of estrogen, and endometrial tissue does not grow in the required volume. During these periods, a woman may notice a delay in menstruation, as well as their appearance in scanty quantities. The duration also does not exceed several days.

Menopause

Women aged 50-55 years usually face the problem of menopause, but the situation can be ambiguous, since in some cases women’s periods end at various reasons much earlier than expected.

More and more women turn to a specialist at the age of 40-45 years with complaints of violation menstrual cycle, the appearance of scanty periods, as well as typical disorders associated with the menopause clinic.

Menopause symptoms:

1. This state is expressed by tides, jumps blood pressure, gain of fat mass, etc.
2. A woman, 1-2 years before the complete cessation of menstruation, notices that irregularities appear, regularity is lost, and with the usual large volume, menstruation becomes more scanty.

Consequences of surgical interventions

Some women face a problem in which the only way Treatment is complete removal of the organ.

But after a certain time, especially if the ovaries were abandoned, the patient is faced with the phenomenon of the appearance of menstruation.

This can cause panic, since there is no organ from which endometrial particles should be removed.

But some may experience menstrual-like bleeding every month due to a small piece of endometrium remaining in the cervix.

Before the onset of such discharge, there may be the same symptoms as before menstruation, such as engorgement of the mammary glands, changes in mood, etc.

In such a situation, the doctor needs to be more careful, since severe pathology may remain in the residual particles.

Diagnostics

When a woman has scanty periods, you should definitely look for the reason for the development of this condition. To do this, the first step is to contact a specialist.

Already a doctor after assessment clinical picture will decide what set of measures needs to be carried out to further establish the cause and select the correct treatment.

These include:

Treatment

Each individual reason for the appearance of scanty periods requires an individual approach to treatment, since in different cases there is a different pathogenesis of the condition:

Do I need to see a doctor?

Women who are faced with the problem of scanty periods need to consult a doctor. In this case, there is no role between the just beginning of menstruation in a teenage girl or the menopausal state.

In any case, it is necessary to carry out additional methods diagnostics aimed at eliminating pathological conditions or preventing the development of other problems.

Prevention

In order for a woman not to encounter the problem of scanty periods, as a pathological scenario, she should follow a number of rules aimed at maintaining the health of her reproductive system.

These include:

That is why, when scanty periods appear, it is recommended to consult a specialist for diagnosis and possibly to exclude pathology.

Some representatives of the fair sex are concerned about scanty periods, the reasons for which can be different: low body weight, stress and much more. Low-volume discharge cannot be ignored, because it indicates disturbances in the functioning of the body. Very scanty periods thicken the endometrium, causing endometriosis and other diseases of the genital organs, so you need to find the cause of this menstrual disorder and carry out treatment.

Scanty periods are a disorder of the menstrual cycle, which is characterized by insufficient blood flow during menstruation. During menstruation, a healthy woman should secrete 80-120 ml of blood and up to 30 grams of clots of the mucous membrane - the endometrium.

With hypomenorrhea (the medical name for a condition when scanty discharge is observed), a minimum volume of blood is released - up to 50 ml. Sometimes women don’t even have bleeding as such, they only observe “smears”. Along with insufficient blood secretion, the period of menstruation is also shortened; they can last 2-4 days instead of 7-8.

Reasons for scanty periods

Why do women develop scanty periods? There are many reasons for hypomenorrhea. This condition can be not only chronic, but also one-time if the woman was affected by a certain factor. The reasons for scanty periods must be clarified together with a gynecologist and eliminated, because if hypomenorrhea is not treated, it can later cause endometriosis, pathological change tissues of the uterus and ovaries, and also significantly reduce the ability to become pregnant.

Low body weight

Today many girls are chasing perfect figure they go on trendy diets found on the Internet and torture themselves with excessive physical exertion. At the same time, they achieve the desired weight, but at what cost? About hair, nails and skin, which suffer greatly due to poor nutrition, everyone knows, but many do not take into account that fast and strong weight loss disrupts their menstrual cycle.

Scanty menstruation while losing body weight “saves” a weak body, because it does not lose so much blood, which would be extremely difficult to restore.

At the same time, the level of hemoglobin and other vital substances is maintained. If a girl's body mass index drops below 18, then menstruation may stop altogether, because in this case it will become too much of a loss for the body.

Prolonged exposure of the body to such stressful conditions threatens the entire reproductive system of a woman. More than 60% of girls who have suffered from anorexia or are simply too low weight cannot have children, and ovarian cysts and endometriosis are much more common among them.

But don’t blame diets and the media for everything. Sometimes a woman loses weight due to stress, worries and difficulties. In this case, they will be weak, but they will recover when the girl returns to normal.

Hormonal disorders

If you have scanty periods all the time, then the problem may lie in hormonal imbalance. Sex hormones in women are always secreted in the adrenal glands and ovaries; they regulate the duration of the menstrual cycle, the activity of processes during its different stages, and are responsible for breast development and pregnancy.

Long, scanty periods are most often caused by a lack of estrogen in the body and an excess of testosterone, the male sex hormone.

Hormonal imbalance can occur due to genetic predisposition or birth defects, or due to a low-calorie diet, incorrectly selected oral contraceptives, interrupted pregnancy and other factors. Stabilization of the endocrine system takes a long time; the woman will have to undergo a long course of hormonal therapy, and recovery may take more than one year.

Postpartum period

After childbirth, a woman’s body is not ready to quickly enter the normal menstrual cycle. He needs a short period of time, which can take 3-5 months. During breastfeeding, menstruation is suppressed by hormones: prolactin and oxytocin, but when it ends, estrogens switch the functioning of the reproductive system and start menstruation.

The first 2-3 cycles will help the body “swing”, while blood will be released sparingly. It is very important during this period to monitor your diet and emotional mood so that the body quickly adapts to new conditions.

Teenage changes

Girls in adolescence often have scanty periods, the reason for which lies in an unstable emotional and hormonal background. During puberty, a girl’s body synthesizes an increased amount of not only female sex hormones, but also male ones; for example, their testosterone level can be 1.5-2 times higher than that of adult women. This affects not only increased irritability and the appearance of body hair, but also on the length and abundance of menstruation.

Teenage girls may have little menstrual flow for several years, and sometimes periods are irregular. During this period, there is no need to try to bring them back to normal with the help of hormonal therapy, because this can only harm the endocrine system. The alarm should be sounded if the girl is already 19-20 years old, and her menstrual cycle has not returned to normal. The culprit may be disturbances in the development of the genital organs or hormonal disorders.

Inappropriate contraceptives

Correctly selected oral contraceptives will not only protect against unwanted pregnancy, but also stabilize the menstrual cycle, reduce discomfort During menstruation, some women even experience weight normalization. But if you take the wrong drugs thoughtlessly, the consequences can be bad.

Unsuitable, discharge becomes scanty or too abundant, excess weight, problems with nails and hair, and a loss of libido may also appear. The choice of these drugs can only be entrusted to a gynecologist, who can prescribe competent contraception based on tests.

Previous infections

Influenza, tuberculosis, hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections and other serious diseases drain all the body's strength, so it has no resources left for menstruation - they can become rare, meager or stop altogether. This pause lasts approximately 3-4 months, which the body needs to recover. After this, the menstrual cycle returns to normal if the infection does not affect the reproductive system.

Underdevelopment of the genital organs

The body is a complex, but not an ideal machine; sometimes something can break down in it and this brings a lot of problems. If in adolescence for some reason ( genetic predisposition, frequent antibiotic therapy, alcohol and cigarette abuse, too low body weight) the girl’s ovaries or uterus are not sufficiently developed, then menstruation will be of poor quality.

The reason for scanty periods in this case lies in the fact that the adult body will have almost child-like genitals: small ovaries will not be able to secrete enough hormones to control the cycle. Typically, girls with this problem have significant difficulties with the ability to have children and a predisposition to pathologies of the reproductive system.

Anabolic drugs

Why do professional athletes or female bodybuilders experience light periods? It's all about the anabolic drugs that they need to accelerate growth muscle mass, burning fat and increasing endurance. Typically, medications for these purposes contain analogues of male hormones, which over time disrupt the hormonal balance in a woman’s body.

Within a month of taking steroids there will be no terrible changes in the body, but abuse of these medications throughout the year will affect not only the quality of menstruation, but also the health of the reproductive system. If the balance between estrogen and testosterone in the body of a girl is disturbed, girls may develop malignant neoplasms in the breast, cancer, cysts in the ovaries and other pathologies.

Exposure to hazardous agents

Dangerous agents (factors) include:

• radioactive radiation;
• chemical reagents containing chlorine, strontium;
• acetone, mercury and other volatile substances.

Today, in industries that work with hazardous substances, all employees must be provided with special clothing that protects their bodies from exposure to these agents, but trace amounts of substances may enter the body due to non-compliance with safety regulations or other factors.

All these substances have a negative effect on the human body and cause mutations even with a short interaction with the body. For this reason, women are rarely hired for such work, because in the future they will give birth to children who may develop developmental pathologies.

If a woman works with hazardous agents, she should closely monitor her health and pay attention to changes in the menstrual cycle. If your periods become scanty, severe pain and dizziness appear during menstruation, you need to contact a gynecologist and undergo an examination.

Treatment of scanty periods

Treatment for scanty periods depends on their cause, which your doctor will help determine. If the problem is low weight, then you need to increase it with the help of a special diet and physical activity. This does not mean that you need to rush to sweets and fatty foods, exposing your own body to even more stress. Useful fatty foods(fish, meat, cottage cheese, eggs, nuts) and sports will help to carefully build muscle and fat mass without worsening appearance and without compromising your health.

For a woman, a normal BMI (body mass index) is 19-23.

If menstrual irregularities occur due to hormonal imbalances, anabolic drugs or diseases of the reproductive system, the treatment will be long and quite complex. Most often prescribed hormone therapy, which needs to be combined proper diet and vitamin-mineral complexes - they will help not gain weight.

No treatment required

If the cause of scanty periods is pregnancy, teenage changes and past infections, then treatment is not required, it is enough to undergo regular examinations with a gynecologist. Over time, the body will recover itself, and the menstrual cycle will return to normal. The following factors may contribute to this:

• proper nutrition;
• good sleep;
• lack of stress and heavy physical activity;
• vitamin and mineral preparations and prebiotics (which cannot be avoided after a course of antibiotics).

Scanty periods cannot be ignored, because they signal malfunctions in the body, and without treatment they lead to diseases of the reproductive system and a decrease in the ability to have children. It is better to look for the causes and treatment of this deviation together with a gynecologist, because only a doctor can properly conduct an examination, evaluate test results and prescribe treatment. Traditional methods(herbal teas, self-massage, warming) can only help with this problem once, but they will steal the precious time needed for normal treatment.

Scanty periods are physiological and pathological in nature. In general, a period of 3 days with a small amount of discharge is considered normal. Every woman dreams of such a situation. But if before this, menstruation lasted 5 days, and then decreased sharply, this is already a cause for concern. However, such a violation monthly cycle under certain circumstances may be considered normal. Is there any cause for concern? How to act in such a situation?

In medicine, a reduction in menstrual flow in women is called hypomenorrhea. A decrease in the number of days of menstruation is “oligomenorrhea.” The processes are indicated by menstrual dysfunction and hormone imbalance. The deviation is primarily due to disruption of the ovaries.

The main purpose of the ovaries is to produce hormones in sufficient quantities for a full menstrual cycle. Scanty periods are observed due to estrogen deficiency. In the first half of the cycle, under the influence of estrogens, the endometrial layer on the uterus grows. Its purpose is to ensure the full development of the fertilized egg in the uterus in the event of conception. At the end of the menstrual cycle, if fertilization has not occurred, the uterus begins to reject this layer. The process is accompanied by a certain discomfort and pain due to contractions of the muscles of the genital organ. Menstruation begins with the release of vaginal secretions, cervical mucus, and endometrial particles.

In a normal menstrual cycle, a woman's period lasts 3-5 days. The amount of discharge for the entire period is from 50 to 150 ml. A downward deviation indicates an underdeveloped endometrial layer - there is nothing to be rejected. There are plenty of factors influencing ovarian dysfunction. From external influence to inflammatory processes and diseases. Anything can cause a violation.

Scanty periods within the normal range

In some cases, scanty periods are considered normal. And if the following situations occur in the lives of women, the reason for irregular periods is extremely clear.

• Formation of the menstrual cycle

For girls, this process takes 2 years. For 2 years critical days come with a delay of 1 to 6 months, and the discharge is often scanty. The situation is normal for puberty. But if your periods do not return to normal within 2 years, you need the help of specialists.

• Climax

The situation with scanty periods is repeated in women during menopause. At this time, suppression of reproductive function is observed. Critical days behave differently. Breaks from 1 to 6 months. Scanty discharge appears periodically. Then they disappear completely. If the process begins in a timely manner, after the age of 45, there is no reason to worry. But caring for your body and regular visits to the gynecologist are mandatory.

• Birth control pills

Reception hormonal drugs affects the nature of menstruation. Birth control pills suppress ovarian function. Prevents them from producing estrogen. At the same time, progesterone levels increase. Hormones come from outside. Therefore, a situation is possible when the ovary completely abandons its duties. The body will have to work under new conditions, according to a certain pattern. 28 days duration of the entire cycle. Of these, 5 days are allocated for menstruation. However, in the first months of taking the pills, the body perceives all this negatively. As a result of great hormonal stress, menstruation may not occur at all. Or the discharge will be small. In addition, brownish ointments can accompany a woman until her next expected period. The situation requires a reaction when scanty periods continue after 3 months of taking the pills. It should be noted that critical days with pills should differ from previous ones in a smaller amount of discharge. If menstruation is 50 ml, there is no reason to worry.

• Birth of a child

After childbirth, the body will undergo reverse hormonal changes. Menstruation takes almost a year to recover. The first menstrual flow should appear after the end breastfeeding. But scanty periods are possible when the baby is introduced to complementary foods. The situation is associated with the production of large amounts of “milk” hormone. It simply prevents menstruation from occurring so that the quality and quantity of milk does not change. When the need for feeding disappears, the body begins to restore its functions. At first, small ointments are observed, and this normal phenomenon. If the situation continues for about a year, you need to consult a specialist.

Causes of scanty periods under the influence of external factors

The situation can be regarded, on the one hand, as a normal phenomenon, but on the other – a deviation. That is, under certain circumstances this should be the case, but it is not desirable.

• Climatic conditions

The reason for scanty menstruation may be moving to a new place of residence, temporary vacation in warm countries. It's about about sudden changes in temperature, humidity, time. The body receives enormous stress. I have not yet decided how to behave. Of course, this situation is reflected in the monthly cycle. The discharge is small for 2-3 days. The reason is banal and generally safe. After returning to their native places, the cycle is restored, menstruation comes as usual. The same thing should happen in new conditions within 3 months. If a woman has changed her permanent place of residence.

• Nervous stress

Central nervous system coordinates all processes of a woman’s monthly cycle, including regulating the production of hormones. Unpleasant moments in a woman’s life last month, an unfavorable psycho-emotional environment at home, at work, leads to disruption of the monthly cycle. The body can react with menstruation with strong intensity and weak. Scanty periods are more common due to severe overwork, tension, depression. Bleeding is preceded by severe stress. To restore a normal monthly cycle, it is necessary to eliminate unfavorable factors. Rest more, get enough sleep, relieve stress after a hard day. If the situation repeats for several months in a row, you will need the help of specialists.

• Abortion

As a result of an abortion, a sharp change in hormonal levels occurs in the body. It is generally difficult to predict the reaction. But there are 2 options. Either menstruation will begin with strong intensity, or scanty periods will come. Bleeding should be regarded as an alarming symptom. Scanty periods are normal after an abortion. Normal should come in the next monthly cycle.

• Surgeries on the genital organs

Surgical treatment often causes scanty menstruation. This is due to mechanical damage tissues of the uterus, other genital organs, hormonal imbalance. Recovery period each case is individual. But no more than 6 months.

• Taking medications

Treatment may be the cause of scanty menstruation. This mainly applies to hormonal drugs. Including when used independently to induce menstruation or establish a monthly cycle. As well as drugs that affect blood clotting. One of these acetylsalicylic acid. A scanty period can be caused by an excessive amount of vitamin C in a woman’s body.

• Physical exhaustion

The situation with scanty menstruation is often found among athletes who expose the body to constant strong physical activity. Although moderate exercise, on the contrary, has a beneficial effect on a woman’s body. They appear in women who, due to the nature of their work, are constantly physically tired.

• Poor nutrition

The reason for scanty menstruation is associated with inadequate replenishment of the woman’s body with useful microelements and vitamins. This happens due to strict diet, poor nutrition. Sharp decline weight leads to hormonal imbalance. The situation is dangerous not only due to a decrease in the intensity of discharge, but also to its complete absence.

• Pregnancy

This factor cannot be excluded. Especially if there was a significant delay before the arrival of scanty menstruation. Low-intensity emissions in some cases are not dangerous. Doctors call this phenomenon “washing the fetus.” But they should stop after 2–3 days. If this does not happen, the discharge intensifies - a breakdown or presence is possible. In any case, you need to see a doctor. Take a pregnancy test first. In case of bleeding, call an ambulance.

Causes of scanty menstruation are pathological

The most bad reason changes in the intensity of discharge - diseases, inflammatory processes. You cannot solve the problem on your own. It is necessary to contact a gynecologist and other specialists. The woman will have to undergo examination and examination. Some diseases are detected quickly and qualified treatment is prescribed. It takes a long time to identify others. It is difficult to recognize the disease by symptoms alone. Since most of them are associated with hormonal imbalance, inflammation, infection. The symptoms are similar. And in some cases, the disease is completely asymptomatic at first. The only cause for concern is a change in the intensity of menstrual flow.

In addition, scanty periods can be caused by diseases of the reproductive system, central nervous, endocrine and individual internal organs, which are responsible for hormonal balance and the reproductive function of a woman’s body. For example, inflammation of the uterus, ovaries, erosion, uterine fibroids can cause scanty menstruation. initial stage diseases.

There are more than enough reasons for menstrual irregularities. Rather than guessing, it is better to immediately go to see a doctor and begin treatment, if necessary. Interestingly, there is a situation when menstruation changes after certain circumstances and for a woman it remains in an altered state throughout all cycles. For example, after childbirth, long-term use contraceptives, change of place of residence. How to recognize alarming symptoms cycle disorders and normal changes in menstruation?

Symptoms of alarming discharge

At the expected time of menstruation, a woman observes droplets of blood or a small amount of colored mucus on her underwear. The color varies from pink, red to brown. Dark color appears due to rapid blood clotting under the influence of oxygen. The discharge continues for 1 to 3 days. If there are diseases of the genital organs, they may not stop for a long time. But they are accompanied by severe pain lower abdomen, lower back, weakness in the body.

If the reason for changes in discharge external factors, the woman’s well-being does not change much. In general, the symptoms of normal menstruation remain. Nausea, irritability, mild malaise, cramping pain in the lower abdomen, discomfort in the lower back, changes in stool, breast enlargement.

However, we should not forget that the lack of treatment if necessary and long period small discharge can lead to a weakening of a woman’s sexual function, reduce libido, lead to infertility, and cause a complete absence of menstruation - amenorrhea. The causes of unclear discharge must be dealt with together with your doctor.

Probably every girl has noticed that at different periods of the menstrual cycle, the quantity and quality of discharge constantly changes.

The first half of the cycle occurs under the influence of estrogen for approximately 11-17 days. The discharge, as a rule, is scanty at the beginning, but as it approaches the end of the phase, it becomes more abundant.

The middle of the cycle is characterized heavy discharge at healthy women. This period coincides with ovulation (the release of an egg from the ovary) and occurs under the maximum level of estrogen. The nature of the secretion is very similar to egg white.

The second half of the cycle begins after the ovulation process; during this period, corpus luteum which produces progesterone. The duration of this period is approximately 13-15 days. The discharge is already becoming thicker, the amount is gradually decreasing and before the onset of menstruation there is very little of it.

Period of menstruation - discharge lasts for 3-7 days, in the first days menstrual bleeding abundant, then weakens. Physiological blood loss for the entire cycle ranges from 40-60 ml. Bloody in nature, red or scarlet in color, with a slight “metallic” odor.

Let's not waste time, but instead look at the question “why is the amount of menstrual flow decreasing?”

What is hypomenorrhea?

Hypomenorrhea (hypomenstrual syndrome) is a type of cycle disorder in which, instead of regular periods, scanty (less than 40 ml) discharge is formed.

Hypomenorrhea can be combined with oligomenorrhea (a decrease in the duration of menstruation to less than 3 days) or occurs as a precursor to amenorrhea (absence of menstruation).

Types of hypomenstrual syndrome:

• primary GMS - begins at a young age, is associated with a violation of puberty or general maturation of the girl’s body;
• secondary HMS – occurs more often in older women and is associated with the development of a disease.

Prolonged, scanty periods may occur. The reasons for long and scanty periods are very diverse, however, most often they speak of diseases mainly in the uterus or a hormonal imbalance.

Diseases:

• chronic endometritis - inflammation of the mucous layer of the uterus;
• vitamin deficiencies;
• endocrine pathology (diseases of the pituitary gland, thyroid gland, disruption of hormone formation in the ovary).

The causes of scanty periods after childbirth are associated with the absence or significant decrease in the level of the hormone prolactin in the blood. A decrease in prolactin may occur when a child is switched from breastfeeding to artificial feeding. A decrease in prolactin levels leads to ovulation, while normal level sex hormones have not yet had time to establish themselves within several cycles. However, by cycle 3-5, full recovery menstruation