The first menstruation after childbirth is scanty. Polycystic in the diagnosis of scanty bleeding. Pregnancy and scanty periods

Menstrual bleeding is a normal occurrence for the female body. Any deviations in this process may indicate violations of the body systems. They cannot be ignored. Scanty periods can be caused by many factors: some of them can be considered quite natural, while others are pathological factors. Why is there still little discharge on critical days? Normal states include the following statements:

If the girl is 12-15 years old and this is the first year after menarche.
The woman has reached the age of 40-45 years.
Scanty brown menstruation appeared in the first months after pregnancy during lactation.

These are the main natural causes that can explain the appearance of mild discharge on critical days. But quite a lot of diseases and malfunctions in the body can lead to a similar result. Only a gynecologist can determine the cause of this phenomenon. It is almost impossible to independently understand why menstruation has become scarce.

Only a complete diagnosis can reveal the causes of this phenomenon.

What is considered normal?

By the way a woman's menstruation goes, we can conclude about the state of her reproductive health. If a girl wants to become pregnant in the future, safely endure and give birth to a child, she should be wary if the usually normal discharge with regular bleeding has become weak, spotting or less plentiful.

Normal menstruation

In order to control her menstrual cycle, a woman should keep a diary. It indicates the days of the onset of regular bleeding, its duration and the nature of the discharge. This will allow you to quickly track deviations from the generally accepted norm. In a woman from 15 to 40 years old, menstruation should be something like this:

Painless or with little discomfort regular bleeding.
The duration of the menstrual period is 28 days (a deviation up or down in 7 days is allowed).
Menstruation lasts 3-7 days.
Discharges are plentiful. Their number reaches 50-150 ml.

Menstruation without blood in the composition of secretions that have a light brown tint is most often bad for reproductive health and is considered a pathology. But sometimes this phenomenon is caused by completely natural reasons.

Age

Age may be a natural reason why bleeding is poor and does not comply with generally accepted canons:

If a girl is only 12-15 years old and this is the first year after menarche, this picture is quite typical. This is a frequent occurrence. During the first 6-12 months, menstruation is only getting better. The hormonal system is in an active period of formation. Therefore, periods are less or less frequent than in an adult woman of childbearing age. However, if a year after the first monthly cycle has not improved, you need to make an appointment with a doctor. This may be a sign of an abnormality.
Scanty periods can be considered the norm at the age of menopause. She comes to 40 years. If regular bleeding has become shorter in duration, their abundance decreases, which means that the woman enters the age of menopause. This is a natural, natural process.

However, even at the age of 40, you should be wary if there has been no regular bleeding for about a year, and the discharge appeared after a rather long period of time. This may indicate serious illness.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy can be a completely natural cause of this phenomenon. If, after the expected date of the critical days, menstruation did not begin or manifested itself in scanty spotting, conception may have occurred. If the discharge goes no more than a day, they are scarce and light, this can be considered the norm.

However, during pregnancy, any discharge should be recorded and discussed with the gynecologist.

The cause of this phenomenon may be pathology, for example, an insufficient level of progesterone. This indicates a threat of miscarriage. Therefore, when such symptoms appear, it is urgent to go to the hospital.

After pregnancy, scanty periods are quite common. The reproductive system restores its fertility. Soon the woman will be able to get pregnant again. If there is a slight discharge during lactation, it is necessary to undergo an examination. But most often this is a completely natural manifestation of the body's work.

Deviations from the norm

If a woman of childbearing age (15–40 years old) notices that this time usually normal periods are not plentiful enough, abnormalities in the functioning of the body can be suspected. Diagnosis is carried out exclusively by the attending physician.

Symptoms

If a woman finds that her period is very scanty, less than 50 ml, she should contact her gynecologist. This condition may be accompanied by certain symptoms. The main manifestations are as follows:

Pain in the lumbar region, as well as the mammary glands. For some women, the process is painless.
Severe cramps in the lower abdomen.
Constipation or, conversely, a manifestation of diarrhea.
Headaches, nausea.

This condition is called hypomenorrhea. It causes infertility before the age of 40. Hypomenorrhea is a primary manifestation, when a girl has never had normal periods, and a secondary one, for example, appears after pregnancy. If scanty periods go every cycle, this is considered a serious deviation, requiring the advice of a specialist.

Diagnostics

The causes of meager periods can be established only after consulting with your female doctor and after passing a series of examinations. The gynecologist must initially establish in what period such a condition appeared, is it primary or secondary hypomenorrhea. It is important to determine whether the patient is pregnant or has had scanty periods after pregnancy.

After the examination, the woman takes a smear for the presence of infectious diseases, undergoes an ultrasound scan of the uterus, ovaries. A general blood test is required, and the level of hormones is also determined. During the examination, the thickness of the endometrial layer, the work of the ovaries is assessed. Only after the above manipulations, the medical specialist finds the cause of the deviations. It is extremely important, especially during pregnancy, not to postpone a visit to the gynecologist.

Reasons for deviations

If a representative of the fair sex aged 15 to 40 had certain deviations in the reproductive system, they can be triggered by a number of reasons. They can be provoked by both diseases and interventions of various kinds in the body. These include:

Infectious diseases.
Hormonal abnormalities (including those caused by contraceptives).
Neoplasms (polyps, cysts, cancer, etc.).
Abortion.
Tuberculosis of the female genital organs.
genetic predisposition.
Stress, increased workload.
Wrong way of life.

Scanty periods, which are caused by deviations and malfunctions in the body, are most often explained by the reasons listed above. However, this is far from a complete list. Therefore, it is impossible to do without consulting a specialist.

infections

Genital infections, which are accompanied by itching, burning, unpleasant odor, pain in the lower abdomen or during intercourse, can cause hypomenorrhea. Such diseases include chlamydia, ureaplasma, tuberculosis, syphilis, gonorrhea and many other pathogens.

Their treatment is mandatory, otherwise the consequences will be sad.

Hormonal abnormalities

An imbalance of female sex hormones most often causes menstrual irregularities in women under 40 years of age. In addition, thyroid and pancreatic hormones, which are in the wrong concentration, can cause hypomenorrhea. Treatment of such diseases is carried out by a gynecologist together with an endocrinologist.

Also, taking hormonal contraceptives can cause meager periods. In this case, the hormonal intrauterine device or oral medications stop the reproductive function of the body.

If after their cancellation for a long time menstrual bleeding is not restored, this pathology requires treatment.

Surgical intervention

Curettage for diagnosis, termination of pregnancy, removal of polyps and other operations can cause endometrial developmental disorders. It also contributes to hormonal imbalances. In the case when such facts are accompanied by signs of inflammation (high temperature, pain, burning sensation in the vagina, etc.), it is urgent to carry out appropriate treatment.

genetic predisposition

In some women, scanty periods may be genetically predisposed. In this case, the closest relatives have the same picture. This is not a pathology, only if the women of this family can become pregnant without problems.

stress, loads

Wrong lifestyle, frequent physical and emotional stress can manifest itself in the form of hypomenorrhea. Even strong emotions or moving sometimes affect the female reproductive system.

Frequent diets, lack of vitamins in food also cause this phenomenon.

Leading a healthy lifestyle, adhering to the daily routine, experiencing positive emotions, a woman can prevent pathology in the future. If there are problems with the menstrual cycle, it is imperative to reduce the load on the body. Otherwise, the consequences will be very serious.

Carefully and attentively treating your health, each representative of the fair sex can avoid serious ailments. The body signals various deviations in its work. Listening carefully to them, you can save yourself from the consequences in the future.

The most common mistake women of childbearing age make is indifference to menstruation. Ladies usually do not pay attention to the nature of menstruation if they come on time, and the cycle is more or less regular. Not all women know that it is worth closely monitoring not only the duration of menstrual bleeding and its frequency, but also the nature of the discharge.

But how do you figure out if your periods are going normally or maybe they have become scarce? To do this, first of all, you need to know a little about the rules.

As a rule, a woman begins to monitor her menstrual cycle from the moment she begins sexual activity. But, no matter how sad it may be, many fairly adult ladies do not even know the duration of their cycle, and even more so, they do not follow the nature of menstrual flow, which is a very big mistake. There is a certain norm that determines how menstruation should flow. In case of any deviation from the norm, the doctor diagnoses a disorder of menstrual function.

So, normal monthly:

painless or slightly painful;
last for 3-5 days;
the interval between menstruation is from 21 to 35 days;
the volume of secretions does not exceed 150 ml.

It is necessary to carefully monitor every menstruation, record the start date, cycle duration, how many days the bleeding was, and what was the nature of the discharge. Quite often, women begin to control their periods so carefully only when they cannot conceive a child, although ideally, every woman is simply obliged to monitor her health in order to prevent any gynecological disease from developing.

It is worth thinking about scanty periods (hypomenoria) if the menstrual flow is small and has a color from light brown to dark brown - this indicates a violation of menstrual function.

If the cause of scanty periods in age-related changes (the formation or extinction of the cycle), then this should not be a cause for concern, since during these periods the regularity of ovulation is disturbed, which in turn can lead to meager brown menstruation.

The process of establishing a regular menstrual cycle in girls usually takes about a year, at which time menstruation can be scarce, rare, not constant, shortened.

During menopause, scanty periods are also not a deviation. As a rule, this period in the life of women begins at about 45 years old, but there are cases of an earlier onset of menopause.

Even if scanty periods in your case are due to one of the two reasons described above, it is simply necessary to inform the gynecologist about this in any case.

Symptoms of hypomenoria

Gynecologists divide this disease into primary and secondary hypomenoria. In the first case, the woman never had a normal period, and in the second case, the period became scanty over time.

As a rule, the disease cannot be asymptomatic and go unnoticed by a woman, but there are exceptions to any rule.

In the case of scanty monthly discharge, they take on the character of drops or traces of brown blood. At the same time, the duration of menstruation may remain the same or be reduced.

Scanty periods and their delay can provoke nausea , headache, pain in the lumbar region, cause an upset of the digestive system, the appearance of a feeling of tightness in the chest.

The menstruation itself can be painless. Sometimes women with hypomenoria have nosebleeds during menstruation.

As a rule, in women with scanty periods, estrogen secretion is reduced, as a result, reproductive function suffers and significantly decreased libido .

As mentioned earlier, meager periods during the formation and attenuation of the cycle are not pathological, but if signs of hypomenoria are observed in a woman of childbearing age, you should be very careful about your body, because such deviations indicate serious violations of the sexual or other body systems.

What are the causes of scanty periods

To give an exact answer, why menstruation suddenly became scarce, without a thorough examination of the patient, not a single doctor can. First of all, it is necessary to establish whether hypomenoria is primary or secondary in this particular case. If menstruation is meager from the very beginning of the formation of the cycle, then it may be worth suspecting congenital pathologies in the development of the girl's genitals. Currently, more and more often primary hypomenoria occurs in girls with very low weight.

Secondary hypomenoria can be caused by many factors, let's take a closer look at some of them.

1. The most common and common cause of scanty periods in women of childbearing age is dysfunction of the ovaries and pituitary gland , which are responsible for the normal course of menstruation and the regularity of the menstrual cycle.

Causes of ovarian dysfunction:

inflammatory processes of the genital organs (inflammation of the appendages, ovaries);
stress, overwork, emotional imbalance, lack of sleep, irrational mode of work and rest;
abortion or miscarriage, especially during the first pregnancy;
anomalies in the development of the genital organs;
diabetes mellitus, thyroid disease.

External factors, such as climate change or the use of improperly selected contraceptives, can also affect the functioning of the ovaries.

2. Often the reason for scanty periods lies in diseases of the uterus . In addition to inflammatory processes, scars on the uterus from gynecological operations, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, cervical cancer, endometrial inferiority, and so on can affect the nature of menstrual flow.

3. Scanty menstrual flow can be determined by genetics . If close relatives in the female line have always had meager periods, then most likely this is not a deviation, but a genetic feature. As a rule, in such situations, scanty menstruation cannot cause infertility and affect pregnancy.

4. Hormonal abnormalities - Another reason for the development of hypomenoria. Lack of female sex hormones, taking oral contraceptives, endocrine diseases and even breastfeeding - all this can cause meager periods.

5. Do not forget about the influence of the psychological factor on the work of the woman's body as a whole. Negative emotional experiences , stressful situations, too violent positive emotions affect the work of the centers of the brain that stimulate the ovaries. With the suppression of ovarian function, the production of progesterone decreases, which leads to meager periods.

In addition to the above reasons, hypomenoria can develop as a result of anemia, sudden weight loss, anorexia, climate and lifestyle changes, due to a lack of vitamins and minerals, or due to work in hazardous industries.

That is why, in order to find out what led to the impoverishment of menstruation, it is necessary to undergo a thorough examination.

Diagnostics

Only a doctor can identify the exact cause of hypomenoria and assess how dangerous this disease is for a woman. As a rule, in order to find out the reasons, a woman needs to tell as much as possible about when the meager periods began, and what could cause this, whether there were other diseases, and so on.

Then the doctor conducts a complete gynecological examination, takes tests for cytology, seeding for bacteria. It is also necessary to take tests for hormones, undergo an ultrasound examination of the ovaries and uterus, PCR diagnostics for the presence of genital infections. After receiving the test results, the doctor will be able to accurately determine the cause of scanty menstruation and prescribe the adequate treatment necessary in a particular case.

Treatment for scanty periods

Of course, the treatment will entirely depend on the results of the examination. Thus, a violation of the cycle due to malnutrition and an overly active lifestyle is treated by normalizing the diet and setting the correct regimen.

It is possible that the doctor will prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs, a vitamin complex, hormonal drugs - it all depends on the reasons that influenced the impoverishment of menstruation. Often women require physiotherapy or psychotherapy.

Aromatherapy, color therapy and acupressure are of great importance in the treatment of hypomenoria. Let's take a closer look at each of these methods for treating scanty periods.

So, aromatherapy helps in the treatment of many diseases and hypomenoria is no exception. Inhaling the aromas of juniper and marjoram promotes the release of hormones. A good effect is achieved with the help of foot baths with the addition of aromatic oils. It is recommended to lower your feet into the water, the temperature of which is 35 degrees, and then gradually increase the temperature of the water to 44-45 degrees. Perform the procedure slowly, at least 20 minutes a day. It is recommended to start warming up the legs a week before the onset of menstruation.

color therapy - Another way to combat hypomenoria. It is established that the yellow color helps to improve blood circulation. Thus, by eating the products of this flower and preferring yellow shades when choosing clothes, you can significantly improve your condition.

Acupressure - treatment of diseases by influencing certain points located on the human body. In order to establish the menstrual cycle, it is necessary to massage the point located in the middle of the tip of the big toe. Massaging is done in circular motions for 5 minutes several times a day.

a decoction of carrots helps a lot in the fight against the disease, use a decoction of 2 tbsp. spoons 4-5 times a day;
2-3 tbsp. spoons of freshly squeezed aloe juice are recommended to be taken orally 2-3 times a day;
another proven remedy is pineapple juice, they drink 3-4 tbsp. 2 times a day;
very effective in this disease is unrefined palm sugar with sesame seeds. This mixture is taken in 1-2 tablespoons. 2-3 times a day.

Verbena officinalis, St. John's wort, oregano, shepherd's purse, wormwood, fragrant rue - infusions of all these herbs are used in the treatment of meager periods. In addition, women suffering from hypomennoria are advised to eat fresh onions and garlic.

During the formation, fading of the menstrual cycle, or while breastfeeding, treatment is usually not required.

Of course, it happens that traditional medicine works wonders and helps to cope with rather serious diseases. However, before starting self-treatment, it is recommended to undergo an examination and consult with a gynecologist about the use of certain herbs.

Preventive measures to help prevent disease

In order for the problem of scanty menstruation not to come back into your life after the treatment, it is necessary to carry out prevention.

Walk more in the air, play sports, but do not overwork, avoid stress, excessive physical and psychological stress. Watch your weight, give up exhausting diets and starvation.

And, of course, it is worth paying special attention to menstruation so as not to miss any deviations. At the first alarming symptoms, feeling unwell during menstruation, it is necessary to seek help from a gynecologist. Only timely diagnosis and proper treatment will help you establish menstruation and avoid possible complications.

Recommended for viewing: Expert opinion on scanty periods

Answers

The health of a woman of childbearing age, as a rule, can be determined by how her menstrual cycle occurs and what kind. Any slight deviation from the relative norm can be interpreted both as a normal fact and as a pathological phenomenon resulting from some disorder or disease.

Menstruation is characterized by many factors: by its regularity, by the duration of the cycle, by the duration of the blood discharge itself, by the amount, intensity of bleeding, by the color of the discharge before and after menstruation, is there pain during menstruation, is the woman worried, is there, etc.

How can a woman figure out, for example, why menstruation became scanty, the reasons for such a change? If this is some kind of pathology, then what? Of course, a woman, first of all, should seek an answer from her gynecologist by undergoing a comprehensive examination. In this article, we will try to talk about all the possible causes of scanty periods in girls, young women and women in the period before menopause.

What is considered normal, what is pathology?

Many women do not think, do not pay attention, do not attach much importance to how menstruation goes, whether the cycle is regular and what are the discharges. However, if a woman takes care of her health, plans to have a baby, especially if pregnancy does not occur for a long time, she should know that the nature of menstrual flow is a fairly significant indicator of possible disorders, diseases, and abnormalities in the reproductive function of the body.

Normally, menstruation should proceed as follows, any deviation from these norms, doctors regard as hypomenstrual syndrome or:

menstruation should be either mildly painful or painless at all
should last at least 3-5 days
the interval can be normal within 21-35 days
the secreted blood by volume is considered normal in the range of 50-150 ml

To determine the "normality" of the menstrual cycle, especially if a woman is planning a pregnancy, it is advisable to conduct a kind observation diary, make a plate where to write down the date of menstruation, the duration of the cycle, the duration of the bleeding itself, the nature of the discharge, and you can also keep a table for measuring basal temperature, which is also an excellent way to determine the norm or abnormalities in ovarian function and helps for those who are preparing for pregnancy.

Hypomenorrhea in medicine is usually called not heavy periods, having only traces of blood or drops of blood from light brown to dark brown, which are considered a pathology of menstrual function. The only exception is 2 periods in a woman's life when the causes of meager periods are the formation or extinction of the menstrual cycle, when ovulation occurs irregularly.

When a girl's menstruation is just beginning, the first menstruation is usually scanty, while during the year the cycle is gradually established, normalized and should become regular in a year. During the first year of the formation of menstruation, as well as in violation of menstrual function, menstruation can be:

rare - this is opsomenorrhea, when the cycle is 1.5 -2 months
meager - 50 ml. and less - hypomenorrhea
shortened - oligomenorrhea, when menstruation ends by day 3
not permanent, but 2-4 times / year - spanimenorrhea

Also, meager periods are not considered a pathology during the period when a woman's reproductive function begins to fade - which is a natural age-related hormonal change and is not considered a sign of any disease. Ovarian failure usually begins in women after 45 years of age, but there are rare cases when this occurs much earlier, by about 38-40 years.

Hypomenorrhea in gynecology is usually divided into:

primary, when the girl has never had a normal menstruation
secondary, when a woman has always had normal bleeding, and for some reason, menstruation has become meager.

Primary hypomenstrual syndrome can be in adolescents with congenital pathology of the genital organs, which is quite rare. When girls have their first meager periods, the cause may be underdevelopment or abnormal development of the female genital organs, and it may also be a variant of the norm and menstruation becomes normal within several cycles (see).

Symptoms that may accompany a scanty period

Even very meager periods can proceed both painlessly and imperceptibly for a woman, and with severe pain. In addition to shortening the duration and intensity of menstruation, scanty periods often occur after a delay with the appearance of a pronounced premenstrual syndrome and are accompanied by additional ailments, such as:

severe pain in the lower abdomen due to spastic contraction of the uterus
, in the chest
headaches, nausea
various bowel disorders - constipation or diarrhea

Sometimes with hypomenorrhea, some women experience nosebleeds every time. For a reason, libido and reproductive function may decrease in women.

If a woman of childbearing age had normal periods at first and then became scanty, this is a serious cause for concern and for establishing the cause of menstrual dysfunction.

Scanty periods after childbirth

Very often, women experience scanty periods after childbirth, if the mother for some reason does not breastfeed the baby. Then menstruation begins after 6-8 weeks, and often physiologically they can be either abundant or irregular, and the first menstruation after childbirth can be in the form of brown discharge. After pregnancy and childbirth, the body does not have time to rebuild and the hormonal background gradually normalizes over several menstrual cycles.

Sometimes in some women, even with lactation, it is possible to restore the menstrual cycle, especially when the baby switches to complementary foods. Prolactin responsible for lactation is not produced, this leads to ovulation and the appearance of menstruation in a woman. The appearance of scanty periods after childbirth for several cycles is a variant of the norm, but if it becomes permanent, this is a cause for concern, as it may indicate an exacerbation of gynecological chronic diseases or be the result of other disorders in the body.

After scraping

Any intrauterine intervention -), diagnostic curettage, removal of polyps, etc., can cause meager periods. Since such an intervention also disrupts the hormonal balance, and leads to the inferiority of the endometrium. If, in addition to a violation of the menstrual cycle, after curettage there is also an unpleasant odor, pain, fever, the woman should immediately consult a doctor, since the cause may be an inflammatory process due to unsuccessful surgical manipulation, incomplete removal of the membranes, as well as a possible infectious and inflammatory process that began after an abortion or diagnostic curettage.

The main causes of hypomenorrhea

The most serious and frequent pathological cause of hypomenorrhea in women of reproductive age is dysfunction of the ovaries and pituitary gland, which are the regulators of menstrual function. So, for example, pituitary insufficiency - Sheehan's syndrome, can lead to a complete absence of menstruation (amenorrhea) or to other menstrual disorders.

Ovarian dysfunction

K can lead to various inflammatory processes, hormonal disruptions, external factors:

Various inflammatory diseases of the female genital organs

These are inflammation of the uterine appendages - adnexitis (salpingoophoritis), inflammation of the ovaries - oophoritis, caused by various pathogens, STIs. They can arise from severe hypothermia, frequent improper douching (), other infectious diseases leading to the transfer of the pathogen from the bloodstream from other organs to the female genital organs.

Psychological overwork, nervous overstrain, irrational mode of rest and work, physical and psychological overwork.
Mini-abortion, medical abortion, spontaneous miscarriage, especially during the first pregnancy, when abrupt hormonal changes occur - all this provokes the development of stable ovarian dysfunction.
Underdevelopment of the genital organs, abnormal development of the uterus and uterine appendages.
External factors such as taking certain medications, radiation damage, climate change, excessive exposure to sunlight, or overuse of tanning beds.
Incorrectly selected oral contraceptives or their long-term use contributes to the weakening of ovarian function (see the negative consequences of taking oral contraceptives in the article about)
Obesity, and thyroid can be the cause of ovarian dysfunction.

Tuberculosis of the female genital organs

Less often, tuberculosis of the female genital organs can be the cause of scanty periods. This diagnosis is established, diagnosed in ordinary clinics and hospitals very rarely, since this is done only in anti-tuberculosis dispensaries, in which today, for some reason, there are not enough qualified phthisiatricians - gynecologists and there is no one to deal with diagnostics.

Therefore, such a formidable, serious disease, which both girls from early childhood and mature women can suffer from, remains undiagnosed. There are no exact, 100% diagnostic methods for tuberculosis of the genital organs, this is an extremely difficult to diagnose disease, and the symptoms may either be absent or mild, this is the insidiousness of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

If female genital tuberculosis develops in a girl at an early age, she may not develop mammary glands (hypomastia), there may be abnormalities in the development of the uterus, or there may be amenorrhea - the complete absence of menstruation, as well as scanty periods and an irregular menstrual cycle. In the future, such a woman has persistent primary infertility. Moreover, radiography of the lungs in such cases is usually normal.

Sometimes, especially after childbirth or surgical interventions, a woman may develop acute transient tuberculosis of the genital organs, with high fever and severe course. There may also be sluggish tuberculosis of the genital organs, with periods of remission and exacerbations, when a woman has been sick for years and does not know what is the true cause of ailments and infertility, while there may be general symptoms that are no different from signs of inflammatory processes of the uterine appendages:

intermittent (in phase 2) or constant subfebrile temperature
weakness, increased sweating
occurrence of various allergic reactions
psycho-emotional disorders - increased nervousness, decreased concentration, hysteria
decreased appetite
chronic salpingitis, salpingo-oophoritis, difficult to treat
menstrual irregularities, no or brown discharge instead of menstruation, rare menstruation
infertility (see)

Uterine causes

Any inflammatory diseases of the uterus and uterine appendages may be accompanied by hypomenorrhea. In addition to inflammatory processes, the following factors influence the nature of menstruation:

Scars on the uterus after various gynecological operations - removal of fibroids, partial removal of the uterus, caesarean section, as well as the presence of an adhesive process - reduces the area of \u200b\u200bthe endometrium, on which the amount of blood discharge during menstruation depends.
The inferiority of the endometrium can also be caused by various diagnostic intrauterine manipulations, frequent medical abortions.
Endometriosis, uterine fibroids, tumors of the uterus or ovaries, as well as cancer treatment - radiation and chemotherapy can also affect the nature of menstruation.
The use of hormonal contraceptives can also lead to progressive atrophy of the endometrium.

genetic features

Minor bleeding during menstruation in some women may be a genetic feature. If the mother, aunt, grandmother, sisters always have a small amount of discharge during menstruation, then this can be considered normal. Most often in such cases, scanty periods do not affect pregnancy and the likelihood of infertility.

Hormonal causes

Not only hormonal contraceptives, lack of female sex hormones can be the cause of menstrual dysfunction, but other hormonal disorders can also affect the female body as a whole. Hypomenorrhea, lack of ovulation can also occur due to the following hormonal disorders or changes:

Endocrine diseases, when, for example, the level of thyroid hormones decreases
Diabetes
breastfeeding when

Emotional reasons

Psychological factors have a huge impact on the state of the whole organism, the immune system, hormonal levels. Both negative emotions, stress, strong feelings, and too violent positive emotions affect the centers of the brain, which have a stimulating effect on the ovaries. The ovaries are designed to produce hormones - estrogen and which are responsible for the growth of the endometrium. With severe stress, excessive excitement, the functions of these centers in the brain can be suppressed, respectively, there is a suppression and stimulation of the ovaries. Reduced or no production of estrogen leads to scanty periods.

Other reasons

Excessive exercise, any serious injury
Anemia, vitamin deficiency, metabolic disorders
Stress, climate change, lifestyle changes, nutrition
Rapid weight loss due to diet, exhaustion, anorexia
Severe infectious diseases with general intoxication of the body
The presence of occupational hazard - radioactive radiation, chemicals.

Normally, menstruation should have a dark red color and a slightly sour smell. The daily rate of discharge is, as a rule, several tens of milliliters.

Dark and scanty periods - this means that the discharge of blood has a brownish tint, they are very rare (less than 50 ml per day), often take the form of spotting, which is not normal for normal menstruation. Sometimes these are accompanied by an unpleasant odor. They acquire a dark color due to the fact that, starting to flow from the uterine cavity, the blood coagulates and, as a result, darkens.

Scanty periods are often combined with:

pains of a cramping nature in;
headache;
pain in the lumbar;
feeling of tightness in the chest;
vomiting.

It happens that meager periods are passed from mother to daughter along the family line. In this case, we cannot talk about any pathologies, this is a completely normal phenomenon that will not affect either the health of the woman or the pregnancy.

Causes of dark, scanty periods

Why are periods black and scanty? There are a number of reasons for this:

violations of the production of the endometrium (due to acute or chronic inflammation, abortion, tuberculosis of the genital organs, etc.);
pathologies in the functioning of the ovaries and pituitary gland;
disorders in the work of the endocrine system, diseases of the adrenal glands and thyroid gland (as a result - hormonal failure);
anemia;
deficiency of vitamins in the body;
suffered injuries or;
metabolic disorders (weight loss or weight gain);
pregnancy (including ectopic);
psycho-emotional experiences, stress, nervous diseases;
interruption of sexual life for a long time;
improper selection of contraceptives.

Very meager periods are a common occurrence in infantilism, which is characterized by improper maturation of the genital organs, a stop in their development at adolescence level, or with congenital malformations of the genitals. Infantilism must be treated, otherwise a woman will never be able to give birth to children.

Sexually transmitted diseases can be the reason why menstruation becomes scarce. At the same time, it is important to pay attention to the symptoms often associated with sexually transmitted diseases:

pain with;
itching or burning sensation in the perineum or vagina;
pain during intercourse;
strange smell.

Read also 🗓 Very scanty periods after a delay

During pregnancy, scanty dark-colored discharge with a simultaneous increase in temperature, malaise, pain in the lower abdomen require an urgent appeal to a gynecologist, because they often portend an imminent miscarriage.

Scanty discharge can also begin in a practically healthy woman due to banal hypothermia or nervous experience.

Whatever caused meager periods, it is impossible to determine their cause, and even more so to try to treat them on your own. If the phenomenon is left unattended, then infertility may develop. In any case, you should consult your doctor.

How does this relate to age?

Most often, age can cause mild periods without violating the norm of health. The main age categories when this phenomenon occurs are associated with the periods of formation and attenuation of the reproductive function in a woman. It:

teenage years;
climax.

Approximately from the age of 12, the girl's body develops much faster, but the reproductive organs are only at the stage of formation during this period. Ovulation may not occur at all in the first months, and the menstrual cycle may present various “surprises”, such as instability, the duration of more or less normal 4-5 days, the presence of scanty dark-colored secretions, which is due to the endometrium, which in its development differs in adults and adolescents, and the formation of hormonal levels. If the girl does not feel other signs of discomfort, the presence of brown discharge should not be considered a pathology.

At the age of about 50, a woman begins a period, the hormonal background changes, and the reproductive function fades. In this regard, the menstrual cycle is modified: it becomes irregular, menstruation is not abundant or active, there are normal or dark (even black) colors. It is always better to seek the advice of a gynecologist. Sometimes it can be hidden under the guise of the onset of menopause and a serious pathology. By the way, in recent years there has been a tendency towards an earlier onset of menopause, the first signs of which may appear after crossing the 40-year milestone.

In connection with the formation of the menstrual cycle, scanty postpartum periods are also possible, especially when breastfeeding the baby, because prolactin, the hormone responsible for lactation, suppresses the production of other hormones that are important for the normal course of the cycle, and the endometrium develops during the first three months slowly. After stopping breastfeeding, it may take up to six months to fully restore the cycle. If the cycle has not recovered in a year or unusual symptoms appear, you should immediately visit a doctor.

Read also 🗓 Scanty periods: causes, symptoms, treatment

Preventive measures

The appearance of scanty secretions is easier to prevent than to subsequently cure. Preventive measures include:

compliance with the rules of personal hygiene;
frequent change of pads and washing, avoiding non-natural means;
protection during intercourse with a condom;
rejection of low-quality or excessively narrow linen;
visiting a gynecologist at least once every 6 months;
preference for an active and healthy lifestyle.

Compliance with these simple measures allows you to maintain the normal functioning of the female body, to a certain extent prevent the occurrence of disorders, pathologies, inflammation in the reproductive and other systems and organs. If meager periods appear, it is absolutely impossible to independently identify their cause, and even more so, it is absolutely impossible to start therapy, this also applies to treatment with folk methods. It should not be forgotten that ignoring the essential signs and symptoms of serious diseases can cause the most severe consequences for the functions of reproduction and childbearing. Therefore, you should be attentive to your health and visit a gynecologist on time.

Having no deviations, normal periods have a number of signs:

they must occur regularly every month;
blood has a certain color;
the discharge should not have a sharp and strange smell;
menstruation (both cycle and menstruation) should not be too long;
there should not be strong, interfering with the usual way of life, pain.

If any of the above processes occur, you should contact your gynecologist immediately. Scanty dark menstruation, menstrual irregularities are possible signs of many female diseases. In the presence of such violations, you should not ignore a visit to the doctor.

Doctors recommend taking preventive measures, taking care of health, carefully monitoring the cycle and nature of menstruation. Indeed, even if menstruation began on time, but is characterized by scarcity, discoloration and a short duration (less than 3 days), this can be caused by the onset of the disease, from the usual beriberi to endometriosis and cervical erosion. And if the situation is ignored, more dangerous consequences are possible, for example, the development of cancer.

Conclusion

Preservation of a woman's health depends to a large extent on her powers of observation. The appearance of dark scanty periods, which in certain cases can be both the norm and symptoms of the development of various diseases, should not be ignored.

The presence of a stable menstrual cycle in a woman indicates that her body is able to conceive and bear a child. Any failures and deviations in duration, too intense pain, changes in the color and amount of menstrual flow indicate the presence of certain pathologies that must be eliminated as soon as possible.

One of the most common complaints that girls turn to gynecologists with is weak periods. Just as too abundant, scanty menstrual flow is a symptom of a disease that threatens not only future motherhood, but also the life of a woman as a whole. We will find out why such a pathology develops.

What menstruation is considered normal?

The first menstruation (menarche) occurs in healthy girls between the ages of 12 and 16. If, upon reaching the age of sixteen, the girl did not wait for the arrival of "these days", this is a serious reason to consult a doctor and undergo an examination.

In the first year after the start of menstruation, the cycle may not be regular, and the amount of discharge may be scarce. The duration of discharge during this period does not exceed 2-3 days. With age and under the influence of many factors, the cycle is gradually established, its duration varies from 21 to 35 days. For some women, especially those who have recently become a mother and stopped breastfeeding, the cycle becomes much longer (from 35 to 40) or, conversely, shorter (less than 24 days).

In girls with an established cycle, normal periods are usually characterized by the following signs:

complete absence of pain in the lower abdomen or slight pain on the first day;
menstruation lasts from 3 to 6 days;
the volume of blood released in one day is from 50 to 150 ml.

In the period from 40 to 50 years, many women begin menopause. Postpone his arrival late childbirth and breastfeeding. Accelerate lack of sexual life and health problems. Pre-menopause changes in the body cause meager periods in terms of the amount of discharge, which eventually completely disappear.

Symptoms of scanty periods

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In medicine, scanty menstruation is called hypomenorrhea and is divided into two types:
primary;
secondary.

The first type, which causes meager periods, includes the aforementioned formation of the cycle in young girls. Secondary hypomenorrhea is observed in sexually mature women, whose cycle used to "work like clockwork" - without pain and was moderately heavy.

The main symptoms that a woman has secondary scanty hypomenorrhea are:
brown "daub" throughout the entire period;
menstruation without blood, when instead of it there are too light weak discharges;
disorders in the work of the gastrointestinal tract;
decreased sexual activity due to psychological obstacles;
intense pain in the abdomen, lower back, sacrum;
disorders of the emotional state, manifested in depression and constant irritation;
spasms in the uterus;
nausea.

Particular attention to the fact that menstruation came on time, but there are few of them, should be given to girls preparing for motherhood. It is known that the main causes of spotting in early pregnancy include:
Implantation. After the sperm has joined the egg, it "looks" for a place to attach itself. When implantation occurs, the villi of the chorion lining the uterine cavity are slightly damaged, which is accompanied by a slight bleeding. It is this that often causes meager discharge, which many girls mistake for menstruation.
Miscarriage. Spontaneous abortion or detachment of the fetal egg in the early stages and the placenta in the later period is always accompanied by spotting and pain in the lower abdomen. If the stomach hurts and there are copious discharges without blood in the later stages, this is also a reason to see a doctor as soon as possible.

Why menstruation goes badly: causes of weak and meager discharge
The reasons that menstruation began to go badly and little go can be both physiological and pathological. In any of the cases, to find out the factor that provokes meager and short periods, you need to contact a competent gynecologist.
You can visit a local obstetrician-gynecologist or go to an appointment with a specialist in a private paid clinic.
Natural (physiological) causes

Physiological and non-health reasons that cause periods to become scanty or stop altogether include:
Completed breastfeeding. The postpartum period is often characterized by long intermenstrual periods and changes in the volume and nature of the blood released during this time. The reason for this is the hormonal background, the restoration of which can take quite a long period. The first bleeding is observed in a woman who has given birth and is not breastfeeding immediately after the end of lochia. In a fully breastfeeding mother, a cycle may appear only after lactation is completed. In mothers whose children are mixed-fed, menstruation begins 3-4 months after birth. The duration of the nursing cycle can vary from 26 to 40 days, and this is not considered a pathology.
Pregnancy. Science knows cases, and there are not so few of them, when a woman carrying a child does not stop menstruating until the very birth. However, this is not the usual bleeding, requiring the replacement of 3-4 pads per day. A small amount of spotting appears on those days that, before pregnancy, should have been marked in the "women's calendar" as the first days of the cycle. This phenomenon is explained by failures in the production of certain hormones, which often do not require medical correction. Despite this, every woman in position, even with the smallest amount of discharge unusual for her condition, needs to see a doctor to find out the reason for their appearance.
Taking hormonal contraceptives. Birth control pills, which every 4 women take today, also affect the menstrual cycle. The impact of oral contraceptives on the female body can only be noted on the positive side. From correctly selected pills, women not only do not gain, but also lose extra pounds. They restore an irregular cycle, reduce the number of painful sensations and manifestations of PMS, and reduce the amount of blood released.
Slimming. Very often, the female body can respond to rapid weight loss by reducing the duration of menstruation or by the fact that they completely disappear for a while. The same phenomenon can be observed in critical obesity.
Emotional loads. Girls prone to frequent mood swings and depression notice that during periods of strong emotional upheaval, menstruation does not last long. Overwork and psychological stress depress ovarian function, as a result of which menstruation can be scanty and short (less than 3 days).

Pathological causes

The causes of scanty and intermittent periods (secondary hypomenorrhea) are very diverse. As a rule, they become:
Sexual infections. Sexually and domestically transmitted diseases are manifested in itching, burning and redness of the external genital organs. They are most often diagnosed in young and sexually active young women. In addition, girls observe an increase in the volume of intermenstrual discharge and a deterioration in their condition. From sparse, odorless whites, they turn into green mucus or foam with an unpleasant odor and purulent impurities. Menses during such illnesses either disappear or go very weakly. Chlamydia, ureaplasmosis, syphilis, genital tuberculosis can provoke a decrease in blood volume during menstruation. Also, cystitis in the chronic stage can disrupt the integrity of the mucous membranes of the internal genital organs.
Surgical interventions. Any intervention in the uterine cavity with a violation of the integrity of the endometrium leads to shifts in the monthly cycle. Diagnostic curettage, medical, vacuum or instrumental abortion lead to subsequent delays and various disorders in several subsequent menstruations.
Diseases of the ovaries. Various pathologies of the ovaries, which include polycystic and andexitis, provoke the release of a small amount of blood on the days of menstruation.
Immune problems. A decrease in the duration of menstruation can be observed in women with a low level of immunity and a lack of vitamins. So, hypomenorrhea is very common in patients of endocrinologists suffering from iron and hemoglobin deficiency.
Wrong development. Anomalies in the structure and development of the internal and external genital organs also affect how menstruation passes.
Neoplasms. The presence in the uterine cavity and on the ovaries of benign and malignant tumors causes disruptions in the menstrual cycle.

Diagnostic methods

Diagnosis of hypomenorrhea without fail includes:
Gynecological examination. The patient undergoes an external and internal examination, answers the doctor's questions necessary for collecting an anamnesis.
Examination to identify predisposition to oncology. Diagnosis of cervical cancer includes a Schiller test, a cytological smear and a colposcopy.
Smear on flora. Determines if pathogenic organisms are present in the vaginal microflora.
Diagnosis of STDs. PCR diagnostics includes taking swabs, scrapings and blood from the patient to detect sexually transmitted infections.
Analysis of urine and blood. Detailed blood and urine tests help determine the presence of foci of inflammation. Blood biochemistry shows the content of sex hormones necessary for the normal functioning of female organs.
ultrasound. An ultrasound examination of the uterus and ovaries shows how the organs visually look and whether neoplasms are present.
Consultations of other doctors. Sometimes a gynecologist can refer a patient to another highly specialized specialist - an endocrinologist, a phthisiatrician, a surgeon or an oncologist.

Is treatment required?
Therapy for scanty menstrual flow will depend on the causes of the pathology. In cases of pregnancy, lactation, menopause, or youth of the patient seeking help, treatment is not required.
If poor discharge and cycle failures are caused by disturbances in the psycho-emotional state, a woman is prescribed a course of sedatives and sedatives. Disturbances in the thyroid gland are eliminated by hormonal therapy. Viral and infectious diseases are treated with antibiotics, antiviral and anti-inflammatory drugs. In cases of detection of malignant processes, a course of chemotherapy is prescribed.
To prevent problems with the menstrual cycle, a woman needs to lead an active lifestyle, play sports. High-quality and balanced nutrition, adherence to the drinking regimen and daily routine will help you stay healthy as long as possible.