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Reasons for Having a Period Every Two Weeks

 
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Menstrual Cycle related image Andres Rodriguez/PhotoSpin

The menstrual cycle occurs in all females from the onset to puberty (average age 11 or 12 years) to the menopause in middle age (average age between 45-55). The lining of the uterus is shed via vaginal bleeding when a girl or woman has not conceived a pregnancy.

The menstrual period lasts between two days and seven days, usually occurring once every 28 days, although anything from once every 24 days to once every 35 days is considered normal.

If you are having a period more than once every 24 days, it is considered an irregular cycle.

Having a period once every two weeks, or twice a month is abnormal and you should see your doctor because you may become anemic if you are having very frequent periods. They are sometimes a sign of infection or other medical problem that would need treatment.

Reasons for a period every two weeks could be:

• Dramatic weight loss or gain -- This changes the hormones in the body and these are responsible for directing when the period will start.

• Excessive exercise -- This too disrupts hormones.

• Stress -- Exams, family argument, financial worries, divorce, even a holiday can cause a temporary change in your menstrual cycle.

• Illness and/or medications -- Some medications can affect your cycle. Talk to your doctor about altering or stopping your medication if you think this is happening.

• Uterine problems such as polyps, cysts, fibroids or tumors (either benign or cancerous).

• Sexually transmitted infections -- These can cause bleeding in between periods which can be mistaken for a period.

• Thyroid problems -- Thyroid disease could cause a thickening of the uterine lining, resulting in more bleeding than normal.

• Reactions to contraceptive methods -- Sometimes the pill, depo provera injections or the copper-only IUD can result in a change in your cycle.

~ The pill and IUD can make you bleed in between periods, known as "breakthrough bleeding" and this may be mistaken for a period.

~ The IUD can also make your periods heavier.

~ The depo-provera injection can make your cycle irregular, however, it often stops your period altogether instead of making it more frequent.

~ Sometimes changing or stopping your method of contraception can cause a sudden drop in hormones and this can result in a change to your cycle.

• Onset of menopause -- In women aged 45 and over, having periods every two weeks can be a sign that you are about to go through menopause. It can be a sign of ovulation beginning to shut down. If you are under 45, having irregular periods in addition to other symptoms commonly associated with menopause, may signal premature ovarian failure.

Treatment

Sometimes treatment is not necessary, for instance, if the disruption in cycle is due to stress, weight loss or gain, or illness, it may be temporary and may correct itself in time.

However, to rule out other possibilities your doctor will perform a pelvic examination. Your doctor may also take a sample of the uterine lining as well as doing an ultrasound scan to see if there are any obstructions in the uterus, such as fibroids.

If any obstructions are found, you can be referred for surgery to have them removed. If any cancer is found, you will be referred to an oncologist who will plan your care with you.

Sexually transmitted infections can be treated with antibiotics (and the use of condoms to prevent further infections). Your partner may have to be treated as well.

If the problem is caused by a contraceptive device or medication, this can usually be changed to stop the problem.

Heavy and/or frequent periods can sometimes be controlled by certain brands of the pill. If you find they are really disrupting your life, for instance, you are bleeding through your clothes, have to miss work days and can’t plan your holidays, this may be an option depending on your medical history.

Hormone treatment could also be given in this scenario, if you have thyroid disease or if you are starting menopause.

Sources:

Periods, Heavy. NHS Choices. Web. 26 May 2012. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/periods-heavy/pages/introduction.aspx

Heavy Periods (Menorrhagia). WebMD. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
http://women.webmd.com/guide/heavy-period-causes-treatments

Top Ten Causes of Heavy Menstrual Bleeding. About.com Women's health. Retrieved May 27, 2012. http://womenshealth.about.com/od/abnormalbleeding/a/causemenorrhagi.htm

Irregular Periods Every Two Weeks, 34 Menopause Symptoms. Web. 26 May 2012.
http://www.34-menopause-symptoms.com/irregular-periods/articles/irregular-periods-every-two-weeks.htm

Premature Ovarian Failure, National Insititute for Child Health and Human Development. Web. 26 May 2012. http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/Premature_Ovarian_Failure.cfm

Joanna is a freelance health writer for The Mother magazine and Suite 101 with a column on infertility, http://infertility.suite101.com/ She is the mother of five children and practices natural childbirth, delayed cord clamping, full term breastfeeding and organic food diet.

Reviewed May 28, 2012
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith

Add a Comment221 Comments

EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Periods every two weeks are most commonly caused by imbalanced levels of estrogen and progesterone.

March 23, 2018 - 9:42am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Hey y’all I’m 23 I have a tumor on my pituitary gland very small . Very treatable . Non cancerous. My husband and I think we had a miscarriage in July ... and sense July I been having my period twice a month sometimes it hurts like crazy sometimes it doesn’t ...

November 21, 2017 - 8:07pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I started having period every two weeks and I thought it was something to do with the approach of the menopause so I ignored it for months. Then I got really ill and had to be rushed to ER and it turned out that I had some flesh-eating uterine infection that needed really powerful antibiotics to cure. Get to your doctor- it isn't normal.

November 2, 2017 - 3:58pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I'm 37 years old with pelvic inflammatory disease my doc said I'm peri menopausal my symptoms for the last year have been debilitating I've had 7 laparoscopy and my tubes removed when I was 21 due to very large cysts on my ovaries and inside my tubes I'm bleeding very heavy and every two weeks now like clockwork I'm in constant pain back pain I'm always swollen pressure pains on my colon I'm dizzy tired very worried my cysts have returned is this normal bleeding cycles for peri menopause?

September 13, 2017 - 3:21pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I've been taking the contraceptive pill for almost a year now, and just for the past two months, I've been getting my period once every two weeks. I thought it could just be the pill, but since it didn't happen the first few months of me taking the pill, i thought it could also be something else. Should I get this checked out by the doctor or could this be a normal thing?

September 10, 2017 - 7:26pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

Same thing happened to me on the pill. When I stopped taking the pill about 7 months ago, I stopped having that problem after about 2 months. And my cycle gradually has lengthened and stabilized.

September 20, 2017 - 8:19am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Hello,

I am 51 always had very mild and short cycles until the last six months, they become considerably heavier and lasted up to 10days. Passed lots of small clots and then would have one day where it so heavy that I literally could not leave the house because of the amount of blood loss was beyond what anything could absorb. Saw a gynecologist and she put me on the pill and the first cycle was great, like it used to be, light and short however it has shown up again two weeks later! I had a small cycling accident which resulted in a staph infection and therefore had to go on antibiotics and codeine for the pain, also given an ibuprofen pm to help me sleep since I had to have stitches in my knees and hands and it was very difficult to comfortable enough to sleep. Could these medications have messed up my cycle? Should I continue taking my pill if I am on my cycle but am only half way through the pills given to me?

August 20, 2017 - 9:14am
Guide (reply to Anonymous)

Hello Anonymous,

Best for you to call and discuss this with your gynecologist who prescribed the pills.

Regards,
Maryann

August 21, 2017 - 9:15am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Hi,
I am trying to get pregnant from 1st June 2017 but i am not getting. Tell me what could be the issue

August 17, 2017 - 12:12am
Guide (reply to Anonymous)

Hello Anonymous,

That is not a very long time. Usually, a couple would be considered to have an infertility issue if they cannot conceive for at least a year.

To improve your chances, have unprotected intercourse five days before and on the day of ovulation.

After that period of time, if become pregnant, scheduling an appointment with your gynecologist to rule out possible cause of infertility.

Regards,
Maryann

August 17, 2017 - 8:52am
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We value and respect our HERWriters' experiences, but everyone is different. Many of our writers are speaking from personal experience, and what's worked for them may not work for you. Their articles are not a substitute for medical advice, although we hope you can gain knowledge from their insight.

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