Menstrual disorders

Women in Hong Kong usually have menarche (first menstrual cycle) at age 12-13 and menopause (absence of menstruation) at around 48-52.

Although every woman’s menstrual cycle is different, a certain level of regularity should be maintained.
Normal menstrual cycle is 28-30 days and each period lasts for about 4-7 days.

“Menstrual disorders” refer to abnormalities in length of menstrual cycle or amount of menstrual bleeding, including :

•  Periods last for less than 3 days or more than 7 days
•  Number of days between menstrual cycles is unstable
•  Heavy menstrual bleeding, such as using more than 5 sanitary napkins a day, with large blood clots, or even experiencing flooding sensation
•  Irregular bleeding between periods

Menstrual disorders are mostly due to hormonal abnormalities, diseases and psychological factors. For examples: stress, examinations and job changes etc.

Disease factors include:

•  Uterine fibroids
•  Adenomyosis
•  Uterine or cervical polyps
•  Endometrial hyperplasia
•  Endometrial cancer
•  Cervical cancer
•  Thyroid disease or clotting problem etc.

Women who experience menstrual disorders or severe pain during menstruation should seek medical attention as soon as possible to prevent the condition from worsening. For proper treatment, please contact the gynaecologists as soon as possible.