Reasons for an Early Menstrual Period
All fertile females experience the menstrual cycle of physiological change. The menstrual cycle is under the endocrine system’s control and is essential for reproduction. There are three phases of a normal menstrual cycle:
- Follicular or menstruation phase
- Ovulation or Proliferative phase
- Luteal or Secretory phase
The average menstrual cycle is usually twenty-eight days, but it may vary from woman to woman depending on the length of time that occurs in each phase. Females or girls experience their first menstrual cycle during the later stage of puberty or at the age of twelve or anywhere between eight and sixteen.
Signs of Fertility
Whether there is a delayed or early menstrual period, menstruation or menstrual bleeding is a sign that a woman is not pregnant and will be on her most fertile period five days before or one or two days after the ovulation phase.
What are the Causes of Early Periods
Early menstrual period reasons happen when hormonal signals are thrown out of sync. Your body produces hormones such as estrogen and progesterone. These hormones are found in the pituitary gland, the hypothalamus and the ovaries. They send signals to one another to trigger menstruation and ovulation. When the hormonal signals are deregulated, it can cause an early (or irregular) menstrual cycle.
Here are some reasons that cause the change in hormonal levels:
- Stress: Fatigue, too much worrying, and anxiousness can cause the hormonal imbalance.
- Diet: Extreme weight loss or weight gain, or basically a poor diet greatly affects the hormones.
- Exercise: Intense exercise can cause havoc on the body and thereby could be a reason for an early period.
Menstrual Complications
Early menstrual period by itself does not generally indicate any major complication. Most women would have regular menstrual cycle and periods later on. There are instances when some underlying complications are the reason for what causes early periods. If in the course of a menstrual period, you observe something different, which is consistent like excess flow or scanty flow of blood, severe cramping and headache, nausea or fainting, then you should seek medical attention right away.