How Your Menstrual Cycle Changes as You Age
It’s no secret that as you age, your body goes through changes and that, the older you get, the more your fertility decrease as well. But going decade by decade, there are some other changes you can expect to experience when it comes to your cycle. Keep in mind that if you are on some form of birth control, these changes may be more regulated or affect you in different ways.
Teens
When you are first getting your period, you can expect it to be off to a bit of an uneven start when it comes to regularity, length, heaviness of flow, etc. Your first few periods may be super spotty and may fluctuate in occurrence while your body is figuring out its own rhythm with these new changes. And since you may be unsure of spotting - or even when your cycle is going to begin – for a while, you may find Ruby Love's leak-proof underwear helpful around this time, as you can wear them ‘just in case’ and not feel any added and unnecessary bulk.
Late Teens to Early 30s
This is prime menstrual cycle time. During this time period, your cycle should be occurring regularly, your flow (both duration and heaviness) should be pretty evened out and, aside from the occasional spotting and slight fluctuations in intensity, your cycle should be pretty predictable.
You may even have been on some form of birth control for some time, now. If you are considering becoming pregnant, bear in mind that depending on the type and strength of your birth control – as well as the length of time you have been using it – it may take a bit of time for it to be fully out of your system.
Barring any outside health problems, you may experience mild cramps during this time in your life but nothing too wild or out of the ordinary.
Mid to Late 30s
AS you approach the end of your 30s, some irregularities in your menstrual cycle may begin to pop up. There is the possibility to start developing polyps, experience a lack of ovulation or skip periods occasionally and the chance of endometriosis is greater than it was in your 20s and early 30s. Regular menstrual cramps are, unfortunately, just as common as they were in your 20s, too.
Your fertility actually begins its first decline in your late 20s but really kicks into gear more the closer you get to approaching the end of your 30s.
Late 30s to 40s
At this stage, hormonal changes can really start to affect your cycle. Expect more irregularity, as many women actually experience cycle changes as far out as ten years ahead of menopause. Your normal during this time will most likely change: bleeding could become more or less intense, cycle length cold increase or decrease – basically, your body is developing a ‘new normal’ and you may have to relearn your cycle’s patterns.
It’s important to know that even with irregular cycles, you can still get pregnant at this stage.
40s to 50s
The actual timing of menopause varies from woman to woman, but generally, it occurs in the latter end of your 40s to your 50s. As you lead up to it, expect skipped cycles, variation in flow, etc. Do be aware of irregular cycles that come with hair loss, dry skin and metabolism slowing, as that could signify a thyroid issue.
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