The average woman will have 480 periods during her lifetime, but the menstrual cycle doesn’t always go like clockwork. While some changes are nothing to worry about, according to consultant gynaecologist Dr Jo Bailey there are a few things to keep an eye out for
Most women don’t give much thought to their period. However annoying, years of experience means we normally know when to expect it and how much it’s going to impact our day-to-day activities.
But according to the experts, there are some things you need to keep an eye out for as they could be a sign that things aren’t quite right down there.
And one of the biggest things to check is if you’ve missed a period.
Most people just think of pregnancy or menopause when it comes to missing our monthly visitor, but there are many factors that can cause your periods to stop.
Breastfeeding, stress, over exercising, rapid weight changes and hormonal contraception are among the other things that could be causing the problems.
PCOS may also be to blame, but tends to come with other symptoms such as rapid weight gain, acne prone skin and an increase in body hair.
See your doctor if you’ve skipped your period for three months.
Consultant gynaecologist Dr Jo Bailey, who works with VJJ Health tells The Mirror: “There are long-term health implications of PCOS, including diabetes, heart disease and cancer of the womb lining.”
According to Dr Bailey, another symptom you should also get checked is an unusual smell down there.
A slight odour is normal but fishy-smelling period blood may indicate bacterial vaginosis (BV). Itching, burning or a change in your vaginal discharge may also occur.
“BV happens due to an imbalance in the bacteria normally present in the vagina,” says Dr Bailey. GPs can test for BV and prescribe antibiotics.
If it is recurrent, a vagina-specific probiotic such as VJJ Perfect V (£26, vjjhealth.com) could help.
