Reasons for Light Periods

There are various forms of menstrual irregularities that women face from time to time. Light menstrual periods is one of them. The medical term used for light periods is oligomenorrhea. In this condition, women experience lighter flow than her usual periods. Most of the time, even the duration of menstrual period is less. Sometimes, it may lead to missed periods or unpredictable periods. It can happen to women of all age groups but young girls in the adolescent age are more prone to this condition. One of the obvious reasons for light periods is hormonal changes that can be triggered by various factors.

Causes

Both internal as well as external factors can trigger light periods in women. Some of the most commonly found reasons are explained here:

Hormonal Imbalance
One of the most prevalent causes of a light period is hormonal imbalance where the woman's body start producing excess amounts of the male hormone testosterone and less amount of the female hormones estrogen. Lack of sufficient estrogen tends to thin up the lining of the uterus which results in lighter menstrual flow.

Menopause
During menopause, the ovaries do not produce enough reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone and create a hormonal imbalance. As a result, menstrual flow decreases over a period of time before it comes to a complete halt. During this phase, menopausal women experience lighter period than usual and it is absolutely normal.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)
In this condition, small cysts are formed inside the ovaries and this causes various menstrual abnormalities. In some months a woman may get heavy bleeding during period and in others it will be a lighter flow. They may even miss periods in some months. Such irregularities of period are accompanied by pelvic pain and nausea.

Birth Control Pills
If you are getting lighter periods after starting a new birth control pill, then it could be that pill responsible for that condition. The hormone present in these pills tends to bring about some changes in your body. As a result, the duration of the menstrual cycle and the blood flow during periods may decrease within the first few months.

Pregnancy
Yes, the possibility of pregnancy cannot be ruled out. When you get a light period all of a sudden and there are some early pregnancy symptoms like morning sickness, take a pregnancy test as soon as possible. Even though it is rare but there are some women who get light menstrual spotting in their first month of pregnancy.

Stress
Mental stress often has an adverse effect on the menstruation. If you are under a lot of stress, just before the onset of your monthly period, it is likely that you get a light period. This is because your body assumes it is an emergency and diverts the blood flow to the brain, lungs and other vital organs of the body to ensure normal body functioning. Once the stress levels go down, normal flow of period is restored.

Excessive Physical Exertion
Women athletes are prone to lighter periods because of their rigorous physical training sessions. When their physical activities are less intense, the menstrual flow usually returns to normal. Non athlete women may get lighter period after too much of exercising or traveling.

Other Reasons
Young girls and women who eat less to maintain a low body weight often get light periods. This happens because the lack of nutrition and low body weight affect production of hormones in the body. Those women who are suffering from chronic health problems such as diabetes or osteoporosis can have this kind of problem. It can be triggered by thyroid problems or as a side effect of certain medicines.

Diagnosis and Treatment

If you get it once in a while, then you may not require any treatment. However, other cases, require thorough investigation by your gynecologist. They conduct physical examination, blood test and Pap test to ascertain the cause. They may also conduct a pregnancy test, if required. Your lifestyle and medical history is also taken into account. The treatment then depends on the reasons for light periods. Change in diet and lifestyle is recommended in most cases. Stress reduction is also important to keep the menstrual flow normal. When strenuous physical activities causes this problem, the doctor may suggest you to cut down on your training sessions. Ovarian cysts are often treated with birth control pills and other medicines containing synthetic hormones. Women who have high levels of testosterone may have to undergo androgen therapy.

If you suspect that something is wrong, there's no need to press the panic button unnecessarily. Visit a gynecologist for check up. Conditions that lead to light periods are treatable and are not always an indication of some major gynecological problem. However, to avoid any further complications, it is best to seek medical help as soon as you sense something is wrong.