Endometriosis Part VII - Endometriosis and Irregular Menstruation

As we mentioned in previous articles, during the last stage of the menstrual cycle, normally a layer of endometriosis lining in the inside of the uterus is expelled, known as menstruation blood. Instead some of the endometriosis tissues grows somewhere in the body causing endometriosis. They also react to hormonal signals of the monthly menstrual cycle, building up tissue, breaking it, and eliminating it through the menstrual period. In this article, we will discuss the relationship of endometriosis and irregular menstruation

1. Variable amounts of bleeding either heavy or scanty

Variable amounts of bleeding either heavy or scanty is normal for menarche and perimenopause as the menstrual cycle is initiated and during a woman ‘s forties until menopause accordingly because of imbalance of estrogen and progesterone. In endometriosis, heavy and scanty bleeding are caused by over-production of certain hormones in the prostaglandin hormonal family that controls the aggregation or disaggregation of platelets.

2. Menstrual spotting

Menstrual spotting in the middle of the menstrual cycle may be caused by polyp growth in the uterus. Polyps within the uterus may prevent pregnancy or interfere with implantation of embryo as well as miscarriage. Polyps also cause heavy bleeding as a resulting of rupture of polyps in the uterus during menstruation. Luckily most polyps exit in uterus tend to be benign growth.

3. Prolong bleeding

Prolong bleeding may be caused by endometriosis cysts or fibroid located in the uterus wall as a result of imbalanced hormones of the prostaglandin family caused by excessive estrogen in the body if one type of prostaglandin hormone that helps to stop platelets from clumping together.

4. Long menstrual cycle

An irregular menstrual pattern of long menstrual cycles may be an indication of ovulation problems and can be a major factor in infertility caused by endometriosis ovulation problems resulting in ovulation delay or immature eggs in the follicular phase. Sometimes, the follicle develops but the egg is not expelled from the ovary, caused by low levels of progesterone.

5. Blood clots

Because of irregular menstruation causing imbalance hormone, blood clots usually happen during menstruation if one of the hormones of the prostaglandin family that helps to regulate blood clots is over-produced. In this case over-production of such hormones cause more platelets clumping together and fails to dilate blood vessels resulting in blood clots.