Can Irregular periods affect pregnancy?

Several factors can cause your menstrual cycle to get all haywire. Common amongst them are:

1. Puberty
   The body goes through significant changes during puberty. The hormones that control periods can take several years to settle into a consistent pattern, hence it is common to get irregular periods around this time. It becomes hard to predict ovulation and that is why an irregular menstrual cycle can affect pregnancy.
2. Perimenopause
   The term "perimenopause", translates to "around menopause". It describes the period when your body naturally enters menopause, signalling the end of your reproductive years. Hormone levels start to decline during this time, due to which periods may become increasingly infrequent until they eventually stop occurring altogether. Thus, women undergoing perimenopause can experience irregular periods which can affect pregnancy.
3. Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
   PCOS is a condition of hormonal imbalance that occurs when there’s excessive production of androgens, also known as “male hormones,” in the body. Due to this, women may experience acne and excessive hair growth. Women with PCOS can also develop cysts in their ovaries, leading to irregular menstrual cycles which can affect pregnancy. This irregularity can pose difficulties for women trying to conceive.
4. Thyroid Disorder
   The thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped organ present in your neck. It produces hormones that have numerous functions in the body, the most relevant here being ovulation and menstruation. Women with thyroid disorders such as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism may experience menstrual irregularities. Hypothyroidism refers to a decrease in the production of thyroid hormones, whereas hyperthyroidism refers to its increase.
5. Weight
   Weight plays a vital role in the homeostasis of the body’s natural hormones. Being overweight or underweight can result in the disruption of this homeostasis, thus leading to menstrual irregularities. According to research, women with a body mass index of 20 or higher or less than 20 were at least 1.1 times more likely to have irregular periods than women with a BMI of 20 to 25. 
6. Stress
   Stress is another factor that contributes to menstrual irregularities. When stressed, your body produces cortisol, a hormone that wreaks havoc on the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis.
   Hypothalamus is an area in your brain that regulates your menstrual cycle. It responds to outside influences, including stress, sleep deprivation, and exercise. When your hypothalamus is functioning correctly, it releases chemicals that stimulate your pituitary gland (a gland located in your brain), which in turn, stimulates your ovary to release the hormones– oestrogen and progesterone that govern your menstrual cycle. Hence, stress can cause irregular periods that can further affect pregnancy.

Having irregular periods can be pretty frustrating, but it gets even worse when trying to conceive!
Will irregular periods affect pregnancy? Keep reading to find out!
It’s possible for women to get pregnant with an irregular menstrual cycle, but it can be challenging. A menstrual cycle starts from bleeding that happens on day one and ends when the bleeding of the next cycle starts. Ovulation– the release of the eggs usually occurs on the 14th day of the normal menstrual cycle (28 days).
Couples who wish to get pregnant can try having sexual intercourse while the woman is ovulating. This period, when the woman is ovulating, is known as the fertile window. The fertile window for most people consists of:

1. Five days before ovulation
2. Ovulation day
3. The day after ovulation. 

But if the menstrual cycle is unpredictable, it becomes hard to determine when the woman is ovulating. That is why having an irregular menstrual cycle can affect pregnancy. 
An irregular menstrual cycle could also indicate irregular ovulation. It’s possible to get periods without ovulation. Usually, this occurs when the uterine lining gets so thick that it becomes unstable and naturally sheds off. The uterine lining thickens due to the unopposed action of estrogen, a hormone responsible for ovulation and thickening of the lining of the uterus (endometrium) to prepare it for pregnancy. 
Ovulation can also occur with no subsequent period-like bleeding. A history of uterine scarring or specific hormonal medications can cause this. 
Since irregular menstruation can affect pregnancy, there are some things you can do to increase the chances of conceiving!

Since irregular periods affect pregnancy, determining your ovulation day should be the key to getting pregnant. And you can do so by tracking ovulation. Look for a:

1. Change in Cervical Mucus
   A clear, stretchy discharge that resembles egg white when you wipe after using the restroom or on your underwear indicates that ovulation is about to happen. Cervical mucus decreases and gets thicker, cloudy, and less noticeable after ovulation. 
2. Spike in Basal Body Temperature
   Every morning, take your body temperature with a thermometer and note when it rises. You may have ovulated if you observe a little increase, typically half- to full-degree. 

This technique does not accurately estimate your viable window; it merely indicates that ovulation has previously occurred. But in subsequent cycles, knowing when your body typically ovulates might be helpful.
You can also take the help of ovulation predictor kits. This kit tests for an increase in luteinising hormone, a sign that ovulation is about to occur. A prolonged rise in morning body temperature following a positive ovulation test indicates that a person has most likely ovulated. 
These tests check for the spike in hormones that occurs just before ovulation in your urine. Ovulation occurs around 36 hours after the positive result.

It is okay to have a slightly irregular menstrual cycle, but you should consult a doctor if:

1. It's been three or more months since your last period
2. You have had two periods each month for two to three months
3. You have painful bleeding
4. You experience menstrual bleeding for longer than a week
5. You soak through a pad or tampon every hour or two through your period
6. If you are less than 35 and have tried unsuccessfully to get pregnant for a year
7. If you are 35 or older than 35 and have tried unsuccessfully for six months or longer

Many women experience an irregular menstrual cycle, which affects pregnancy directly or indirectly, depending upon the cause of menstrual irregularity. Consult with a doctor to find out the reason behind your irregular menstrual cycle. Your doctor will help treat the cause so you can get pregnant and have a healthy baby.
We at HexaHealth, have an excellent team of doctors to help you find a treatment for your irregular periods.