Your period’s length might vary depending on a wide range of variables. But it’s reasonable to be concerned if your period suddenly gets substantially shorter.
While there are many other potential explanations, such as lifestyle choices, birth control, or a medical issue, it may be an early symptom of pregnancy.
Continue reading to find out more about the reasons why your period can only last one or two days.
When do we say the menstrual cycle is normal?
A usual menstrual cycle lasts for around 28 days; however, this can vary greatly. While some women get periods every 21 days, others wait 35 days between them.
Every woman is unique when it comes to her menstruation. The average woman’s monthly menstruation lasts three to five days. However, a time frame of two days or seven days is likewise seen as usual.
There are several reasons why your period, which usually lasts a few days, suddenly gets significantly shorter.
Related; 6 Proven ways to track your ovulation
Birth control pills
Most birth control tablets combine the hormones progestin and estrogen (some contain progestin alone). The drugs stop the ovaries from producing eggs, which prevents conception.
Menstruation may change if you start or stop taking birth control. After stopping birth control tablets, some women experience irregular or skipped periods for up to six months. Progestin-only birth control pill users may have bleeding in between cycles.
The uterine lining may become thinner as a result of birth control tablets’ hormones. Your menstruation can become lighter and shorter as a result. Women who use progestin-only tablets may bleed between periods, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Synthetic progesterone, which is present in significant amounts in combined hormonal contraceptives, limits the growth of uterine lining tissue. As a result, when you stop using it, there will be less menstrual flow.
According to Dr. Minkin, progestin-only IUDs “enable a very little development,” and many women who have one inserted experience a lighter flow or even no period.
You’re Taking a Specific Medication
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), antidepressants, thyroid hormones, and steroids, among others, can reduce the length of bleeding time. The same is true for women who have stopped taking certain drugs, such as blood thinners. Although this is not a comprehensive list, further examples of medications that might alter menstrual cycles include
herbs, such as ginseng.
Each of these drugs affects your flow differently. According to Jennifer Wider, MD, a women’s health specialist, “the idea with NSAIDs is that the NSAID decreases the number of inflammatory compounds called prostaglandins, which in turn might reduce the amount of bleeding since prostaglandins alter the blood vessels in the inner lining of the uterus.”
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
When you have PCOS, your body makes more male hormones than usual. This kind of hormonal imbalance can prevent ovulation.
You could experience a significantly lighter, shorter period as a result, or none at all. Additional signs of PCOS can include:
- overgrown facial hair
- tiredness
- deeper voice changes
- in mood
- infertility
Related; Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may lead to infertility in women
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
Bacteria that enter the vagina and spread to the uterus and upper genital tract are the cause of PID infections. The most common way that this virus is spread is through sexual interaction.
Period irregularity may result from PID, although these periods are usually heavier, longer, or more painful.
You Have A Thyroid Disorder
It may seem unusual, but your thyroid may influence your menstrual cycle. “The pituitary-hypothalamic axis of the brain regulates the thyroid gland, as do the hormones that govern ovulation and menstruation,” explains Dr. Dweck. “When one facet of the axis is affected, other aspects may be disturbed as well.”
You may be having implant bleeding
An embryo (i.e., a fertilized egg) implants itself into the uterine lining during the early stages of pregnancy. When it occurs, there may be some minor bleeding.
It’s also conceivable that you could believe you’re having a period when you’re not if the timing coincides with your cycle.
Dr. Minkin states that “Implantation can be connected with some little bleeding, and to some women, they could assume it’s a very light menstruation.”
For some women, it might be challenging to distinguish between implantation bleeding and a short period since implantation can take place six to 12 days after conception, which is often when a woman would anticipate her period, according to Dr. Wider. “The symptoms may resemble one another.
A pregnancy test can help you determine if you are or are not pregnant if you have any doubts about what’s happening inside.
Stress
Stress may disrupt nearly every aspect of your life, so it’s not surprising that it can affect your cycle as well. High levels of stress can cause an increase in the production of [stress hormone] cortisol, which can affect the way our bodies work properly.
When you’re not stressed, hormones produced by your brain’s hypothalamus stimulate your pituitary gland to tell your ovaries to release estrogen and progesterone. According to Dr. Wider, the menstrual cycle might become irregular when there is an increase in cortisol due to stress.
Less estrogen reduces stimulation of the uterine lining and uterine bleeding.
Summary
There are several other potential reasons for bleeding, even if it lasts only a day or two.
Make an appointment to visit your doctor if you’re worried about your shorter-than-typical menstruation. They can assist you in identifying the change’s cause and, if necessary, help you begin therapy.
