Questions patients askMenstrual irregularities — frequently asked questions
What actually counts as an irregular period?
FIGO's normal ranges are the yardstick: a cycle that comes every 24 to 38 days, bleeding that lasts eight days or less, and a shortest-to-longest variation across the year of roughly a week. Outside those, the cycle is irregular by definition. Volume is judged differently — there is no measuring cup. If the bleeding is heavy enough to interfere with your life, it counts as heavy, whatever anyone else's periods are like.
My periods have always been heavy. Is that just how I am?
That is the sentence Dr. Kunda hears most often, and it is the reason women present ten years late. Having always had heavy periods tells you the problem is long-standing. It does not tell you the problem is normal, and it does not rule out a cause that can be treated — a bleeding disorder, a thyroid problem, fibroids, adenomyosis or a polyp. A lifelong pattern is a history, not a diagnosis.
Do I need a scan for irregular periods?
Usually yes, and it is a pelvic ultrasound, not anything invasive. The scan answers a specific question: is there a structural cause — a fibroid, a polyp, adenomyosis, an ovarian finding — or is the uterus normal and the problem hormonal? Those two answers lead to completely different treatments, which is why guessing without the scan wastes months. Dr. Kunda performs the scan herself during the consultation rather than sending you elsewhere and reading someone else's report.
What blood tests will I need?
It depends on the pattern, which is the point of taking a history first. A common set is a full blood count with ferritin to check for iron deficiency, thyroid function, and prolactin. Where cycles are infrequent or absent, hormones that assess ovulation are added. Where bleeding has been heavy since the very first period, screening for an inherited bleeding disorder is appropriate and is routinely missed. Not every woman needs every test.
Could heavy periods be why I am always tired?
Very often, yes, and it is under-recognised. NFHS-5 found 57% of Indian women aged 15 to 49 are anaemic. Heavy menstrual bleeding is one of the most common and most reversible causes, and iron tablets alone will not fix it if the bleeding continues. Treating the bleeding and the iron deficiency together is what actually works.
Is PCOS the same thing as irregular periods?
No. PCOS is one cause of irregular or infrequent periods, not a synonym for them. Thyroid disease, high prolactin, significant weight change, stress, perimenopause and primary ovarian insufficiency all produce irregular cycles too, and each needs a different treatment. PCOS is diagnosed on defined criteria after other causes are excluded, not on a scan finding alone. We keep a separate page for it because it is a lifelong metabolic condition rather than a period problem.
Will I be put on the pill and sent away?
Not without a reason. Combined hormonal contraception is an effective treatment for several of these problems and there is nothing wrong with it — but it should follow a diagnosis, not replace one. Where a fibroid or a polyp is causing the bleeding, hormones will not remove it. Where the cause is ovulatory, the hormonal approach is the right answer. The order matters.
I want to get pregnant. Does treating my periods interfere with that?
It changes which treatments are on the table, so tell Dr. Kunda at the first visit rather than at the end. Irregular cycles often mean irregular ovulation, which is directly relevant to conceiving, so investigating the cycle and planning a pregnancy are the same conversation rather than two separate ones. Some treatments are contraceptive by design and are set aside if you are trying to conceive.
My periods have stopped completely and I am not pregnant. Is that urgent?
It is not an emergency, but it should not be left for a year either. Periods stopping for three months or more when you are not pregnant, not breastfeeding and not past menopause needs a cause found. Some causes are simple and reversible; some, like primary ovarian insufficiency, matter a great deal for bone health and fertility and are far better identified early rather than late.
Will I be seen by a female doctor?
Yes. Dr. Kunda Shahane is a woman gynaecologist. She takes the history, performs the examination and the ultrasound herself, and explains the findings to you in the same appointment. Nothing about this consultation is delegated to a male clinician.
What will it cost?
The cost depends on what the consultation includes — whether a scan is done on the day, and which blood tests are indicated. Message +91 8087471244 with a one-line description of your symptoms and we will send current pricing before you travel.
How soon can I be seen?
The clinic runs Monday to Saturday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and is closed on Sunday. Call +91 712 6692706 or message +91 8087471244. If you are soaking through protection hourly, passing large clots, or feeling faint, do not wait for an appointment — go to a hospital the same day.
