Why did I get My Period Twice in One Month?

Have you experienced menstruation twice in one month? While it’s not the norm, it’s not uncommon either. This can be unsettling and leave you wondering what’s happening with your body.

 Let’s explore the potential reasons behind experiencing two periods in a month. The menstrual cycle prepares the body for a potential pregnancy and typically occurs once a month. This cycle involves changes in hormone levels that regulate the thickening of the uterine lining, ovulation, and, ultimately, menstruation if fertilization does not occur. However, there are instances when a woman might experience menstruation or bleeding that resembles menstruation two times in one month

While having a period twice a month is not necessarily harmful, it can also signal underlying health issues requiring medical attention, which can include fibroids. 

This blog explores the potential causes of two periods in one month and how to address them. 

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Normal Menstrual Cycle

Normal Menstrual Cycle

The menstrual cycle is a natural process lasting between 24 and 38 days and comprises of four phases, which are: 

  • Menstruation 
  • The follicular phase 
  • Ovulation
  • The luteal phase 

Each phase involves changes in the ovaries, uterus, and hormone levels to prepare the body for a potential pregnancy. Menstruation, which begins the cycle, involves shedding the uterine lining, which leads to the discharge of blood and mucosa.

What Causes a Woman to Menstruate Twice in One Month?

The normal menstrual cycle can be as short as 24 days,  but sometimes women experience two periods within the same calendar month just by chance. 

However, having two periods in a month can also result from health-related factors, including hormonal imbalance, stress, lifestyle, birth control, medication, age, and changes in menstrual cycles. When menstrual cycles are consistently shorter than 21 days, this condition is known as polymenorrhea.

What Causes a Woman to Menstruate Twice in One Month?

There can be a few reasons why women may experience two menstrual periods in one month. Identifying the cause through evaluation and screening can help your doctor determine the best way to help regulate your cycle.

Hormonal Imbalance

Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone regulate menstruation by controlling the thickening of the uterine lining, ovulation, and menstruation. Imbalances in these hormones can lead to having two periods in one month

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormonal disorder that affects regular ovulation because elevated androgens disrupt normal estrogen and progesterone production. Thyroid issues, like hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, can also cause menstrual irregularities by altering reproductive hormone balance, causing periods to become heavier and more frequent or lighter and less frequent.

Women experiencing irregular menstrual flow should talk to their doctor for a diagnosis and treatment to address underlying hormonal imbalances or the presence of fibroids.

Stress and Lifestyle Factors

Stress and lifestyle significantly impact the menstrual cycle, sometimes leading to two periods in one month. Stress causes the hypothalamus to change the body’s hormonal balance. This prompts the adrenal glands to produce more cortisol, interfering with the balance of reproductive hormones like estrogen and progesterone, causing irregular periods. 

Potential stress and lifestyle factors that can lead to frequent menstruation include:

  • Anxiety 
  • Depression 
  • Physical stress, such as eating disorders, excessive exercise, and sudden weight loss 
  • Changes in routine, like traveling across time zones 
  • Poor diet and excessive alcohol intake 
  • Smoking 
  • Poor sleep patterns 

A balanced lifestyle with adequate sleep, regular exercise, a healthy diet, and effective stress management is crucial for regular menstrual cycles. 

Birth Control and Medication

Hormonal birth control contains hormones that impact menstruation. The body may take months to adjust when beginning a new birth control method, often causing breakthrough bleeding or spotting. For instance, a hormonal IUD may cause irregular periods for the first two to six months, while an implant may cause changes within the first three months. These changes can continue as long as the IUD is in place. 

Other reasons for two periods in one month include: 

  • Missing/skipping daily birth control pills 
  • Emergency contraception 
  • Making mistakes with other forms of hormonal birth control 
  • Certain medications, including steroids, thyroid pills, and drugs for chronic conditions

Some forms of birth control may influence hormone levels, which can affect your body and lead to other risks like fibroids. Birth control methods, particularly those that influence estrogen levels, can contribute to the development of fibroids and impact the menstrual cycle.

Consult a healthcare provider when considering birth control changes or starting new medications to understand their potential impacts on your menstrual cycle. 

Age and Menstrual Cycle Changes

Age can also cause two periods in one month, specifically with changes such as puberty and perimenopause. During puberty, which begins between ages 8 and 15, hormonal fluctuations often lead to irregular menstrual cycles and may take almost three years to settle into a regular pattern. 

Perimenopause, the transitional phase to menopause, typically occurs between the late 30s and mid-40s. Decreasing levels of estrogen and progesterone cause irregular ovulation and menstrual cycles, like having a period every two weeks

If irregular cycles persist, consult a healthcare provider for guidance and possible interventions, such as hormonal contraceptives. 

Irregular periods are also signs of conditions such as fibroids, so if you are experiencing other fibroid symptoms, visit a fibroid specialist.

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Other Medical Conditions Causing Frequent Menstruation

Other Medical Conditions Causing Frequent Menstruation

Having a period twice in one month might be a sign of a medical condition like endometriosis or uterine fibroids.

Endometriosis

Endometriosis is when the uterine tissue lining grows outside the uterus, causing painful periods, heavy flow, and potential infertility. 

Symptoms include: 

  • Pain before and during periods 
  • Fatigue 
  • Painful urination and bowel movements during periods 
  • Painful intercourse

Endometriosis, often diagnosed in teenage years and young adulthood, involves displaced endometrial tissue that responds to hormonal changes, causing irregular bleeding.

Uterine Polyps

Another condition impacting menstruation is uterine polyps (endometrial polyps), abnormal uterine growths originating from the endometrial tissue. Polyps are composed of glands, blood vessels, and connective or support tissues. They are commonly found in the upper part of the uterus but can appear near the cervical opening. 

Uterine polyps mainly affect women ages 40-49 and can occur during reproductive or post-menopausal years. Fluctuating estrogen levels are believed to contribute to their formation, leading to irregular and frequent menstruation, including two menstrual periods in one month.

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID)

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease is an infection mainly caused by sexually transmitted bacteria spreading from the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, or ovaries. 

Symptoms of PID include: 

  • Lower abdominal pain 
  • Fever 
  • Unusual discharge with an unpleasant odor 
  • Painful intercourse 
  • Painful urination

PID can cause menstrual cycles to become shorter, leading to two periods in one month. PID symptoms may appear mild, but this condition can sometimes permanently damage the reproductive organs if left untreated.

Uterine Fibroids

Fibroids are non-cancerous growths that develop in or on the uterus. They are prevalent among women of reproductive age and can cause significant menstrual irregularities, such as having period-like bleeding every two weeks, by exerting pressure on the uterine lining.

This pressure disrupts the uterus’s ability to contract properly, preventing it from stopping the bleeding. This can lead to more frequent periods, longer and heavier periods, bleeding between periods, painful periods, and irregular vaginal bleeding. Additionally, fibroids can form more blood vessels, resulting in heavier periods and spotting between cycles.

Fibroid symptoms related to menstruation

Fibroid symptoms related to menstruation include: 

  • Heavy and prolonged menstrual bleeding 
  • Severe cramps 
  • Frequently changing tampons or pads 
  • Large blood clots 
  • Back pain 
  • Stomach swelling 
  • Anemia 

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Fibroids have similar symptoms to other health conditions, such as ovarian cysts, which is why a diagnosis is necessary before treatment. Fibroids require a blood supply to grow, so they are often connected to menstruation.

Treatment options include medication for symptom management or a procedure to remove the fibroids. This can be achieved through surgery, either myomectomy or hysterectomy, or through a non-surgical, minimally invasive procedure called uterine fibroid embolization (UFE). 

How UFE Minimizes Your Fibroid Symptoms

Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE)

Experiencing menstruation two times a month is stressful, and if fibroids are the cause, uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) can help. UFE is a minimally invasive procedure that cuts off the blood supply to fibroids, causing them to shrink and die. UFE is recognized as safe and effective by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.  

At USA Fibroid Centers, we offer uterine fibroid embolization so that you can proactively address your reproductive health and return to comfort. Schedule an appointment online or by calling 855.615.2555. 

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FAQs 

How many days are there between menstruation?

The average number of days between menstruation is typically around 28 days but can range between 24 and 38 days. Periods occurring irregularly at shorter or longer intervals could indicate a health issue.

Can you ovulate twice in a month?

Since it is possible to menstruate twice a month, it makes sense to wonder if it’s possible to ovulate twice a month. You can’t ovulate twice during one menstrual cycle, but it is possible to ovulate in the same calendar month if you have a shorter cycle. This scenario means you ovulated “twice” in the same calendar month but did not ovulate twice in one cycle. 

Can stress cause two periods in one month?

Stress can cause two periods in a month by shortening your menstrual cycle. Stress can lower estrogen levels, leading to irregular menstrual cycles. This decrease in estrogen can shorten or lengthen your cycles, causing you to have more frequent or skipped periods. 

Is getting a period twice in one month a sign of pregnancy?

It is not typically a sign of pregnancy. Still, in the early stages, some women experience irregular bleeding, possibly from implantation bleeding, which could look similar to a period. This type of bleeding occurs when the embryo attaches to the uterine lining. If you’re sexually active and seem to have two periods in one month, you can take a pregnancy test to check if implantation bleeding is the cause. 

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