There are several common problems that women may have with menstruation. Some of the more common problems include:

• Amenorrhea: Refers to the lack of a menstrual period in someone who should have one. If you are 15 years old and you haven’t gotten your period yet, or if you have gotten your period but have not had a period in 90 days, you have amenorrhea. There are several possible reasons that you may not be getting your period including pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause, being too thin, severe stress or hormonal problems such as those caused PCOS. If you are experiencing amenorrhea and you don’t know why, see your doctor right away to find out why. 


• Dysmenorrhea: Refers to painful periods that are accompanied by severe cramps. This pain may be caused by strong uterine contractions or by a serious health issue such as uterine fibroids, endometriosis, or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Painful cramps are common in young women but even so, you should visit your doctor if you have severe pain with your period that interferes with your normal life.


• Abnormal bleeding: Refers to any vaginal bleeding that is not like your normal menstrual bleeding. This can include unusually heavy bleeding, bleeding that lasts an unusually long time, bleeding that occurs in between your normal periods, or bleeding that looks significantly different than your usual menstrual blood. Such bleeding can be caused by several things, some of which are quite serious. See your doctor if you experience unexplained bleeding.


• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS): Is a collection of symptoms that can occur prior to the onset of menstruation. Symptoms may be both physical (headache, fatigue, water retention, bloating) and mental (anxiety, depression, mood swings, social withdrawal, trouble concentrating). In some women, the emotional symptoms can become so severe that they are disabling every month. This form of PMS is called premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). If you have severe emotional symptoms leading up to your period, see your doctor to be evaluated for PMDD. There are treatments available that can help the symptoms.