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period change |
if you are |
what it may mean |
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skipped period |
any woman |
stress, rapid weight loss or gain, illness, drugs (certain tranquilizers) may have disrupted cycle |
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sexually active |
pregnancy |
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using the Pill |
Pill brand is too low in estrogen |
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former Pill user |
body hasn't yet adjusted to life off the pill; see doctor if periods don't resume in 3 months |
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using Norplant, Mini-Pill, or Depo-Provera |
common side effect of progestin-only methods of birth control — drug is probably suppressing ovulation as well as period, effect may be prolonged; most common among new users of Norplant and long-term users of Depo-Provera |
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lighter/shorter
period |
any woman |
missed ovulation (no egg released from ovary) |
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sexually active |
early pregnancy — some bleeding may occur on implantation; ectopic pregnancy — especially if accompanied by sharp pain on one side |
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using the Pill |
less endometrial build up, a common Pill side-effect |
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using Norplant, Mini-Pill, or Depo-Provera |
common side effect — drug is probably not suppressing ovulation if periods are regular |
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heavier/longer
period |
any woman |
fibroids (benign uterine growth) |
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sexually active |
possible miscarriage, esp. if period is late and with severe cramps and clots in blood |
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an IUD user |
device may have irritated the uterine wall — a common IUD side effect |
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using Norplant, Mini-Pill, or Depo-Provera |
longer periods are a common side effect; heavier periods are a less common side effect, but iron supplements or discontinuation may be necessary |
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new mother |
an enlarged uterus, resulting in the accumulation of more lining; a cervix widened by childbirth releases more menstrual fluid at once with less cramping |
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bleeding/spotting between periods |
any woman |
stress; an infection, cyst, or polyp of the cervix, vagina, or uterus |
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a new Pill user |
breakthrough bleeding, common in first few months of use, may indicate brand of Pill is not right for user |
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current Pill user |
missed a pill or taken one late |
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using Norplant, Mini-Pill or Depo-Provera |
a common side effect, especially during the first few months of using the Mini-Pill |
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an IUD user |
a local infection or inflammation caused by the device |
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pregnant |
normal hormone fluctuations in first trimester can cause spotting |
