Irregular periods can be super inconvenient and sometimes pretty frustrating. Pinpointing the main cause for irregular periods can also be challenge, since there can be many different causes. For starters, a women’s cycle begins with ovulation (release of an egg), which typically occurs once per month and then later triggers a period. It’s super common for young women to have irregular periods for the first one to two years after their first period but this should regulate over time. Irregular periods can be caused by a number of different things such as sports participation, changes in weight, stress, or hormone imbalances. If you are concerned about your weight and it’s been more than two years since beginning your period, start by scheduling an appointment with your health care provider (HCP). They can help you assess your weight and any other factors that may be causing you to experience irregular periods. Once your HCP finds the cause, they can offer suggestions on how to help regulate your periods!
Our health guides are developed through a systematic, rigorous process to ensure accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness. Written and reviewed by experienced healthcare clinicians from Boston Children's Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital and consistently ranked as a top hospital by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report, these guides combine clinical expertise, specialized knowledge, and evidence-based medicine. We also incorporate research and best practices from authoritative sources such as the CDC, NIH, PubMed, top medical journals, and UpToDate.com. Clinical specialists and subject matter experts review and edit each guide, reinforcing our commitment to high-quality, factual, scientifically accurate health information for young people.