Pregnancy is a wonderful experience, whether you’re a mama who planned her pregnancy to the tee, or you’re a mama who enjoys surprises. However, every pregnancy comes with its own set of challenges. Typically, a mama will know when she’s pregnant because of a skipped monthly period. It’s during then that a mama will typically get a clue as to whether or not she is expecting.
Soon after, she will also begin feeling the regular (and not-so-regular) symptoms associated with pregnancy. But, how do you know if you’re expecting if your periods are irregular? When you miss a period due to irregular cycles, it may be challenging for you to determine whether you are genuinely pregnant or if it is just one of those incredibly unpredictable and haphazard cycles.
While you can’t count on a missed period, there are other ways of finding out if you’re pregnant or not. Read on to find out more!
Normal Vs. Irregular Periods
The average woman's menstrual cycle lasts around 28 days, plus or minus a few days on either end. Even while their cycles may vary from month to month, they often remain within that range.
Now, there’s a certain challenge when it comes to determining whether you’re pregnant if your periods are irregular. The optimal time to take a pregnancy test or anticipate ovulation may become more challenging as a result since it can become confusing to determine when you’re ovulating or when you should take a test. Women with irregular periods may also have more trouble conceiving, depending on the underlying cause.
A menstrual cycle that’s pegged as irregular might last anywhere from 24 to 38 days. Additionally, it’s also uncommon to experience bleeding that continues for more than 8 days.
Can I Still Get Pregnant Despite Having Irregular Periods?
Irregular periods may be difficult to deal with but it also doesn’t mean that you absolutely cannot get pregnant. While difficult, it’s not impossible to get pregnant despite having irregular periods. It’s just a little more difficult to conceive.
The most common cause of infertility in women with irregular periods is anovulation, which is the failure of the ovary to release an ovum throughout the menstrual cycle. Failure to ovulate results in the absence of the events leading to menstruation because the progesterone released from the ovary after ovulation is withdrawn. Progesterone is withdrawn even if there is no fertilization of the ovum by a sperm resulting in pregnancy.
Anovulatory bleeding is the name for menstrual bleeding that occurs even when there is no ovulation. Breakthrough bleeding is the phrase for irregular menstrual bleeding.
Anovulation may be caused by hormonal abnormalities brought on by underlying conditions including thyroid problems, polycystic ovarian syndrome, obesity, stress, etc. So, if you plan to get pregnant, you may want to see your doctor before trying any medication or procedures just so you see all your options.
How to Confirm Pregnancy
Try calculating 36 days from the beginning of your most recent menstrual cycle or four weeks from the last time you had sex if you have irregular periods. Your hCG levels ought to be high enough at this point to show if you are pregnant.
Wait a few more days before taking another pregnancy test if your test indicates that you are not pregnant but you still believe you might be.
You can take 2 types of pregnancy tests: urine tests or blood tests.
For urine tests, you can make use of the usual home pregnancy test kits, which can be used in the privacy of your home or even at the doctor's office. This test is quite accurate as it detects a hormone that’s created immediately after a fertilized egg adheres to the outer or uterine wall of a woman. Normally, this occurs six days after fertilization. If you are pregnant, your hCG levels will keep rising quickly, doubling every two to three days.
Alternatively, you can also rely on blood tests which come in 2 types: a qualitative hCG test and a quantitative hCG test (beta hCG). A qualitative hCG test is one test type that checks to see if hCG is present in your body so you can tell if you’re pregnant or not based on that. Meanwhile, the quantitative test measures the precise amounts of hCG found in your blood.
Signs of Pregnancy
Nausea - One of the most prevalent signs of early pregnancy that frequently begins as early as two weeks after conception is nausea, which is brought on by hormonal changes. Vomiting might or might not be present. Morning sickness is frequently brought on by low blood sugar levels, which typically interact with hormones in the morning.
Tender or Swollen Breasts - Pregnancy hormones can cause a woman's breasts to swell or become sore, which is where some women first notice their effects.
Implantation Bleeding - 1 to 2 weeks after fertilization, during the time of implantation, some women experience bleeding. Cramps and bleeding are 2 implantation symptoms that can be mistaken for a mild period.
Fatigue - Early in pregnancy, while your body adapts to the fetus, you could experience fatigue. Increased progesterone levels, which control the menstrual cycle, may also be a factor in weariness.
You can take a pregnancy test if you suspect that you are pregnant, and you can take this around 2 weeks after the day you think conception occurred. Home tests are quite trustworthy and accurate. Make an appointment with your doctor if your at-home test is positive. Your doctor will check for pregnancy by testing your blood or urine. If the test is negative but you feel like you may be pregnant, then you might want to visit your doctor to make sure.
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