Every woman expects her monthly period and when it doesn’t come, we wonder what’s going on, right? Pregnancy, hormonal imbalance, or some health problem? But what if it comes more than once? Is it normal to have your period twice or more in one month? A menstrual cycle lasts, on average, 28 days1, starting on the first day of menstruation and going until one day before the next one. By that calculation, a woman naturally menstruates just once a month. But there are women who have shorter menstrual cycles and may get a double monthly visit. For example, if you have a 26-day cycle, you will menstruate at the beginning and at the end of the month. A woman’s reproductive system works in monthly cycles to produce eggs, release them, and prepare the body for pregnancy. If fertilization doesn’t happen, on average, 14 days after ovulation, menstruation occurs. So, for those with a short cycle, it is normal to menstruate more than once a month, as long as the cycle itself is still regular. Now, if your cycle is normal—28 days or more—and your period is irregular and coming more often than usual, it could be caused by other factors such as:

  • Use of birth control pills – When starting birth control pills, it’s common to have some breakthrough bleeding as your body adjusts to the hormones. However, if you’ve been taking them for a few months and it still happens, the pill’s dosage may not be right for you or you might have missed a few doses.
  • Low progesterone level – The menstrual cycle is closely linked to a woman’s progesterone levels. When they drop, your body understands it’s time to menstruate, so if progesterone is unbalanced, your cycle can become irregular too, as the reproductive system doesn’t get the right signal of when to start a period.
  • Fibroids – Fibroids are benign tumors made of muscle that can develop either inside or outside the uterus, changing its shape over time as they grow. Women with fibroids can have irregular periods and bleeding at abnormal times. 

IMPORTANT: Women who use injectable contraceptives may have breakthrough bleeding throughout their cycle, but you should count the scheduled date of your period. The use should not be stopped or rescheduled.

Problems such as stress2, use of certain medications, and post tubal ligation recovery can also lead to a woman menstruating twice or more in a month. Each case must be assessed individually, and all possible causes should be evaluated by your doctor to find the ideal treatment.

How to Regulate Menstruation to Happen Only Once a Month?

First, it’s essential to seek evaluation by a gynecologist about your situation. If frequent menstruation in a month is a side effect of medication, switching or stopping the medication can be considered. If it’s a symptom of a disease, the right diagnosis is essential to find the proper treatment and regulate your period as soon as possible. Usually, for irregular cycles, the gynecologist may prescribe birth control pills to balance hormone levels. There is also a natural way to regulate your cycle, which is by eating yam3. In short: If your cycle is normally 28 days or longer and you used to menstruate once a month but are now having unexpected periods two or more times in a month, see your gynecologist. With detailed tests, it will be possible to investigate and find the cause as well as the best way to treat and regulate your cycle again. However, if you have a short cycle and menstruate at the beginning and end of the month, don’t worry, as there is no health problem. Important Tip: You can calculate your cycle length with the fertile period calculator and ovulation tool. Also See: How Does the Menstrual Cycle Work?