What Causes Menstrual Cycle Length?

Menstrual cycle length can have various causes, just like most other symptoms. Finding the true cause means ruling out or confirming each possibility – in other words, diagnosis.

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Diagnosis is usually a complex process due to the sheer number of possible causes and related symptoms. In order to diagnose menstrual cycle length, we could:

Research the topic
Find a doctor with the time
Use a diagnostic computer system.

The process is the same, whichever method is used.

Step 1: List all Possible Causes

We begin by identifying the disease conditions which have "menstrual cycle length" as a symptom. For example, diabetes II.

Step 2: Build a Symptom Checklist

We then identify all possible symptoms and risk factors of each possible cause, and check the ones that apply:

difficulty losing weight

type 2 diabetes IDD

major unexplained weight loss

major unexplained weight gain

high systolic blood pressure

omnivorous diet

very irregular menstrual cycles

regular unexplained nausea

severe calorie restriction

low HDL cholesterol level

being very skinny

prednisone use

... and more than 20 others

Step 3: Rule Out or Confirm each Possible Cause

A differential diagnosis of your symptoms and risk factors finds the likely cause of menstrual cycle length.

Arriving at a Correct Diagnosis

The Analyst™ is our online diagnosis tool that learns all about you through a straightforward process of multi-level questioning, providing diagnosis at the end.

If you indicate being premenopausal or being perimenopausal, The Analyst™ will ask further questions including this one:

What is the average length of your natural menstrual cycle? Select 'normal' if you have been using hormonal birth control for over 6 months.

Possible responses:

→ Very short (under 21 days)
→ Short (21 to 25 days)
→ Normal, 26-31 days / on birth control / don't know
→ Long (32 to 36 days)
→ Very long (over 36 days)

Based on your response to this question, which may indicate very short menstrual cycles, short menstrual cycles, normal menstrual cycle length, long menstrual cycles or very long menstrual cycles, The Analyst™ will consider possibilities such as Diabetes Type II. Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital have found that women who have long or very irregular menstrual cycles may have an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes mellitus. According to the results, women whose menstrual cycles were at least 40 days long were twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, compared with women whose cycles lasted 26 to 31 days, regardless of body weight. However, the risk was even greater for obese women. "These findings... suggest that women with this history might particularly benefit from lifestyle approaches to reduce risk, such as weight control and exercise." [JAMA, Nov 21, 2001]

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