Irregular cycles, breastfeeding and perimenopause

Textbook cycles are tidy. Real ones often are not. Irregular cycles, the months after a baby, and the years approaching menopause can make charting confusing and abstinence longer. These seasons are common, and couples who face them are not doing anything wrong. With good instruction and medical care, NFP can still be lived well.

Irregular cycles and PCOS

Cycles can vary because of stress, illness, travel, significant weight change, intense exercise, thyroid conditions or recently stopping hormonal contraception. Polycystic ovary syndrome, often called PCOS, is a common hormonal condition that can cause long or irregular cycles, patches of fertile-looking mucus without ovulation, and other symptoms. Charts in PCOS can show repeated starts toward ovulation that do not complete, which can mean long stretches of possible fertility.

If your cycles are consistently very long, very short, absent or unpredictable, talk to your doctor. Charting can be a real help here, because it gives a physician concrete information. Some couples seek a doctor trained in restorative approaches who will look for the underlying cause rather than simply suppressing the cycle.