X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

Irregular Period and Spotting

2 min read
Irregular Period and Spotting

A reader asks Dr Dana about her irregular period and spotting. Read on to know what you should do if you have the same issue.

Question: I am a 23 year old mother of one. My husband and I are working on having our second child, however my period has been irregular. Occasionally I experience dark brown spotting, sometimes accompanied with mucus that is only visible when wiped. Is that considered as my period? I have also been experiencing diarrhea and sharp pain in my abdomen. Is there something wrong should I consult a gynaecologist or just wait for my period to come?

Answer From Dr Dana:

Your symptoms may sound like endometriosis. For women presenting with symptoms suggestive of endometriosis, a definitive diagnosis of most forms of endometriosis requires visual inspection of the pelvis at laparoscopy as the 'gold standard' investigation.

However, pain symptoms suggestive of the disease can be treated without a definitive diagnosis using a therapeutic trial of a hormonal drug to reduce menstrual flow. In women with laparoscopically confirmed disease, suppression of ovarian function for 6-months reduces endometriosis-associated pain; all hormonal drugs studied are equally effective although their side-effects and cost profiles differ.

Ablation of endometriotic lesions reduces endometriosis-associated pain and the smallest effect is seen in patients with minimal disease. In minimal-mild endometriosis, suppression of ovarian function to improve fertility is not effective, but ablation of endometriotic lesions plus adhesiolysis is effective compared to diagnostic laparoscopy alone.

There is insufficient evidence available to determine whether surgical excision of moderate-severe endometriosis enhances pregnancy rates.

IVF is appropriate treatment especially if there are coexisting causes of infertility and/or other treatments have failed, but IVF pregnancy rates are lower in women with endometriosis than in those with tubal infertility.

So please consult a OBGYN for exclusion of endometriosis.

Also read: 5 symptoms of endometriosis you shouldn't ignore

Partner Stories
4 Good Toilet Hygiene Habits for Kids to Have Early in Life
4 Good Toilet Hygiene Habits for Kids to Have Early in Life
Flu in Singapore: Is Your Family Protected?
Flu in Singapore: Is Your Family Protected?
6 Top Ways to Prevent Diaper Rash
6 Top Ways to Prevent Diaper Rash
Experiencing Mood Swings, Irregular Periods and Weight Gain Among Other Things? Here’s What You Need to Know About Hormonal Imbalance
Experiencing Mood Swings, Irregular Periods and Weight Gain Among Other Things? Here’s What You Need to Know About Hormonal Imbalance

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Dr Dana Elliott Srither

  • Home
  • /
  • Health
  • /
  • Irregular Period and Spotting
Share:
  • Doctor's answers on irregular periods

    Doctor's answers on irregular periods

  • THIS Is The Reality Of Living With Endometriosis. Can You Relate?

    THIS Is The Reality Of Living With Endometriosis. Can You Relate?

  • Engaged: Jeffrey Xu Plans Beautiful Marriage Proposal but Felicia Chin Nearly Misses It

    Engaged: Jeffrey Xu Plans Beautiful Marriage Proposal but Felicia Chin Nearly Misses It

  • Neighbour Complains Of Crying Baby, Mum Hits Back With A Witty Letter

    Neighbour Complains Of Crying Baby, Mum Hits Back With A Witty Letter

  • Doctor's answers on irregular periods

    Doctor's answers on irregular periods

  • THIS Is The Reality Of Living With Endometriosis. Can You Relate?

    THIS Is The Reality Of Living With Endometriosis. Can You Relate?

  • Engaged: Jeffrey Xu Plans Beautiful Marriage Proposal but Felicia Chin Nearly Misses It

    Engaged: Jeffrey Xu Plans Beautiful Marriage Proposal but Felicia Chin Nearly Misses It

  • Neighbour Complains Of Crying Baby, Mum Hits Back With A Witty Letter

    Neighbour Complains Of Crying Baby, Mum Hits Back With A Witty Letter

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and updates on baby care and health.