Light periods and fertility

[ReturnofSaturn]

Hey all.

Does anybody know if having very light periods affects ability to conceive?

Have only been TTC for a couple of months but have realised my last few periods and have been seriously light. I have my period again at the momenr and its looks like its finished now on the 2nd day and i hardly bled today!

My periods always used to be very normal, at least 5 days so not sure whats happened.
Coincidentally i have also been peeing on ovulation sticks the last two months and have never got a positive.

Just feel like shit as i had a termination a couple of years ago and now im kicking myself that ive perhaps got something wrong with me now and i missed my chance.

I know im probably being silly

Hey Return, I can add anything helpful in afraid just wanted to let you know you are not alone! My period only lasts a day or two, also very light bleeding. I do get light brown spotting for a few days either side though. I'm going to to doctors tomorrow about it, I will update you with what they say.

With OPK's, have you been trying different times of the day? I used FMU until I started to see the line get darker and then made sure I tested throughout that day. Hope that makes sense!

The good news is, if you fell pregnant before, chances are it will happen again! I'll be ttc from next month so I'll keep everything crossed for both of us!

I have incredibly light periods too, possibly due to spending 10+ years on Depo Provera with no periods at all. We started TTC 18 months ago, and since then we've had 2 pregnancies both ending in first trimester miscarriages. I have had all the medical investigations but there's apparently nothing physically wrong. Sometimes people just do have light periods I guess - but worth seeking medical advice on your individual situation.

I'm in the same boat, periods last 36 hours max. Never used to be this light but as I've got older.

I'm seeing my doctor next Thursday...ages to wait. Any advice greatly appreciated.

I used to have 4-5 day periods too. Fell pregnant first month but suffered a mc at 13 weeks.

Since the mc my periods have only been 2-3 days an then just brown spotting when wipe for a couple of days. Although my first day is heavy ish where I need to use super tampons and change every 4 hours.

How many tampons etc do you need to use? I think length of period but also how much you bleed counts. Normally by day 3 I only need a light tampon.

NHS website says average women's bleeds 30-40ml per menstrual period. Anything over 80ml is excessive. But 30-80ml is considered normal range. A super tampon is 10ml if saturated. And a regular is 5ml saturated so you can roughly work it out off that? If your bleed amount falls within the average range I would say your fine and maybe we're just lucky ones with short light periods.

Mine lasts 2-3 days yet I bleed about 60ml using that measurement so not exactly majorly light. Everyone is different I guess.

I have gone to doctors to query as was concerned it was different to pre mc. They said I may not be ovulating again since mc and checked bloods and may do a scan. But I BBT and chart so I'm fairly sure I have been ovulating but at least there checking!

Hope that's helpful. I know it's something else to worry about. But not falling pregnant due to thin endometrial lining is really rare like 2% of infertility cases are due to this.

I know every situation is different but I just wanted to share my story in case it helps. I went for a course of maya massage when I was having difficulties conceiving. At the consultation I told her my periods had been very light and short and she told me it was better to have heavier periods as that means the lining of the womb has built up to be nice and spongy for a fertilised egg to implant. Anyway, after a few sessions, my next period was lots heavier and more painful than usual. I was told that the maya massage had loosened up any old blood in my womb and helped to get rid of it. I even had pain around the time of ovulation that month which I had never had before. May of course be a coincidence but I conceived that month, couldn't believe it, and I now have a 6 month old baby. I'm sure that it helped in some way, as my period was so different from normal after a few sessions, and of course I actually conceived that month!

beekeeper this is really interesting. I've never heard of maya massage..what is it and where is it available please?

Thankyou for the replies everyone.

Anna2006 This months period is extremely light, i bled lightly the first day and hardly any the second day. It was smack bang on time this month though. The last one was about 6 days late.

My periods went from 6 days long, bright red and clotty to very short and pink when I turned 30, as I only have one tube and one ovary i was convinced i was going into early menopause. I mustnt have been as I am now 8 months pregnant. I actually think the shorter lighter periods were much healthier for me and I felt lots better physically when they changed.

I also have light periods. I have researched it as I always freak myself out with ideas about premature menapause. It is a symptom of perimenapause, but mostly I think it is normal. Your periods change as you get older. I have had two kids. I conceived my first at 31 in the first month of trying. The second took 16 months when I was 35; however, I was ill at that time and had lost a bit of weight so maybe that was the problem. The termination won't have caused a problem for you, so don't worry about that. Good luck!

Oh, and in regards to the endometrium building up, I have had scans and it's always fine, so obviously light periods don't always equal thin lining.

Ok thanks for some of the reassuring posts.
Iam only 28 so cant even really put it just down to periods changing as get older thing. Thats why im worried.

I really dont think i ovulated the last few months hence the negative tests. And the whole cycle just feels different. Im a lot 'dryer' the whole time dont get any discharge or mucus or anything whicg i always used to.

@Hopelessworrier84 if you google it and your area I'm sure you'll find some practitioners nearby and you can do a bit of research on their reviews etc. I'm surprised it's not better known about, I know others who have been treated with amazing success stories, although obviously it doesn't work for everyone.

Through her techniques, my practitioner could tell me which side I was ovulating on and she worked to gently correct my tilted uterus. I'm so glad I went down that route as otherwise I was heading for fertility tests and I guess potentially IVF.

I am really worried about this too. I just turned 37 and in the past 2 years my regular 28 day normal flow period shortened to 25/26 day cycle some months shorter. The most noticeable change was how light it became and how short barely 2 days. I have been really worried about this as the changes happened immediately after I had my left ovary removed due to a benign tumour. I was also diagnosed with hashimotos thyroiditis following the surgery. I now have my thyroid optimal but my periods remain the same. We have been trying to conceive our second child for 6 months now and it isn't happening. We conceived our first child first month trying exactly five years ago. I know fertility decreases as you get older but my worry is that this is down to having my ovary removed. My mother conceived with no issues into her forties and didn't go into menopause until 50s. Feeling deflated this morning as my period arrived again. Has anyone got a hormone panel done? Think I need to do this just don't have funds at the moment.

haveacupoftea did you need any help to conceive with one ovary? Did it take long to conceive? Appreciate any advice, thank a mill

kohi36 I have hashimoto thyroiditis too. Do you follow an elimination diet? I'm trying to and when I stuck to it religiously for 2 weeks it really helped x

My periods went from being pretty much bang on 28 days, bleeding for about a week to bleeding quite lightly every 23 days, with a days stop during the period.
As this happened after I had my first child I didn't really think about it until trying for our second. I went to see my GP about it and whilst they said it did sound unusual, because I had said we were trying for a child, I feel they just wrote me off as not getting pregnant as quickly as I wanted to and told me to come back if things hadn't changed after trying for twelve months.
So I went for some acupuncture and after the first session the withdrawal time lengthened and following my third session I conceived.
It may just have been coincide, the power of positive thinking etc but it may be worthwhile exploring.

Hi! Have you come off birth control pill? Even if you haven't, I think women's periods can get lighter as they get older. I had 5-6 days in my teens and by my 30s it was about 2 days and got lighter. I assumed it was down to the pill but even off it my periods were very light. Almost nothing overnight and sometimes only one decent day of flow! Despite this, I conceived at the grand old age of 41 in just 4-5 months without even tracking my ovulation properly. I'd look more carefully at your cycle consistency as I think that's much more relevant.

Oh yeah, and I did ovulation sticks for 2 months and never got a positive. Way too stressful- don't bother.

My DD has incredibly light short periods and gets pregnant if they pass on the stairs. I'm sure there is no indication either way.

Yes hopelessworrier84. The irony is I have the best diet I've ever had in my left. I've even managed to get my antibodies down to from all the changes I've made so very close to remission. I feel loosing my left ovary is behind my fertility issues. Might try acupuncture or Mayan massage. Worth a shot.

My periods went lighter once I got older and now I am 9 months pregnant. Don't lose hope

I've always had very light periods, they last for 2/3 days max and are often too light to use a tampon. I did ask the doctor about them a while back and she said I was just lucky and it was nothing to worry about.

I conceived my 1st DC after 3 months trying and my 2nd straight away so I don't think light periods do effect fertility.

Hi Wiggleyfingers

I am having a similar problem as you with spotting either side of period, with period very light only lasting a day or two. We have been ttc for almost 12 months and I am going to be visiting the doctors in the next month or two.

Did you get any answer from the doctors when you went.

Your reply would be much appreciated. Thank you

@wiggleyfingers

Sorry I am new to mumset

Sorry I know this is a really old post but just wondering if anyone here managed to conceive? I am having the same issue just now and hoping that it isn't all doom and gloom!
Thanks me in advance