3 Health Reasons Why Women Should Track Their Cycles

If you are like a lot of women, you may see your period as a sort of monthly nuisance that you mostly try to ignore. You may have a general idea of when it should start and a general idea of how long it sticks around. But your period isn't just a nuisance-- its coming and goings are a good way for you to track and monitor your own health, both reproductive and otherwise.

All women should track their period, even if (perhaps especially if) they are on any type of birth control.

Here's what to detail when you track your period:

The date your period begins

How long your period lasts

Patterns of the heaviness of your flow

Any symptoms that often accompany your period (such as bloating, pain, diarrhea)

By tracking what is usual for your body, you will be able to better know what is unusual for your body. Being able to communicate with your well woman care provider about irregularities in your cycle can help pinpoint larger underlying health issues.

Here are three good reasons why you should track your period:

1) Spotting an Unplanned Pregnancy: If you're on the pill, pregnancy is unlikely but is still a possibility, especially for women who are less careful in taking their pill on a regular basis. The pill can have negative effects on a fetus if taken for too long during a pregnancy. Thus, knowing early that your period hasn't shown up can give you the maximum amount of time to make decisions.

2) Helping to Get Pregnant: If you're trying to get pregnant, tracking your cycle is important because it can help you know when you can become pregnant. Having a long track record of how your cycle operates can also help give your doctor a clearer picture of your health history in case you have problems becoming pregnant.

3) Spotting Health Problems: Tracking your period and its symptoms can help you know when your period becomes irregular. While stress levels or changes in weight can often affect your period, a period that suddenly becomes "regularly irregular" is a reason to call your ob/gyn or other well woman care provider. A change in your period can indicate a variety of health concerns including:

Hormone or thyroid issues

Liver Function problems

Diabetes

Female health concerns such as endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome.

While tracking your period may seem like even more of a nuisance than just letting it come and go, you owe it to yourself to be aware of your cycle and what its changes might be trying to tell you about your own health. There are many apps available to help women track their periods, though the good ol' fashioned calendar works just as well.