Category: News

From month to month, you may be having different experiences with your period that make you wonder if everything is “normal.” Maybe you notice your cycle is a few days off, or your period is heavy in some months while being light during others.

Tracking a few simple details each month can help you feel more confident and in control of your health. It also encourages a sense of empowerment by enabling you to notice patterns, catch changes early, and have more productive conversations with your gynecologist or healthcare provider.

Below are some practical ways to understand what’s typical, what to track, and when it’s time to reach out for medical guidance.

What a “Normal” Period Usually Looks Like

Everyone’s body is different, but understanding what a typical menstrual cycle looks like can help you feel more reassured. Recognizing some general guidelines can reduce worry and help you feel more comfortable with your own patterns.

• Cycle length: For most adults, a regular cycle (from day 1 of one period to day 1 of the next) is about 24–38 days long.
• Bleeding days: A normal period usually lasts 2–7 days.
• Flow: Light to moderate bleeding is common. Many women may have a heavier day or two, especially at the beginning.
• Symptoms: Mild to moderate cramping, breast tenderness, mood changes, or bloating can be part of a regular cycle.

It’s also helpful to remember that “normal” falls within a range. Your cycle might be slightly shorter or longer, or your flow a bit lighter or heavier than someone else’s, but it can still be considered healthy as long as it follows a predictable pattern. If your cycle varies significantly or suddenly changes, consider discussing this with a gynecologist to understand what it means for your health.

What to Track Every Month

You don’t need a complicated system to track your period. A simple notes app, calendar, or cycle-tracking app will do. Focus on these key details:

• Start date and length of cycle: Mark day 1 of your period (first day of real bleeding). Count the days until your next period starts to find your cycle length.
• Bleeding duration: Count how many days you bleed or spot. Note if it changes significantly.
• Flow level: Track daily flow as Light (panty liner), Moderate, or Heavy (changing every 2 hours). Heavy bleeding might require a call to your provider.
• Symptoms: Record notable symptoms like cramps, headaches, or mood changes, and how they affect your daily life.
• Unexpected bleeding: Note any spotting or bleeding between periods.
• Medications and lifestyle changes: Include any new medications, birth control changes, stress, or significant lifestyle changes that might impact your cycle.

Signs Your Period May Not Be Typical

Tracking makes it easier to see when something is off. Contact your gynecologist or care provider if you notice very heavy bleeding, including:

• Periods lasting more than 7 days
• Needing to change a pad or tampon every 1–2 hours
• Passing clots that are quarter-sized or larger

Other things to watch for:

• Cycles that are shorter than 21 days or longer than 35–38 days on a regular basis
• Big swings in timing, where your cycle length varies by more than a week from month to month
• Severe pain that doesn’t improve with over-the-counter medicine, heat, or rest
• Unusual bleeding between periods, after sex, or after menopause
• No period for 3 months or longer (and you’re not pregnant, breastfeeding, or using certain hormonal methods)
• Periods that are suddenly much heavier, more painful, or more irregular than your usual pattern

These symptoms don’t always mean something serious, but they can be signs of conditions like hormonal imbalances, fibroids, thyroid issues, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), or bleeding disorders. A gynecologist can help find the cause and discuss treatment options.

What Can Affect Your Period

It’s also normal for your period to shift at certain times in life or during major changes, including:

• The first few years after your period starts (puberty)
• High stress
• Significant weight loss or gain
• Intense physical training
• Going on or off hormonal birth control
• Perimenopause (the years leading up to menopause)

How our Provider Can Help

Bringing a few months of tracking notes to your appointment will help offer a clearer picture of what’s happening. It can help:

• Confirm that your period looks healthy and typical for you
• Identify possible causes of heavy, painful, or irregular periods
• Recommend tests, treatment, or lifestyle changes if needed
• Tailor birth control or other options to your cycle and symptoms

You deserve to feel informed and supported when it comes to your menstrual health. If you have questions or notice changes that worry you, you don’t have to figure it out on your own. Contact us today at  Birmingham Obstetrics & Gynecology at (205) 933-8334 to make an appointment. We’re here to help.

Experiencing more than one miscarriage is emotionally and physically devastating, and it’s completely normal to feel overwhelmed or fearful about trying again. While miscarriage is common, recurrent miscarriage creates a unique kind of heartache, often intensified by uncertainty and unanswered questions. You deserve space, compassion, and clarity — and while not every loss has an identifiable cause, learning more about possible factors can help you feel more informed and supported.

If you’ve experienced repeated pregnancy loss, you might feel very alone, but you most certainly are not. Understanding potential causes, discussing available testing, and partnering with a compassionate gynecologist can help you move forward with greater confidence and support.

Common Causes of Recurrent Miscarriages

Many people blame themselves, but recurrent miscarriages are almost always linked to underlying medical factors rather than something you did or did not do. Some of the possible causes include:

Genetic Factors

Chromosomal abnormalities account for many early miscarriages. Sometimes an embryo receives too many or too few chromosomes due to a random event in early cell division. In other situations, one parent may carry a balanced chromosomal rearrangement that doesn’t affect their own health but can increase the likelihood of miscarriage.

Hormonal or Endocrine Issues

Conditions such as thyroid disorders, uncontrolled diabetes, or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may affect ovulation, implantation, or early pregnancy development. Managing these conditions with your care team may support future pregnancies.

Uterine or Structural Differences

Physical differences in the uterus — such as a uterine septum, fibroids, polyps, or scarring from previous surgeries or infections — can sometimes make it harder for a pregnancy to continue. When identified, your gynecologist can discuss whether treatment may be helpful based on your individual situation.

Diagnostic Testing After Multiple Losses

If you’ve had two or more miscarriages, your doctor may recommend an evaluation to look for possible explanations. This may include:

• Genetic testing for you and your partner
• Blood tests to check hormones, thyroid function, or clotting factors
• Ultrasound or hysteroscopy to look at the uterine structure
• Testing for autoimmune or immune-related conditions

Not every case reveals a clear cause, and that uncertainty can be incredibly difficult. Even so, testing often provides meaningful information that helps guide next steps and support your reproductive health moving forward.

Supporting Your Emotional and Physical Healing

Miscarriage is both a medical event and a profoundly emotional experience. Give yourself permission to grieve in your own way and at your own pace. Many people find comfort in:

• Support groups or counseling
• Open conversations with a partner or loved ones
• Mind–body practices like gentle movement, meditation, or journaling
• Follow-up visits with your gynecologist to discuss questions or concerns

A miscarriage can feel isolating, but you don’t have to navigate the experience alone. Your emotional well-being is an essential part of healing, and reaching out for support is an important and courageous step.

How Your Gynecologist Can Help You Move Forward

A supportive gynecologist can help you explore next steps based on your unique history and needs. Depending on what testing or evaluation reveals, this may include discussing hormonal support, addressing structural findings, coordinating additional evaluations, or connecting you with fertility resources if needed.

Even when a specific cause is not identified, many people do go on to have healthy pregnancies. While no one can predict the future or guarantee outcomes, having the right information and care can help you feel more supported in whatever comes next.

You Deserve Answers, Support, and Hope

Recurrent miscarriage is never something you should have to navigate in silence or without compassionate care. Through thoughtful evaluation, emotional support, and a trusted relationship with your gynecologist, many patients find greater understanding and renewed strength as they consider their future.

If you’re seeking guidance after multiple losses, our care team at Birmingham Obstetrics & Gynecology at (205) 933-8334 is here to listen, support you, and help you explore your options at a pace that feels right for you.

Everyone feels tired from time to time. But if you’re constantly exhausted no matter how much sleep you get, it may be a sign that something deeper is going on. One of the most overlooked causes of chronic fatigue in women is a hormonal imbalance.

Hormones are powerful chemical messengers that regulate everything from energy and mood to sleep, metabolism, and even body temperature. When they’re even slightly out of balance, it can leave you dragging through the day, wondering why your usual healthy habits aren’t making a difference.

Let’s look at how hormones influence your energy — and what you can do if fatigue has become your “new normal.”

Common Hormones That Impact Energy Levels

Several hormones directly affect how energized—or drained—you feel:

• Thyroid hormones: An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) slows your metabolism, often causing fatigue, weight gain, and brain fog.
• Cortisol: Known as the “stress hormone,” cortisol helps regulate energy throughout the day. Chronic stress or adrenal dysfunction can throw levels off balance, leaving you feeling wired one moment and depleted the next.
• Estrogen & progesterone: These reproductive hormones fluctuate during the menstrual cycle, perimenopause, and menopause, impacting sleep quality, stamina, and mood.
• Insulin: Poor blood sugar regulation and insulin resistance can trigger midday crashes, cravings, and energy swings.

Signs Your Fatigue Could Be Hormone-Related

Hormonal fatigue rarely comes alone. You may notice additional signs such as:

• Feeling exhausted despite 7-8 hours of sleep
• Low motivation, brain fog, or difficulty concentrating
• Mood swings, anxiety, or irritability
• Unexplained weight gain or difficulty losing weight
• Irregular periods or worsening PMS
• Sensitivity to cold, hair thinning, or low libido

If these symptoms sound familiar, it’s worth exploring whether your hormones could be playing a role.

How Hormones Affect You at Different Life Stages

Hormonal shifts look different at each stage of a woman’s life:

• Young adults: Conditions like PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome) or thyroid disorders may cause persistent fatigue early in adulthood.
• Midlife women: Perimenopause brings fluctuating estrogen and progesterone, which can disrupt sleep, mood, and energy.
• Postpartum: After childbirth, estrogen levels drop dramatically, and thyroid changes are common. Fatigue may last beyond the typical “new mom tiredness.”
• Menopause: Declining estrogen often contributes to poor sleep, hot flashes, joint discomfort, and brain fog.

How a GYN Expert Can Help

If fatigue feels chronic, unexplained, or disruptive, a women’s health specialist can help uncover the root cause. At your visit, your provider may recommend:

• Hormone bloodwork to check thyroid, estrogen, progesterone, and cortisol levels
• Thyroid and metabolic panels to look for imbalances
• A detailed review of your symptoms in the context of your menstrual history, stress levels, and lifestyle
• Additional testing to rule out other common causes of fatigue, such as anemia, vitamin deficiencies, or autoimmune conditions

Treatment Options for Hormonal Imbalances

The encouraging news? Hormonal imbalances are treatable. Depending on your needs, treatment may include:

• Lifestyle adjustments: nutrition support, exercise, stress reduction, and better sleep hygiene
• Hormone therapy: such as hormone replacement for menopause or thyroid medication for hypothyroidism
• Supplements or targeted therapies: recommended by your provider for adrenal support or menstrual cycle regulation
• Ongoing monitoring: to adjust treatment as your body and hormones change over time

Every plan should be personalized. What works for one woman may not work for another, which is why working with a knowledgeable provider is so important.

A Whole-Person Approach to Your Health

If you’re tired of feeling tired, don’t ignore the signals. Extreme fatigue isn’t a normal part of getting older or being busy, so it may be your body’s way of telling you something is out of balance.

At Birmingham Obstetrics & Gynecology , we take a whole-person approach to women’s health. That means looking at your hormones, lifestyle, and overall wellness together. With the right testing, treatment, and support, it’s absolutely possible to restore your energy and feel like yourself again.

Schedule a consultation with us today at (205) 933-8334  to take the first step toward better energy, balance, and health.

When it comes to birth control, misconceptions abound. From fears about weight gain to concerns about long-term fertility, many women hesitate to explore their options due to misleading information. 

The truth is, birth control is safe, effective, and comes in many forms—allowing women to choose what works best for their bodies and lifestyles! Below, we clear up some of the biggest myths and explore how to find the right birth control method for you.

Continue reading “The Truth About Birth Control: Debunking Common Myths and Finding the Right Option for You” →