Irregular Menses

You have irregular periods if the length of your menstrual cycle (the gap between your periods starting) keeps changing.

Your periods may come early or late.

The average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, although it's normal for it to be a bit shorter or longer than this.

After puberty, many women develop a regular cycle with a similar length of time between periods. But it's not uncommon for it to vary by a few days each time.

PCOS / PCOD

A hormonal disorder causing enlarged ovaries with small cysts on the outer edges.

The cause of polycystic ovary syndrome isn't well understood, but may involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

Symptoms include menstrual irregularity, excess hair growth, acne and obesity.

Treatments include birth control pills to regularize periods, medication called metformin to prevent diabetes, statins to control high cholesterol, hormones to increase fertility and procedures to remove excess hair.

White Discharges

A mix of fluid and cells from the vagina that varies from whitish and sticky to clear and watery, possibly associated with an odor.

Vaginal discharge is a clear or whitish fluid that comes out of your vagina. Discharge is normal, but changes in the amount, consistency, color or smell could indicate an infection or other problem.

Uterine Fibroid

Non-cancerous growths in the uterus that can develop during a woman's childbearing years.

The cause of fibroids isn't well understood. Risk factors include a family history of fibroids, obesity or early onset of puberty.

Symptoms include heavy menstrual bleeding, prolonged periods and pelvic pain. In some cases, there are no symptoms.

Treatments include medication and removal of the fibroid.

Menopausal Complaints

A natural decline in reproductive hormones when a woman reaches her 40s or 50s.

Menopause is signaled by 12 months since last menstruation.

Common symptoms include hot flashes and vaginal dryness. There may also be sleep disturbances. The combination of these symptoms can cause anxiety or depression.

Menopause is a natural process with treatments that focus on symptomatic relief. Vaginal dryness is treated with topical lubricants or estrogen. Medications can reduce the severity and frequency of hot flushes. In special circumstances, oral hormone therapy may be used.

Infertility

Not getting pregnant, despite having carefully timed, unprotected sex for one year.

The cause of infertility may be difficult to determine but may include inadequate levels of certain hormones in both men and women, and trouble with ovulation in women.

The main symptom is an inability to get pregnant. In many cases, there are no additional symptoms.

Many treatments significantly improve the chances of getting pregnant. They include hormone treatments, fertility drugs and surgery. In addition, assisted reproduction uses various medical techniques to fertilise an egg.