Irregular or painful bowel movements, also called constipation, are a common part of the pregnancy experience. In fact, approximately 50 percent of women develop constipation at some point during pregnancy, according to the American Pregnancy Association.

Most women occasionally skip a menstrual period. This is most often due to having an anovulatory cycle, or a menstrual cycle during which an egg is not released. Irregular menstrual cycles can also be a symptom of perimenopause, which is the period of time directly preceding menopause.

Throughout a woman's menstrual cycle, she will most certainly encounter times of heavy menstrual bleeding. These heavier cycles may be a result of hormone changes or a hereditary infliction that has plagued every female in her lineage.

Heavy bleeding during menstruation is called menorrhagia. Many women at some point in their reproductive years have experienced heavy bleeding during their period, according to the National Collaborating Centre for Women's and Children's Health.

As the menstrual period approaches, some females experience emotional fluctuations and moody spells. The five to 11 days before a period starts are emotionally turbulent for about 75 percent of women in their childbearing years due to premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, notes MedlinePlus.

Fibroids are growths of muscle and connective tissue that form knots. They are considered benign tumors. Fibroids can cause multiple health problems for women. The cause of fibroids can result from several factors, including imbalanced estrogen levels, pregnancy and birth control pills.

All your organs -- including your kidneys and heart -- need magnesium to function properly. Magnesium is also crucial for bone and teeth formation, enzyme activation and energy production. Unfortunately, your magnesium levels tend to wane during menopause.

Women of all ages are prone to developing ovarian cysts. They are very common; and most disappear on their own, causing no problems. It is thought that ovarian cysts are the result of hormonal imbalances, especially in woman who take fertility drugs.

Ovarian cysts can form in or on the ovaries, and can be the result of a hormonal imbalance. Chronic problems with ovarian cysts or numerous cysts on the ovaries may indicate a condition called polycystic ovarian syndrome, or PCOS.

For most people, that motherly advice about wearing clean underwear is embedded in their psyches. But fewer pause to consider whether their underwear is too tight. Research has shown that constrictive undergarments can affect elements of health including circulation, continence and reproduction.

Menopause is defined as the date 12 months after a woman's last menstrual period. The average age for American women to reach menopause is 51 with a normal range of 39 to 59 years of age.

Sharp pain during pregnancy warrants your attention, but don’t panic. There are many possible culprits for sharp right-sided pain, including both pregnancy-related causes and unrelated conditions. Some causes represent harmless ailments.