Polymenorrhea is defined as cycles of what length between menses?

• A. Fewer than 21 days
• B. 21 to 35 days
• C. More than 35 days
• D. Irregular

Answer: (A)

Polymenorrhea means menstrual cycles that occur more frequently than normal, with cycle lengths shorter than 21 days. The usual range for a normal cycle is about 21 to 35 days, so anything consistently under 21 days fits this pattern. This is different from oligomenorrhea, where cycles are infrequent and extend beyond 35 days, and from irregular cycles, where the timing is unpredictable rather than simply short. Recognizing a short cycle pattern helps clinicians consider causes such as ovulatory dysfunction or hormonal imbalances and guides the evaluation toward the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis and related factors.