Can I still have a baby?

Q I have irregular periods two or three months apart. Does it mean I could be infertile? Shayanne, south London

A Having irregular or occasional periods is called oligomenorrhea, meaning bleeds that are more than 35 days apart, or happen less than nine times per year, and that might be light and scanty, too.

Often the cause is a hormone imbalance due to polycystic ovaries, thyroid gland problems or the start of your menopause. Overdoing exercise or weight loss, or side-effects of contraceptives or other drugs, can also be to blame.

Some of these causes could mean that you’re not ovulating (producing an egg) and could affect your fertility. Treatment might include the pill to regulate your periods if you don’t want a baby, or drugs to trigger ovulation if you do, HRT for menopause, and keeping a healthy weight.