Dear Jessica:
I just stopped in to visit the archives (I'm still nomail) and noticed your post. I don't know if this will help or not, but I thought I would share some thoughts that I had when I read your post... While researching the issue of sunlight deficiency, I came across information on how sunlight deficiency affects many, many biological processes--including women's reproductive cycles. Consider this excerpt from my article, "Sunlight Deficiency: A Review of the Literature" (available online in full from the publications page of my website, Ammawell):
"The many social causes and health consequences of sunlight deficiency cannot be fully ameliorated through vitamin D supplementation. While supplements are an invaluable tool for preventing rickets in at-risk infants, they do not, for example, protect nurslings from other negative effects that poverty, pollution, unsafe neighborhoods, and crowded inner cities have on the health and development of all infants living in those contexts. Nor do they prevent the negative health consequences of inadequate sunlight on mental health (e.g., seasonal onset and remission of depressive episodes) and women's reproductive systems (e.g., irregularities of the menstrual cycle and premenstrual syndrome).116-118"
116. M. Rao et al., "The Influence of Phototherapy on Serotonin and Melatonin in Nonseasonal Depression," Pharmacopsychiatry 23 (1990): 155-158.
117. B. Perry et al., "Morning vs. Evening Bright Light Treatment of Late Luteal Phase Dysphoric Disorders," Am J Psych 146 (1991): 9.
118. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association, 1994): 389-390.
See also "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom" by Christiane Northrup, MD which includes a section on dysfunctional bleeding and its relation to a lack of exposure to natural light on pages 148-149. Dr. Northrup mentions that abnormal bleeding patterns may also be caused by disruptions of the uterine lining caused by a scar on the uterus due to a cesarean. Has the mother had a cesarean? Also, Dr. Northrup mentions hormonal and neurotransmitter issues with effects on hypothalamic function--thyroid and pituitary problems, severe anxiety and depression, anovulatory cycles, too much estrogen relative to progesterone, etc. Has the mother had a full medical work up including blood tests that check pituitary and thryoid hormone levels and/or a biopsy from inside the uterus to see if the uterine lining show signs of anovulation or abnormal cells? And, given that women's menstrual cycles may become irregular with inadequate sunlight exposure and given that it is common for women of orthodox Jewish heritage to have inadequate sunlight exposure, I'm wondering what level of sunlight exposure this mother experiences? Might increased sunlight exposure help increase the regularity of her menstrual cycle? (And, by the way, could she be vitamin D deficient?) If anyone knows whether this type of menstrual irregularity is common among women of orthodox Jewish heritage, please let me know (be sure to email me privately as I'm nomail). Please also note that some of the effects of broad experience of "sunlight exposure" come via the exposure of the skin (and the subsequent manufacture of the hormone "vitamin D"), while some come from visual effects: seeing sunlight. Dr. Northrup reviews conventional treatments for dysfunctional uterine bleeding as well as "alternative treatment" on pages 148-150. Do you have access to this book where you are?
Best wishes to the mother,
Cynthia
Cynthia Good Mojab, MS, IBCLC, RLC
Ammawell
Website: http://home.comcast.net/~ammawell
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