***Information About Periods/Menstruation***

All About Menstruation

Menstruation (a period) is a major stage of female puberty; it's one of the many physical signs that a girl is turning into a woman. Like a lot of the other changes associated with puberty, menstruation can be confusing. Some girls can't wait to start their periods, whereas others may feel afraid or anxious. Many girls (and guys!) don't have a complete understanding of a woman's reproductive system or what actually happens during the menstrual cycle, making the process seem even more mysterious.

Contents: 1. Puberty and Periods
2. How Does It Work?
3. How Often Does A Girl Get Her Period?
4. How Long and How Much?
5. Cramps, PMS, and Pimples
6. Pads, Tampons, and Liners
7. Was It My Period?

1. Puberty and Periods

When girls begin to go through puberty (usually starting between the ages of 8 and 13), their bodies and minds change in many ways. The hormones in their bodies stimulate new physical development, such as growth and breast development. About 2 to 2 ½ years after a girl's breasts begin to develop, she usually gets her first menstrual period (although the gap between the two is different for every girl)..

About six months or so before getting her first period, a girl might notice an increased amount of clear vaginal discharge. This discharge is common. Most of the time, there's no need for a girl to worry about discharge. There are some things that every woman should watch for, however. Normal discharge is clear, or white-ish (possibly even off-white); a yellow or greenish hue is a sign that there may be an infection, and should be brought up with your doctor. Another abnormal symptom of discharge is a strong odor. A ”fishy” smell, or one like sour milk, will often indicate infection or just plain bad hygiene. This odor also shouldn’t be strong enough to smell except when you’re changing your underwear, using the bathroom, etc. Basically, the smell shouldn’t be strong enough to permeate your clothing.

2. How Does It Work?

The start of periods is known as menarche. Menarche doesn't happen until all the parts of a girl's reproductive system have matured and are working together.

Baby girls are born with ovaries, fallopian tubes, and a uterus. The two ovaries are oval-shaped and sit on either side of the uterus (womb) in the lowest part of the abdomen called the pelvis. They contain thousands of eggs, or ova. The two fallopian tubes are long and thin. Each fallopian tube stretches from an ovary to the uterus, a pear-shaped organ that sits in the middle of the pelvis. The muscles in a female's uterus are powerful and are able to expand to allow the uterus to accommodate a growing fetus and then help push the baby out during labor.

As a girl matures and enters puberty, the pituitary gland releases hormones that stimulate the ovaries to produce other hormones called estrogen and progesterone. These hormones have many effects on a girl's body, including physical maturation, growth, and emotions.

About once a month, usually in-between periods, a tiny egg leaves one of the ovaries and travels down one of the fallopian tubes toward the uterus. This process is called ovulation. In the days before ovulation, the hormone estrogen stimulates the uterus to build up its lining with extra blood and tissue, making the walls of the uterus thick and cushioned. This happens to prepare the uterus for pregnancy: If the egg is fertilized by a sperm cell, it travels to the uterus and attaches to the cushiony wall of the uterus, where it slowly develops into a baby.

If the egg isn't fertilized, ”which is the case during most of a woman's monthly cycles,” it doesn't attach to the wall of the uterus. When this happens, the uterus sheds the extra tissue lining. The blood, tissue, and unfertilized egg leave the uterus, going through the vagina on the way out of the body. This is a menstrual period. This cycle happens almost every month for several more decades (except, of course, when a female is pregnant) until a woman reaches menopause and no longer releases eggs from her ovaries.

3. How Often Does A Girl Get Her Period?

Just as some girls begin puberty earlier or later than others, the same applies to periods. Some girls may start menstruating as early as age 10, but others may not get their first period until they are 15 or 16 years old.

The amount of time between a girl's periods is called her menstrual cycle (the cycle is counted from the start of one period to the start of the next). Some girls will find that their menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, whereas others might have a 24-day cycle, a 30-day cycle, or even longer. Following menarche, menstrual cycles last 21 - 45 days. After a couple of years, cycles become more regular and shorten to an adult length of 21 - 34 days.

Irregular periods are VERY common in girls who are just beginning to menstruate. It may take the body a while to sort out all the changes going on, so a girl may have a 28-day cycle for two months, then miss a month, for example. In fact, a girl will often get her first period, and then not get a second for a few more months! Usually, after as much as two to four years, the menstrual cycle will become more regular. Some women continue to have irregular periods into adulthood, but they tend to be altogether more predictable than in the beginning.

As a girl gets older and her periods settle down “or she gets more used to her own unique cycle” she will probably find that she can predict when her period will come. In the meantime, it's a good idea to keep track of your menstrual cycle with a calendar. Mark the first day of your period, and keep track of when you start your next one. After a few months, you should have an idea of how long it is between each period. If you find that you tend to average 26 days between periods, you can mark your calendar for 26 days after you start. The exact date may vary by a few days, but it’s good to know when to expect it so you’re not caught by surprise.

4. how Long and How Much?

The amount of time that a girl has her period also can vary. Some girls have periods that last just two or three days. Other girls may have periods that last 7 days or longer. The menstrual flow, or the amount of blood which comes out, can vary widely from girl to girl, too.

Some girls may be concerned that they're losing too much blood. It can be a shock to see all that blood, but it's unlikely that a girl will lose too much, unless she has a medical condition. Though it may look like a lot, the average amount of blood is only about two or three tablespoons (about 30 milliliters) for an entire period. Menstrual fluid is more than just blood, however. It also contains tissue and mucus from the uterine lining. Altogether, this makes up about six to nine tablespoons of fluid lost in the average period. Most teens will change pads three to six times a day, with more frequent changes when their period is heaviest, usually at the start of the period.

Especially when menstrual periods are new, you may be worried about your blood flow or whether your period is normal in other ways. Talk to a doctor or nurse if:

• Your period lasts longer than a week
• You have to change your pad/tampon very often (regularly soaking through more than one every one to two hours)
• You often go longer than three months between periods
• You have significant bleeding in-between periods (a few days of very light flow around ovulation is normal, and is called “spotting”)
• You have an unusual amount of pain before or during your period
• Your periods were regular, then became irregular

5. Cramps, Pimples, and PMS

Some girls may notice physical or emotional changes around the time of their periods. Menstrual cramps are pretty common. In fact, more than half of all women who menstruate say they have cramps during the first few days of their periods. Doctors think that cramps are caused by prostaglandin, a chemical that causes the muscles of the uterus to contract.

Depending on the girl, menstrual cramps can be dull and achy or sharp and intense, and they can sometimes be felt in the back as well as the abdomen. These cramps often become less uncomfortable and sometimes even disappear completely as a girl gets older.

Many girls and women find that over-the-counter pain medications (like acetaminophen or ibuprofen) can relieve cramps, as can taking a warm bath or applying a warm heating pad to the lower abdomen. Exercising regularly throughout the monthly cycle may help lessen cramps, too. If these things don't help, ask your doctor for advice.

Some girls and women find that they feel sad or easily irritated during the few days or week before their periods. Others may get angry more quickly than normal or cry more than usual. Some girls crave certain foods. These types of emotional changes may be the result of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

PMS is related to changes in the body's hormones. As hormone levels rise and fall during a woman's menstrual cycle, they can affect the way she feels, both emotionally and physically. Some girls, in addition to feeling more intense emotions than they usually do, notice physical changes along with their periods. Some feel bloated or puffy because of water retention, others notice swollen and sore breasts, and some get headaches.

PMS usually goes away soon after a period begins, but it can come back month after month. Eating right, getting enough sleep, and exercising may help relieve some of the symptoms of PMS. Talk to your doctor if you are concerned about your premenstrual symptoms.

It's also not uncommon for girls to have an acne flare-up during certain times of their cycle; again, this is due to hormones. Fortunately, the pimples associated with periods tend to become less of a problem as girls get older.

If your PMS symptoms (including acne associated with your cycle) are serious enough to interfere with your life, especially if over-the-counter treatments aren’t enough to make them manageable, talk to your doctor. Your life doesn’t have to be put on pause every month, and a doctor can help you find a way to make the symptoms tolerable.

6. Pads, Tampons, and Liners

Once you begin menstruating, you'll need to use something to absorb the blood. Most girls use a pad or a tampon. But some use menstrual cups, which a girl inserts into her vagina to catch and hold the blood (instead of absorbing it, like a tampon).

There are so many products out there that it may take some experimenting before you find the one that works best for you. Some girls use only pads (particularly when they first start menstruating), some use only tampons, and some switch around between the two.

Girls who worry about leakage from a tampon often use a pantiliner, too, and some girls use liners alone on very light days of their periods. Wearing a pantiliner is always a good idea if you choose to use tampons. Not much is worse than being in class or somewhere where you can’t get to the bathroom quickly… and then realizing that you’re leaking blood into your underwear. You won’t always feel it when you need to change a tampon—just because you may usually fill one up every four hours doesn’t mean it won’t take you three on occasion.

Periods shouldn't get in the way of exercising, having fun, and enjoying life. Girls who are very active, particularly those who enjoy swimming, often find that tampons are the best option during sports.

It is very important to change tampons regularly. They absorb blood and hold it in a warm, wet location—a good breeding ground for bacteria. When used correctly, you shouldn’t have to worry about this, but you should take care to never leave in a tampon in for more than six to eight hours. Wearing one overnight is fine, but put it in as close to bedtime as is reasonable and change it in the morning when you get up.

If you have questions about pads, tampons, or coping with periods, ask a parent, health teacher, school nurse, or older sister.

7. Was It My Period?

Many girls come here with questions about what may or may not have been their first period. It’s important to remember that, at the beginning, your body is still getting used to this new process. Your period now will likely not be the same as your period five or ten years later.

It is perfectly normal for your first period to be light, or to have little to no cramping/other physical symptoms. It’s also normal for your first period to look more brown or maroon-ish in color, rather than the bright red you may be expecting. This brownish blood is also likely to show up at the beginning and/or end of your future periods as well. It’s still blood, just “dead” blood. As the lining of the uterus sheds, the blood that eventually flows out is no longer circulating; this means that it may take on a color similar to dried blood.

Any Questions?

If you have a question that was't answered above, feel free to ask it here. That's what these threads are for and we're all happy to help.

Last edited by Kaleidoscope Eyes

This is an excellent post Stephen

Great post dad

it really helped me merci

oooooohkaaaaay, the fact that you know all this stuff....is, well, creepy

Nice post Stephen!

Originally Posted by [crazy]girl

oooooohkaaaaay, the fact that you know all this stuff....is, well, creepy

why is it creepy if someone is knowledgable? There are many people who are interested in the human anatomy and physiology...not just about their own sex. and they might study both sexes to really have an understanding and be able to be a good, well-rounded member of the Puberty101 forums.
Also, this is basic stuff. I know this stuff. And I'm gay. Is it still creepy?

Thanks for posting it, it's about time someone posted a thread about this stuff.
Also, stephen, did you write this, or did you copy this from somewhere else?

Originally Posted by [crazy]girl

oooooohkaaaaay, the fact that you know all this stuff....is, well, creepy

i mod these forums and one of our jobs is to find useful info to post. since recently there have been a lot of period related questions, i searched for info on the topic. call me creepy but it sounds like common sense to me.

Originally Posted by Flex

why is it creepy if someone is knowledgable? There are many people who are interested in the human anatomy and physiology...not just about their own sex. and they might study both sexes to really have an understanding and be able to be a good, well-rounded member of the Puberty101 forums.
Also, this is basic stuff. I know this stuff. And I'm gay. Is it still creepy?

Thanks for posting it, it's about time someone posted a thread about this stuff.
Also, stephen, did you write this, or did you copy this from somewhere else?

thats very flattering zach. not a chance of me writing this at all. all from research.

good post

Originally Posted by [crazy]girl

oooooohkaaaaay, the fact that you know all this stuff....is, well, creepy

It's not creepy. It's his job as a mod of this forum to help out and give information to help in these matters.

Great post Stephen!

nice post

im 16 and still havent gotten my period yet. is there anything that i could be doing that could be preventing it?

ok this is a good post and i helped me alot but i think it would have been better if it was by some one who has actually gone through there period

Thanks for this <3

ok this is a good post and i helped me alot but i think it would have been better if it was by some one who has actually gone through there period

Well, it doesn't really matter, a girl could have wrote the exact same thing and either way it's still helpfull.

excellent post stephen!!

I just have one question. Why do guys post more in the girls puberty forums than girls?

Woah, that helped a lot, thanks!

i was wondering where i can go to be shown how to insert a tampon i don't have a mom she passed when i was a baby and i'm an only child.if theres a site that i can go to t see how it's done it would be helpful.obvisouly i can't ask my dad and i don't like the scool nurse she tells my dad everything please help

It's nothing to be embarrassed about hun.
You can ask a friend or even look at the instructions on a tampon box.

Originally Posted by jadenepatricia1994

i was wondering where i can go to be shown how to insert a tampon i don't have a mom she passed when i was a baby and i'm an only child.if theres a site that i can go to t see how it's done it would be helpful.obvisouly i can't ask my dad and i don't like the scool nurse she tells my dad everything please help

You can find information like that by magazines, the internet (be careful about what you search) and the back of tampon boxes.