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A period, also known as menstruation, is the part of the menstrual cycle where blood is shed from the vagina. Girls and people with vaginas will start to have periods between the ages of 8 and 15.
Between the ages of 8 and 15, girls and people with vaginas begin their monthly cycle known as the menstrual cycle. This is what makes pregnancy possible.
Every month, the ovaries release an egg – this is called ovulation. This egg travels down the fallopian tubes to the uterus, which you might hear being called the ‘womb’.
At the same time, the lining of the uterus thickens with blood and body tissue – this is to prepare for a pregnancy as the blood and tissue will provide nutrients for a foetus.
Once an egg has been released, if it not fertilised by a sperm (which is what causes pregnancy) then it is shed through the vagina along with the lining of the womb. This is a period.
Period bleeding will usually last for 2-7 days.
Periods usually happen every four to five weeks, so once a month. However, some people will have a longer or shorter gap between periods.
Periods continue throughout your life unless you become pregnant or when you reach menopause, which usually happens between the ages of 44 and 56. This is when you stop being able to get pregnant and your periods stop, too.
Some people might find that the gap between their periods changes – this is called having an irregular cycle or irregular periods. Having an irregular cycle doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong but it’s a good idea to see your GP to check. What a irregular period looks like, will depend on how long you’ve had periods for.
If you are experiencing irregular periods or if you usually have regular periods and they start becoming irregular without any obvious reason, it’s worth seeing your GP.
It’s usually about one to five tablespoons’ worth of period blood that leaves your body during your period (around 20-90ml) – though it sometimes feels like more than that!
Often when people talk about periods, they will describe them as being ‘light’ if there is only a little bit of blood or ‘heavy’ if there is lots of blood.
Most people find that their period is light at the very start and then again at the end, but that it gets heavier during the middle. This means they might need to use different products on different days of their period to help them manage it. Find out about period products
It’s helpful to learn what a normal period looks and feels like for you so you can spot any changes, which might mean something needs to be checked by a doctor. And remember – lots of things can affect how light or heavy your period is, including contraception.
Like with a lot of things to do with our bodies, everyone’s period will be a bit different. But there are some things that lots of people will notice and wonder if it’s normal.
It’s totally normal if:
During your period, you might experience cramps, these are when happens when the muscular walls of the uterus tighten (contract) to help the lining shred. It’s normal to feel a bit of pain and discomfort from cramps, but again they shouldn’t stop you living your life normally and there are lots of things you can try to help make them better.
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Your period is started by a drop in hormones (chemicals produced by the body) and the walls of the uterus contracting and tightening.
In the days (or possibly weeks) leading up to your period, you may experience some uncomfortable symptoms, this is called premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or premenstrual tension (PMT).
No one knows exactly what causes PMS, but it’s thought to be linked to the drop in hormone levels.
PMS can have different symptoms:
You might have none, some, or all of these symptoms. Sometimes the symptoms last through your period, or you may find they disappear when you start to bleed.
PMS isn’t fun, but it shouldn’t interfere too much with your day-to-day life. If you find that you are struggling, there are things that might help.
Everyone’s period is different. It’s good to pay attention to what is normal for you and to notice if anything changes. If you notice anything outside the normal for you, it’s a good idea to tell someone or speak to your GP.
Some things to look out for are:
There might be nothing wrong but it’s a good idea to check with a doctor.
If your gender is different to the one given you at birth, you may find periods triggering or uncomfortable. For many transgender people, periods directly challenge their identity and gender. This can make it difficult to:
There are things that can make it easier:
In a similar way, if someone doesn’t have a period this can challenge their identity. For example, transwomen or women who have had a hysterectomy (removal of the uterus by surgery) may struggle with their identity as a woman.
For this reason, some people choose to use the moon’s cycle (which is around 27 days) to plan a time for rest and reflection that would normally take place during a period.
It is important to use a tampon that is the right absorbency for you. Always choose a tampon with the lowest absorbency necessary for your blood flow.
There is a very small risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) with tampon use. This is extremely rare but using the lowest absorbency tampon for your flow and not leaving your tampon in for longer than needed reduces this risk.
If your tampon leaks, then you have either left it in too long, or you need to try a higher absorbency. If your tampon doesn’t come out easily, or it feels uncomfortable when you pull it out, this can mean that it hasn’t soaked enough blood yet, so leave it in a bit longer. If your tampon is still difficult to remove after four to six hours, switch to using a lower absorbency tampon.
Aim to take a tampon out every four to six hours, depending on your flow. It is safe to wear a tampon overnight, but it’s important to take it out as soon as you wake up in the morning.
You might notice that in the days leading up to your period or during your period you may poo more or have diarrhea. This is completely normal! As your body is preparing to shed the lining of your uterus it produces prostaglandins which cause your uterus to contract but also cause your stool to move quicker through your intestines.
It’s also normal to experience the opposite, constipation.
Focusing on your diet is a great way to help with these symptoms but if this is affecting your ability to go about your daily life, you should speak to your GP to get extra support. It might be that using hormonal contraception might be useful for you.
It’s perfectly safe from a health point of view to have sex on your period – although you can still get pregnant as a result! So make sure to use contraception, if you don’t want to get pregnant, and to use condoms to protect against sexually transmitted infections. Period sex can sometimes get messy, too, because of the blood – so think about putting down an old towel first to soak up any escaping fluids!
Technically, you are more likely to become pregnant at a certain time of the month, during ovulation, but it’s impossible to tell when you will next ovulate. This is because your menstrual cycle can vary from month to month. Also, sperm can live in your body for up to seven days, which means it is high risk to have unprotected sex up to seven days before ovulation. Always use a method of contraception, even when you are on your period.
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