What Is a Period?

Overview

What Is a Period?

A period is when blood comes out through a girl's vagina for a few days each month. Sometimes a period is called menstruation (say: men-STROO-ay-shun). It’s a sign that she is getting close to the end of puberty. Puberty is when your body goes from looking like a kid's into looking more like a grown-up's.

Here are some questions that kids often ask about periods.

When Do Most Girls Get Their Period?

A girl’s first period usually happens around age 12. But sometimes it comes a few years earlier or later. Every girl's body has its own schedule.

How Will I Know My First Period Is Coming?

There are some signs that a girl's period may start soon. These include:

• wearing a bra for a few years
• having hair under her arms and in her private parts
• having some clear, stringy liquid (called discharge) coming from her vagina

Why Do Girls Get Periods?

A period happens because of changes in hormones in the body.

Hormones give messages to the body. These hormones cause the lining of the uterus (or womb) to build up. This gets the uterus ready for an egg (from the mom) and sperm (from the dad) to attach and grow into a baby. If the woman doesn’t get pregnant, the lining breaks down and bleeds. This same process happens every month. That is why most girls and women get their periods around once a month.

Are Periods Regular at First?

For the first few years after a girl starts her period, it may be irregular (say: ih-REH-gu-ler) (not come on the same schedule each month). This is normal at first. By about 2–3 years after her first period, periods tend to come about once a month.

Timing

How Long Do Periods Last?

Most periods last about five days. But a period can be shorter or last longer.

How Often Do Periods Happen?

Periods usually happen about once a month. But some girls get their periods around every three weeks. And others only get a period about once every six weeks.

How Long Will I Have Periods for?

When women are around age 45‒55, they stop having periods (this is called menopause). Women also won't have a period while they are pregnant.

Dealing With a Period

How Do I Deal With Period Blood?

There are a few ways to deal with period blood. You may need to try different products to figure out what works best for you and what feels comfortable. Some girls use only one method and others switch between different methods:

• Most girls use apad when they first get their period. Pads are made of cotton and come in lots of different sizes and shapes. They have sticky strips that attach to underwear.
• Many girls prefer to use tampons instead of pads, especially when playing sports or swimming. A tampon is a cotton plug that a girl puts into her vagina. Most tampons come with an applicator that guides the tampon into place. The tampon absorbs the blood. Don't leave a tampon in for more than eight hours because this can increase the chance of a serious infection called toxic shock syndrome.
• Some girls prefer a menstrual cup. To use a menstrual cup, a girl inserts it into her vagina. The cup holds the blood until she empties it.
• Period underwear is underwear that absorbs blood like pads do. Period underwear also helps prevent leaks and keeps girls dry. If the period blood flow is heavier, a girl can use the underwear with tampons or a menstrual cup.

How Often Do I Need to Change Them?

Most girls need to change their pad, tampon, or menstrual cup about 3–6 times a day. If you use period underwear, change it every 8–12 hours or more often if you need to, then rinse and follow the manufacturer’s instructions on cleaning. You can ask a parent for help.

How Much Blood Comes Out?

Although it may look like a lot of blood, a girl usually only loses a few tablespoons of blood for the whole period.

Sometimes there may be spotting, which is light bleeding. Other times, you may see some clumps of blood during menstruation.

It’s also normal for the color of period blood to be brown as well as red.

How Might I Be Feeling?

Period Cramps

Lots of girls have cramps with their period, mostly in the first few days. This happens when the uterus (the place inside a woman’s body where a baby grows) squeezes. They are caused by a chemical in the body called prostaglandins (say: pross-tuh-GLAN-dinz). The squeezing of the muscles helps push the blood out through a girl's vagina during her period.

If the cramps are very uncomfortable, a warm heating pad on the belly and some medicines can help. If you have cramps, talk to a parent or your doctor about what medicines can help.

PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome)

PMS (premenstrual syndrome) is when a girl has emotional and physical symptoms right before her period starts or during the early part of her period. PMS can make some girls:

• be in a bad mood
• feel more sad or worried than usual
• feel bloated (swollen)
• get pimples

What Else Should I Know?

Periods are normal and are a part of growing up. Periods shouldn't get in the way of having fun, exercising, and enjoying life. If you have more questions about periods, ask your doctor, a parent, health teacher, school nurse, or older sister.