Menstruation, the menstrual cycle refers to the changes and preparation that a woman’s body goes through to prepare for pregnancy. About once a month, the uterus grows a new lining (endometrium) to get ready for a fertilized egg. When there is no fertilized egg to start the pregnancy, the uterus sheds its lining starting off the monthly menstrual bleeding also called a menstrual period.
The Menstrual Cycle
Everyone (adolescent boys and girls) who is about to enter puberty (the process of body changes that cause a child’s body to become an adult body capable of reproduction) should be taught or know the basic medical definition of menstruation and that it is a normal process that females go through as their bodies prepare themselves for a potential pregnancy. It is a part of the monthly menstrual cycle (regular cycling of hormones) that occur in the female reproductive system that makes pregnancy possible.
Medically, menstruation (also termed period or bleeding) is the process in a woman of discharging (through the vagina) blood and other materials from the lining of the uterus at about one monthly interval from puberty until menopause (ceasing of regular menstrual cycles), except during pregnancy. This discharging process lasts about 3-5 days.
What are the signs and symptoms of menstruation?
Besides the bleeding, other signs and symptoms of menstruation may include headache, acne, bloating, pains in the low abdomen, tiredness, mood changes, food cravings, breast soreness, and diarrhea.
When, does menstruation begin? When does it end?
The menstrual cycle is the hormonal driven cycle; Day 1 is the first day of your period (bleeding) while day 14 is the approximate day you ovulate and if an egg is not fertilized, hormone levels eventually drop and at about day 25; the egg begins to dissolve and the cycle begins again with the period at about day 30. Menstruation begins day 1 and normally ends days 3-5 of the menstrual cycle.
At what age do girls go through puberty and begin and start their period (begin to menstruate)?
The average age for a girl to get her first period in the US is 12, but the range of age is about 8 to 15 years old. Women usually have periods until about ages 45 to 55.
At what age do girls go through puberty and begin and start their period (begin to menstruate)?
The average age for a girl to get her first period in the US is 12, but the range of age is about 8 to 15 years old. Women usually have periods until about ages 45 to 55.
How long does a period last?
The menstrual cycle is the hormonal driven cycle. Day 1 is the first day of your period (bleeding) while day 14 is the approximate day you ovulate and if an egg is not fertilized, hormone levels eventually drop and at about day 25. The egg then begins to dissolve and the cycle begins again with the period at about day 30.
Most periods vary somewhat, the flow may be light, moderate or heavy and can vary in length from about 2 to 7 days; with age, the cycle usually shortens and becomes more regular.
What is menstruation? What is the menstrual cycle?
How menstruation is pronounced?
How menstruation is pronounced?
Menstruation is bleeding from the vagina that happens about once a month, as a normal part of the menstrual cycle. It is also known as having a period.
During this cycle, your hormones make the lining of the uterus become thicker, getting ready in case of pregnancy. Hormones also cause an egg to be released from an ovary, which is known as ovulation.
If you don’t become pregnant, your periods start about two weeks after you ovulate. The lining of the uterus falls away and, along with some blood, flows out through the vagina. Periods can be light or heavy, and the blood can range from bright red to dark brown. You might also notice small clots.
When do girls start their period?
Girls have their first period during puberty. Most often that is around the age of 12 or 13 years old, but girls can start menstruating as young as 9, or as late as 16.
bleeding. When you menstruate, your body sheds the lining of the uterus (womb). Menstrual blood flows from the uterus through the small opening in the cervix and passes out of the body through the vagina. Most menstrual periods last from 3 to 5 days.
How long do periods last?
Menstruation affects every woman, but the experience can differ between women. When periods (menstruations) come regularly, this is called the menstrual cycle. Having regular menstrual cycles is a sign that important parts of your body are working normally. The menstrual cycle provides important body chemicals, called hormones, to keep you healthy. It also prepares your body for pregnancy each month. A cycle is counted from the first day of 1 period to the first day of the next period. The average menstrual cycle is 28 days long. Cycles can range anywhere from 21 to 35 days in adults and from 21 to 45 days in young teens. The rise and fall of levels of hormones during the month control the menstrual cycle.
What are the signs and symptoms of menstruation?
Some women get symptoms leading up to and during menstruation, for example, cramps or pains low in the abdomen, bloating or swelling in the abdomen, constipation before your period, diarrhea when your period starts, acne, tiredness, and mood changes.
When do periods stop?
Women usually have periods until menopause. Menopause occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, usually around age 50. Menopause means that a woman is no longer ovulating (producing eggs) or having periods and can no longer get pregnant. Like menstruation, menopause can vary from woman to woman and these changes may occur over several years.
For the first few years after menstruation begins, longer cycles are common. A woman’s cycle tends to shorten and become more regular with age. Most of the time, periods will be in the range of 21 to 35 days apart.
Periods stop during pregnancy, and often while you are breastfeeding. Some women find their periods stop for a time because of long-term illness, low body weight, stress, lots of strenuous exercise, and hormone problems. Some medications, such as contraceptives, might stop your period. This can be helpful for some women, especially if their periods are heavy or painful. Sometimes after stopping the pill or other contraceptive, it can take a while for your periods to come back. Periods stop altogether when women reach menopause – the average age is 51-52.
