But some girls get their periods around every 3 weeks. And others only get a period about once every 6 weeks. There are a few ways to deal with period blood. You may need to experiment a bit to find which works best for you. Some girls use only one method and others switch between different methods.
Although it may look like a lot of blood, a girl usually only loses a few tablespoons of blood for the whole period. Most girls need to change their pad, tampon, or menstrual cup about 3—6 times a day.
Women also won't have a period while they are pregnant. 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. A girl with PMS might:. Lots of girls have cramps with their period, especially in the first few days. If the cramps are very uncomfortable, a warm heating pad on the belly and medicines can help.
Periods are a natural, healthy part of a girl's life. They shouldn't get in the way of exercising, having fun, and enjoying life. It may take the body a while to sort out all the changes going on, so a girl may have a day cycle for 2 months, then miss a month, for example. Usually, after a year or two, the menstrual cycle will become more regular. Some women continue to have irregular periods into adulthood, though. 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.
The amount of time that a girl has her period also can vary. Some girls have periods that last just 2 or 3 days. Other girls may have periods that last 7 days. The menstrual flow — meaning how much blood comes out of the vagina — can vary from girl to girl, too. Though it may look like a lot, the average amount of blood is only about 2 tablespoons 30 milliliters for an entire period.
Most girls change pads 3 to 6 times a day. You may be worried about whether your period is normal in other ways. Your doctor or nurse can answer any questions about your period. Lots of girls notice body or mood changes around the time of their periods. Menstrual cramps are pretty common. More than half of all women who get periods say they have cramps during the first few days.
Doctors think that cramps are caused by a chemical called prostaglandin that causes the muscles of the uterus to contract.
Cramps can be dull and achy or sharp and intense. Sometimes a woman feels cramps in her back as well as her tummy area. Sometimes they go away completely. Many girls and women find that over-the-counter pain medicine like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help cramps.
So can taking a warm bath or putting a warm heating pad on the lower abdomen. Exercising regularly throughout the monthly cycle may help lessen cramps, too. 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. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. There is a lot to learn about periods. Here are some common questions that teens have. But there are some clues that it will start soon: Most of the time, a girl gets her period about 2 years after her breasts start to develop. Another sign is vaginal discharge fluid sort of like mucus that a girl might see or feel on her underwear. This discharge usually begins about 6 months to a year before a girl gets her first period.
What Causes a Period? How Does Ovulation Relate to Periods? How Long Do Periods Last? Periods usually last about 5 days. But a period can be shorter or last longer. How Often Does a Period Happen? Most girls use pads 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 the underwear. Many girls find tampons more convenient than 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. You can also download apps sometimes for free for your phone to track your periods. Some include features to track your PMS symptoms, energy and activity levels, and more. The average age for a girl in the United States to get her first period is A girl may start her period anytime between 8 and The first period normally starts about two years after breasts first start to develop and pubic hair begins to grow.
Get more information for girls about getting their period at girlshealth. On average, women get a period for about 40 years of their life. Perimenopause, or transition to menopause, may take a few years. During this time, your period may not come regularly. Menopause happens when you have not had a period for 12 months in a row. For most women, this happens between the ages of 45 and The average age of menopause in the United States is Your doctor will check for pregnancy or a health problem that can cause periods to stop or become irregular.
The average woman loses about two to three tablespoons of blood during her period. What is normal for you may not be the same for someone else.
Also, the flow may be lighter or heavier from month to month. Your periods may also change as you get older. Some women have heavy bleeding during perimenopause, the transition to menopause. Symptoms of heavy menstrual bleeding may include:. Follow the instructions that came with your period product. Try to change or rinse your feminine hygiene product before it becomes soaked through or full. Use a product appropriate in size and absorbency for your menstrual bleeding.
The amount of menstrual blood usually changes during a period. Some women use different products on different days of their period, depending on how heavy or light the bleeding is. Toxic shock syndrome TSS is a rare but sometimes deadly condition caused by bacteria that make toxins or poisons. In , 63 women died from TSS. A certain brand of super absorbency tampons was said to be the cause. These tampons were taken off the market. Today, most cases of TSS are not caused by using tampons.
But, you could be at risk for TSS if you use more absorbent tampons than you need for your bleeding or if you do not change your tampon often enough at least every four to eight hours. Menstrual cups, cervical caps, sponges, or diaphragms anything inserted into your vagina may also increase your risk for TSS if they are left in place for too long usually 24 hours.
Remove sponges within 30 hours and cervical caps within 48 hours. If you have any symptoms of TSS, take out the tampon, menstrual cup, sponge, or diaphragm, and call or go to the hospital right away. The changing hormone levels throughout the menstrual cycle can also affect other health problems:.
Learn more about your menstrual cycle and your health. For more information about the menstrual cycle, call the OWH Helpline at or check out the following resources from other organizations:.
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