The average girl gets her first menstrual period at the age of 12, and the average woman continues having it until she reaches menopause in middle age. This expected monthly event — and the four-phase cycle that drives it — are an integral part of female life.
Women’s wellness is at the center of everything we do at New Beginnings OB/GYN. That’s why, in advance of National Menstrual Health Awareness Month this coming May, Dr. Rania Ibrahim is here to answer 10 common questions about menstrual periods.
The menstrual cycle is a monthly hormonal process to prepare your body for a possible pregnancy. The average 28-day cycle occurs in four phases over the following day spans:
On days one through five, your uterus sheds its lining, and you menstruate (bleed).
The follicular phase overlaps with the menses phase, starting on day one and ending with ovulation. During this phase, rising estrogen levels prompt growth of the uterine lining and the maturation of new eggs.
An increase in luteinizing hormone triggers ovulation — or the release of the mature egg from the ovary — around day 14 of a 28-day cycle.
From days 15-28, rising progesterone levels prepare your uterine lining for pregnancy. If pregnancy doesn’t occur, the cycle returns to phase one (menstruation).
You’re intimately acquainted with your period. But if you’re like most women, there are aspects of your menstrual cycle you’d like to know more about. Here are answers to questions we hear often at New Beginnings OB/GYN:
The average age of onset for menstruation is 12 years old, but it’s normal for girls to get their period as early as eight and as late as 16. Menstruation typically begins a year or two after pubic hair and breast development.
Your period is the part of your menstrual cycle when the lining of your uterus sheds through your vagina, and you bleed. A normal period lasts three to seven days.
The average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, counting from the first day of your period to the start of your next period. However, a cycle can range in length from 21-35 days, and still be normal. Put another way: it’s normal to have a period every three to five weeks.
Your cycle may be consistent, like clockwork, or it may vary from one month to the next. Both are normal. It’s also normal for menstrual cycle regularity to change with age.
It’s typical to have an irregular cycle in adolescence (e.g., months with longer, heavier periods), consistent periods in early adulthood, and a return to irregularity in middle age as menopause approaches (e.g., months with shorter, lighter periods).
External factors like stress, illness, and changes in diet or exercise habits can also cause temporary irregularity in the cycle.
You’re most likely to get pregnant around ovulation, which happens in the middle of your cycle, or around day 14 of a 28-day cycle. But because discharged sperm can live in your body for up to five days, your “fertile window” occurs during days 10-15 of a 28-day cycle.
Vaginal discharge typically becomes clearer and more slippery just before ovulation.
You lose two to three tablespoons of blood during a typical monthly cycle. Your period may be heavier at the start, and it’s normal to pass a few small blood clots.
Period bleeding is excessive when it fully saturates your protection for several consecutive hours, or when it's consistently prolonged (e.g., periods lasting 8 days or longer). You may also pass very large clots.
Hormonal changes during your menstrual cycle can cause various emotional, physical, and cognitive effects. High estrogen levels in the follicular phase often lead to increased energy and a better mood. But the progesterone surge during the luteal phase is associated with many symptoms, collectively called premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
After ovulation, in the lead-up to your next period, you may experience breast tenderness, low energy, bloating, mood changes, and food cravings. During menstruation, cramping is common.
Most women get a monthly period for about 40 years. The average age of menopause — defined as going one year without a period — is 52.
Schedule a visit with Dr. Ibrahim if:
You should also seek a gynecological evaluation if you’re 16 and haven’t had a period, or if you feel sick after using tampons.
Do you have any questions or concerns about your period? Call New Beginnings OB/GYN in Shenandoah, Texas, today, or use our online booking tool to schedule a visit with Dr. Ibrahim at your convenience.