How Long Does A Girls First Period Last

What Does A Menstrual Period Feel Like

Your First Period: What You Need to Know

A few days before and during your period, you might feel cramping and bloating in your abdomen. The cramps are caused by increased production of hormones. These hormones cause the muscles of the uterus to contract.

Many teens who have cramps also notice aching in the upper thighs along with lower back pain. Some also notice nausea, diarrhea, irritability, headaches, and fatigue, among other symptoms.

To ease cramping, try applying heat to your abdomen with a heating pad or hot water bottle. Taking a warm bath may also help. Some teens find that exercise helps relieve cramps. Exercise improves blood flow and produces endorphins, the bodyâs natural painkillers.

Simple but effective non-prescription pain relieving medications can ease symptoms. These include acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs . NSAIDs include medications like ibuprofen and naproxen . These drugs block the effects of prostaglandin hormones.

Discuss symptoms with your primary health care practitioner, so you can find the best medications and dosage.

Talk to your primary health care provider or your gynecologist if:

  • Your cramps are severe
  • Your bleeding is excessive, lasts longer than 7 days, occurs often or at the wrong time of your cycle
  • If you have not had your first period by age 16
  • If it has been 3 months since your last period
  • You think you might be pregnant
  • You develop fever and feel sick after tampon use

When Do Periods Stop

Your periods will continue until you reach the menopause, which usually happens when you are in your late 40s to mid-50s. In the UK the average age of menopause is 51.

Your periods may start to become less frequent over a few months or years before stopping altogether. In some cases they can stop suddenly.

When To Go To The Doctor

Some Medical Terms

A girl’s first menstruation is called menarche. This is pronounced MEN-arc or MEN-arc-y. When a girl passes certain milestones in her development, but does not start having periods, this is called Primary Amenorrhea. This is pronounced A-men-or-rea or Ah-men-or-rea. The word primary is the part that means the girl has never had a period. The amenorrhea part means lack of periods . This is to distinguish it from Secondary Amenorrhea, which is when a woman has had periods and then stops.

The Standards For Going To The Doctor

These standards were developed long ago. Meanwhile the average age of puberty and menarche has dropped. So, Estronaut’s opinion is that checking with a doctor a year or so earlier is not a bad idea. Also, girls of African descent mature sooner than Europeans, by about a year. So, these girls should substract another year.

On age alone: Age 15 1/2 to 16 1/2 for whites, age 14 1/2 to 15 1/2 for blacks.

If no breast or hair development: Age 13 to 14 for whites, age 12 to 13 for blacks.

If there is breast development or hair two years after either of these started.

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When Should I Expect My First Period

Most girls get their first period somewhere between the ages of 10 and 14, with an average of just over 12 years old. Its hard to tell when your first period will arrive. It usually happens about two years after the first signs of puberty , and about a year after you begin growing pubic hair. You will also notice white or yellowish vaginal discharge in the few months leading up to your period.

There are numerous factors that are thought to influence the age of the first period, including:

  • Nutrition
  • Parental education
  • Illness and stress

The average age of the first period has been decreasing over time. In 1900 in the United States, the average age of the first period was between 14 and 15 years of age. The decreasing age of the onset of menstruation seems to have levelled off now at 12.

There is no way to predict exactly when you will get your first period, and there is nothing you can do to make it start, except wait. If you are worried about your first period, talk to your family doctor.

If you are sexually active, you will need to consider the possibility that you could get pregnant once you have your period. In fact, you can even get pregnant if youve never menstruated, since its possible to ovulate before your first period. There are many forms of birth control available read about them here. You are also at risk of sexually transmitted infections if you are sexually active learn how to protect yourself.

What Age Do Girls Get Their First Period

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Mean age to get your first period is 14 to 16 years. However, some girls do start their period very early at 9 to 10 years.

If you are less than 10 years and have not started menstruating, then there is no need to worry. If you are more than 16 and still not menstruating, you should let your doctor know.

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Why Do We Have Periods And What Causes Period In Girls

Period is due to shredding of the endometrium that covers your uterus. On the first day of period, follicle stimulating hormone which is produced by the pituitary gland stimulates multiple ovarian follicles to grow.

As these follicles increase in size, they produces estrogen. Estrogen level will continue to rise before ovulation stimulating the pituitary to cause a surge in LH production. LH surge occurs 24 to 36 hours before your ovulation. If you understand your discharge before and during ovulation you can easily know your fertile days.

Ovulation will occur 12 hours after LH surge reaches its peak. After ovulation, progesterone is produced from the ruptured follicle that released the egg. Both estrogen and progesterone continue to build the endometrium.

When fertilization occurs, your baby is implanted into the endometrium. However, if the egg is not fertilized, the endometrium comes out as your period.

Between 2 periods is your menstrual cycle length. It could be regular or irregular.

What Will My First Period Feel Like

You may find your first period comes and goes with very little in the way of symptoms, or you may find you experience quite a bit of discomfort. Common symptoms include:

  • Cramping in the lower abdomen
  • Breast tenderness
  • Diarrhea or nausea
  • Dizziness

Most of these symptoms do not last long, and can be treated with ibuprofen or other over-the-counter pain relief medications. A heating pad or hot water bottle on the abdomen or lower back can help ease pain in these areas. More details on menstrual pain and other symptoms can be found here .

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Know Whats Normal For You

Keep track of your periods with an app or a simple paper calendar. Take note of the rate of flow and when it shows up, so youll spot any changes right away.

Finally, see your gynecologist regularly and discuss your periods during your appointments. If anything seems weird to you, bring it up.

Your period is a clue to whats going on with your reproductive health, Dr. Higgins says. Your doctor wants to know the details so we can help you stay healthy.

Hormonal Birth Control And Periods

How long should my period last..?

Your period may be shorter and lighter if you use birth control that contains hormones. The hormones in these methods are progestin alone or a combination of progestin and estrogen. Hormonal birth control includes:

  • Oral contraceptive : These pills, which you take every day, may contain estrogen and progestin, or progestin only .
  • Birth control patch: This is a sticker that you place on your skin and replace each week. It contains both estrogen and progestin.
  • Vaginal ring: You place this ring-shaped device in your vagina and change it once a month. It contains both estrogen and progestin.
  • Injectable contraceptive: This is a progestin-only shot that your doctor gives you every three months.
  • Hormonal implant: This implant is a tiny rod-shaped device that a doctor places under the skin in your upper arm. It is effective for up to three years.
  • Hormonal intrauterine device : This is a T-shaped device that your doctor places inside your uterus. It contains progestin and is effective for three to six years depending on the specific type.

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How Does It Start

The first period typically occurs after a female first ovulates. This happens when the ovaries release an egg into the fallopian tube.

When this happens, the womb lining thickens in preparation for the egg to be fertilized. If fertilization does not occur, the lining sheds, as the body no longer needs it. This is where period blood comes from.

In most females, this cycle continues regularly from the age of the first period until menopause, which is when periods end.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the average age at which females began menstruating in the United States in 20132017 was

How Do I Calculate My Menstrual Cycle

The first day of your menstruation is your LMP . It is important you monitor and chart your cycle every month. Between 2 of your LMP is the menstrual cycle or period cycle.

For example, the first day you saw your period last was 28th July, 2015. This implies that your LMP is 28th July. If your next period is 27th August, then your menstrual cycle is 30 days.

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About Your Menstrual Period

Menstruation, or a womans period, is a period of bleeding that happens every month:

  • The average age for girls to begin their periods is 12 years old, but some will begin menstruating earlier or later.
  • Periods vary in length for every girl and can be anywhere from three to eight days.
  • You may experience long cycles in the first few years of menstruation, but they tend to shorten and become more regular as you age .

Menstruating, commonly referred to as having a period, means that your body is preparing for pregnancy. This includes ovulating and preparing the uterine lining for a pregnancy. The uterus is the area of the body where a baby grows during pregnancy.

The period of bleeding you experience is the uterus shedding its lining so that it can prepare a new one each month. The red discharge during your period is the uterine tissue and blood flowing through the cervix and out of the vagina.

What Will It Be Like

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Every females period is different. Periods can vary in duration, frequency, and heaviness. Some females have very light periods, while others have heavy periods.

For some, the first period is light, with a small amount of blood. It may begin gradually, starting with some spotting or brown discharge before becoming red.

For others, periods begin suddenly, with bright red blood appearing straight away. In either case, this is normal. Period blood can range in color from brown to dark red. Some people may also pass small blood clots.

Having a period can feel similar to having vaginal discharge, but some females do not feel much at all.

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Should I Use Tampons Or Pads

Teens can use tampons, pads, or both during their period. Tampons are worn inside the vagina and come in a variety of sizes with different absorbencies . Itâs important to change a tampon at least every four to 8 hours to avoid leakage and serious bacterial infections. According to the company Tampax, you can wear a tampon overnight, but insert a new one before bed and change it first thing in the morning.

Pads are usually self-adhesive and worn inside the underwear. You can find pads for light days, heavy days, and overnight. Change pads at least every four hours to avoid leakage and odor.

Itâs important to understand your body as you decide on tampons or pads. Girls who participate in sports may find tampons less bulky and restrictive than pads. Girls are able to swim with tampons. Still, other girls think tampons are uncomfortable and prefer to use pads. It may take a while to find the right product for you.

Whether you choose tampons or pads, keep extras in your school locker or in a side pocket of your purse. Change the tampon or pad more frequently on heavy days to avoid an embarrassing stain on your clothes.

Changes In Your Periods

Your periods can change for example, they may last longer or get lighter. This does not necessarily mean there’s a problem, but it does need to be investigated.

You can see your GP, or visit your nearest women’s clinic or contraceptive clinic.

Bleeding between periods, bleeding after having sex, or bleeding after the menopause needs to be checked by a doctor.

It might be caused by an infection, abnormalities in the neck of the womb or, in rare cases, it could be cancer.

You could be pregnant if you miss a period and you’ve had sex. See your GP if you’ve taken a pregnancy test and the result is negative and you’ve missed 3 consecutive periods.

They will investigate the cause and recommend any necessary treatment.

Read more about stopped or missed periods.

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Menstruation: Whats Normal For Girls

New Guidelines Call for Routine Checks, List 12 Menstrual Warning Signs in Young Girls

The guidelines come from the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Adolescence along with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee on Adolescent Health.

The committees recommend that doctors view girlsmenstruation as a vital sign at medical checkups, just like temperature and heart rate.

And as they enter puberty, girls should get preventive checkups to learn about their reproductive health in a confidential setting, the doctors add.

Girls are 12-13 years old, on average, when they get their first menstrual period , the committees note.

That average age hasnt changed much in 30 years, though black girls go through menarche five months earlier than they did 30 years ago, according to the committees.

Their report appears in the November edition of Pediatrics.

Menstruation: How Long Does Period Last In Girls

How Long Does your Period Last? Dr. Burns and Jonna Piira

Are you having your menstruation for the first time and want to know how long does period last? Have you noticed your period for a while but its too short or long?

This guide from Medplux explains what a normal menstrual cycle length should be and several menstruation questions you wanted to ask.

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When Will I Get My First Period

There’s no way to know exactly when you’ll get your first period. One day, youll see blood in your underwear or on your sheets, and boom there it is! There may be signs of your first period , but this doesnt happen for everyone.

Most people get their first period between ages 12 and 15, but some people get theirs earlier or later than that. Your period might start around the time it did for other people youre related to, like your mom or sisters. If you don’t get your period by the time you’re 16, its a good idea to go to your doctor or a Planned Parenthood health center just to make sure everythings okay.

Its totally normal to be anxious or curious about getting your period, but try not to stress about it too much. Everyones body is different, so everyone starts their periods at different times. You never know when its going to show up, so carrying a tampon, period underwear, or a pad in your bag can help you feel more ready for when your first period comes.

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