How Long Does A Woman Usually Have Periods
On average, women get a period for about 40 years of their life.6,7 Most women have regular periods until perimenopause, the time when your body begins the change to menopause. 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 55. The average age of menopause in the United States is 52.
Periods also stop during pregnancy and may not come back right away if you breastfeed.
But if you dont have a period for 90 days , and you are not pregnant or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor or nurse. Your doctor will check for pregnancy or a health problem that can cause periods to stop or become irregular.
What Happens During Your Menstrual Cycle
Your menstrual cycle is by definition a cyclical process of roughly a month with the first day of menstruation marking the beginning, and the day before your next period marking the end of one menstrual cycle. Here is what happens during a normal menstrual cycle:
Many assume that ovulation occurs on a fixed day for certain cycle lengths, but studies show otherwise. For a woman with a 28-day cycle, its still possible for ovulation to happen any day over a 10-day time-period. Although textbook definitions put the day of ovulation at 14 days , studies have found youre just as likely, or even more likely, to ovulate in the days after the textbook indicates. Only 20% women were found to ovulate on day 14, whereas 27.1% ovulated on day 15 and 21% day 16.
Validation Of Estimated Day Of Ovulation
The distributions of the follicular and luteal phase lengths across the study population are used to validate the apps algorithm EDO since there is good clinical data on the expected distributions of both. We compared the distribution of follicular and luteal phase lengths in our sample of 612,613 cycles to two reference data sets: a sample of 688 cycles obtained by Baird et al. and a sample of 327 cycles obtained by Lenton et al. . The adjusted phase length distribution is a close fit to that of Baird et al. and has a slightly higher fraction of short luteal phases than that of Lenton et al.
You May Like: Brown Stuff Instead Of Period
How Does My Menstrual Cycle Change As I Get Older
Your cycles may change in different ways as you get older. Often, periods are heavier when you are younger and usually get lighter in your 20s and 30s. This is normal.
- For a few years after your first period, menstrual cycles longer than 38 days are common. Girls usually get more regular cycles within three years of starting their periods. If longer or irregular cycles last beyond that, see your doctor or nurse to rule out a health problem, such as polycystic ovary syndrome .5
- In your 20s and 30s, your cycles are usually regular and can last anywhere from 24 to 38 days.
- In your 40s, as your body starts the transition to menopause, your cycles might become irregular. Your menstrual periods might stop for a month or a few months and then start again. They also might be shorter or last longer than usual, or be lighter or heavier than normal.
Talk to your doctor or nurse if you have menstrual cycles that are longer than 38 days or shorter than 24 days, or if you are worried about your menstrual cycle.
How Long Does A Period Last What You Need To Know About Menstruation Length
Its normal to experience variations in your menstrual cycle and periods throughout life. Jump into this article to learn how long a period usually lasts.
Before we dive in, lets go over the difference between your menstrual cycle and your period.
The menstrual cycle is a sequence of hormonal events that prepares the body for a potential pregnancy approximately once a month. Periods, on the other hand, mark the beginning of each new cycle. They happen when the inner lining of the uterus sheds, which causes bleeding. Both menstrual cycle length and period length vary from person to person, and its normal for them to vary in length for a single person too.
Menstrual cycles vary in length, but any length from 2135 days is considered normal for adults. For the first two years you get periods, menstrual cycles can last 2145 days and still be considered normal.
In 2020, Flo collaborated with the University of Adelaide to conduct a large study using anonymized data from our app. After studying the data of over 1.5 million people, we found that over 90 percent of people who get periods had a menstrual cycle that was 2135 days long. Interestingly, only about 16 percent of the participants had a 28-day cycle, even though you might have been told this was the typical length for menstrual cycles.
A study carried out from 20132018 of the menstrual cycles of more than 98,000 women showed that the average duration was around 30 days.
You May Like: 90 Day Probationary Period Template
When Does Menstruation Start
On average, a young woman in the U.S. has her first menstrual period at about age 12. This is generally 2 to 3 years after her breasts start to grow. This is also soon after she notices pubic and underarm hair. Stress, strenuous exercise, and diet can affect when a girl first has her period.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that a young woman consult her healthcare provider if she has not started to menstruate by the age of 15, or if she has not begun to develop breast buds, pubic hair, or underarm hair by the age of 13.
What Is A Normal Period
A normal period is different for every woman. Each month, one of your ovaries releases an egg. Meanwhile, your uterus gets ready to help your baby grow if that egg gets fertilized. If it does, youâre pregnant. If it doesnât, your body sheds the lining of your uterus through your vagina. Thatâs your period. It happens, on average, every 28 days.
Think about how old you were when you got your first period. Now think about how old you may be when you enter menopause. Your body and life will change a lot from one to the other, right? So does your menstrual cycle.
When it comes to periods, “normal” covers a lot of ground. Use the broad range of factors below as a guide. And remember: The only true normal is what’s normal for you.
Read Also: 90 Day Probationary Period Policy Examples
What Is Toxic Shock Syndrome
Toxic shock syndrome is a rare but sometimes deadly condition caused by bacteria that make toxins or poisons. In 1980, 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 . Menstrual cups, cervical caps, sponges, or diaphragms may also increase your risk for TSS if they are left in place for too long . Remove sponges within 30 hours and cervical caps within 48 hours.9
If you have any symptoms of TSS, take out the tampon, menstrual cup, sponge, or diaphragm, and call 911 or go to the hospital right away.
Symptoms of TSS include:10
- Sudden high fever
Long Periods And The Menstrual Cycle
How does the menstrual cycle determine how long a period lasts? Definitive answers are best left to doctors. However, before determining what constitutes a “long period,” is important that she develop a baseline understanding of what is normal menstruation for her. That means paying attention to:
Keeping track of these may help someone determine if a period is long and whether they’re experiencing unusual symptoms. If you believe that either is the case, speak with a gynecologist.
You May Like: Period Blood Stains On Sheets
What Are Irregular Periods
Even though girls get their periods on a cycle, that cycle can take different amounts of time each month. For example, a girl might get her period after 24 days one month and after 42 days the next. These are called irregular periods.
Irregular periods are very common, especially in a girl’s first few years of getting her period.
What Does Your Menstrual Cycle Say About Your Fertility
03/08/2021
One of the most common questions OB/GYNs have for their patients is When was the first day of your last period?. The answer to this question may feel like part of the usual routine at your annual OB/GYN appointment. If you have been trying to conceive without success, the answer could provide important insight into factors central to the menstrual cycle and conception such as hormonal imbalances and ovulation.
Medical contribution by Isaac E. Sasson, M.D., Ph.D.
Isaac E. Sasson, M.D., Ph.D., FACOG, is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and reproductive endocrinology and infertility. He has expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of infertility, including in vitro fertilization, donor egg treatment, endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, and preimplantation genetic diagnosis. Dr. Sasson sees patients at SGFs Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania, office.
Read Also: New Hire 90 Day-probationary Period Template
What Is A Menstrual Cycle And How Does Age Affect It
You can think of your menstrual cycle as a biological calendar that starts from the first day of your period until the day before the start of the next period. Girls can get their first period from as early as 10 years old or as late as 16 years old, although 12 is the average age. When a woman goes through menopause, her periods stop, which usually happens in her late-forties to early-fifties.
Although , until menopause there is still the chance a woman could get pregnant, as long as she has no other fertility issues. However, if you are under 35 and havent been able to conceive within a year , see your doctor.
A womans menstrual cycle is highly individual though, just like some women get their first period or go through menopause at different ages to other women, the length of the menstrual cycle will vary, too.
What Are Regular Periods
Most girls get their first period between the ages of 10 and 15, but some get it earlier and some later. The first period is known as menarche .
A girl’s monthly cycle is the number of days from the start of her period to the start of the next time she gets her period. You often hear this is a 28-day cycle. But 28 is just an average figure that doctors use. Cycle lengths vary some are 24 days, some are 34 days. And a girl may notice that her cycles are different lengths each month especially for the few years after she first starts getting her period.
Early in a girl’s cycle, her ovaries start preparing one egg. At the same time, the lining of the uterus becomes thick to prepare a nesting place for a fertilized egg in the event that the girl becomes pregnant.
About 2 weeks before a girl gets her period, the egg is released from the ovary . The egg travels through the fallopian tube into the uterus. If the egg isn’t fertilized by sperm, it starts to fall apart. Then the lining and egg leave a girl’s body as her period and the whole thing starts all over again that’s why we use the word “cycle.” The first day a girl’s period comes is Day 1 of her cycle.
It’s also normal for the number of days a girl has her period to vary. Sometimes a girl may bleed for 2 days, sometimes it may last a week. That’s because the level of hormones the body makes can be different from one cycle to the next, and this affects the amount and length of bleeding.
Also Check: 90 Day Employment Probationary Period Template
How To Tell If Your Period Is Irregular
Many women will experience irregular periods at some point in their lives. Its particularly common for young women to experience highly irregular periods including very long periods during their first few years of menstruation. Their periods will often shorten and stabilize between one and three years after menstruation begins.
Irregular periods include periods that are lighter, heavier, arrive unpredictably, or last longer or shorter than the average. According to the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, its estimated that between 14 to 25 percent of women have what are classified to be irregular cycles.
That being said, if your periods are less than 21 days apart or more than 35 days apart, there could be an underlying cause thats making you more irregular. If this is the case, make an appointment with your doctor.
Period Length And Perimenopause
In the years leading up to menopause, many women experience changes in their period flow and cycle length. This time of transition is called perimenopause. It can last a year or two or several years.
If youre in your 40s or 50s and your periods are suddenly unpredictable, perimenopause may be the reason. But play it safe and ask your doctor about any changes you notice.
Read Also: 90 Day Probationary Period Letter
What Happens In Each Menstrual Cycle
Why should you care about how to calculate menstrual cycle? It matters for many reasons. Some women just want to know when to expect the monthly flow. Others are trying to get pregnant and want to be able to track their ovulation timesthis begins by learning to track periods. Others just want to make sure everything is okay each month.
A menstrual cycle is much more than just a period. There are actually three very distinct phases throughout the month that create the full cycle.
Day 1 to 12: The Follicular Phase
This begins on the day you begin to bleed and continues until the day you ovulate. Certain hormones course through the body and prepare the ovaries to release follicles. One of those follicles will grow rapidly and turn into the ovum or the egg that is released during the ovulatory phase. The follicle secretes estrogen, and that helps build up the lining of the uterus.
Day 13 to 15: The Ovulatory Phase
In this phase, the egg is released into the fallopian tube. Once it is released, there is a 24-48 hour window during which it could be fertilized by male sperm. Cervical mucus increases during this time, to help the sperm swim up to the egg. If the egg is not fertilized, the lining begins to break down and the next phase begins.
Day 16 to 28: The Luteal Phase