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\nA menstrual cycle begins with the first day of your period, or menstruation [MEN-stroo-AY-shuhn] and starts over again when the next period begins. Throughout a monthly menstrual cycle, your body makes different amounts of chemicals called hormones to prepare for pregnancy. These changing hormone levels can cause menstrual symptoms. Menstrual cycles often change as a woman gets older. A normal cycle lasts between 24 and 38 days.
\nMenstruation is a woman\u2019s monthly bleeding, often called your \u201cperiod.\u201d When you menstruate, your body discards the monthly buildup of the lining of your uterus (womb). Menstrual blood and tissue flow from your uterus through the small opening in your cervix and pass out of your body through your vagina.
\nDuring the monthly menstrual cycle, the uterus lining builds up to prepare for pregnancy. If you do not get pregnant, estrogen and progesterone hormone levels begin falling. Very low levels of estrogen and progesterone tell your body to begin menstruation.
\nThe menstrual cycle is the monthly hormonal cycle a female\u2019s body goes through to prepare for pregnancy. Your menstrual cycle is counted from the first day of your period up to the first day of your next period. Your hormone levels (estrogen and progesterone) usually change throughout the menstrual cycle and can cause menstrual symptoms.
\nThe typical menstrual cycle is 28 days long, but each woman is different.2\">2 Also, a woman\u2019s menstrual cycle length might be different from month-to-month. Your periods are still \u201cregular\u201d if they usually come every 24 to 38 days.3\">3 This means that the time from the first day of your last period up to the start of your next period is at least 24 days but not more than 38 days.
\nSome women\u2019s periods are so regular that they can predict the day and time that their periods will start. Other women are regular but can only predict the start of their period within a few days.
\nOvulation is when the ovary releases an egg so it can be fertilized by a sperm in order to make a baby. A woman is most likely to get pregnant if she has sex without birth control in the three days before and up to the day of ovulation (since the sperm are already in place and ready to fertilize the egg as soon as it is released). A man\u2019s sperm can live for 3 to 5 days in a woman\u2019s reproductive organs, but a woman\u2019s egg lives for just 12 to 24 hours after ovulation.
\nEach woman\u2019s cycle length may be different, and the time between ovulation and when the next period starts can be anywhere from one week (7 days) to more than 2 weeks (19 days).4\">4
\nAt different times in a woman\u2019s life, ovulation may or may not happen:
\nA few days before you ovulate, your vaginal mucus or discharge changes and becomes more slippery and clear. This type of mucus helps sperm move up into your uterus and into the fallopian tubes where it can fertilize an egg. Some women feel minor cramping on one side of their pelvic area when they ovulate. Some women have other signs of ovulation.
\nLuteinizing hormone (LH) is a hormone released by your brain that tells the ovary to release an egg (called ovulation). LH levels begin to surge upward about 36 hours before ovulation, so some women and their doctors test for LH levels. LH levels peak about 12 hours before ovulation.1 Women who are tracking ovulation to become pregnant will notice a slight rise in their basal temperature (your temperature after sleeping before you get out of bed) around ovulation. Learn more about tracking ovulation to become pregnant.
\nYour cycles may change in different ways as you get older. Often, periods are heavier when you are younger (in your teens) and usually get lighter in your 20s and 30s. This is normal.
\nTalk 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.
\nIf your periods are regular, tracking them will help you know when you ovulate, when you are most likely to get pregnant, and when to expect your next period to start.
\nIf your periods are not regular, tracking them can help you share any problems with your doctor or nurse.
\nIf you have period pain or bleeding that causes you to miss school or work, tracking these period symptoms will help you and your doctor or nurse find treatments that work for you. Severe pain or bleeding that causes you to miss regular activities is not normal and can be treated.
\nYou can keep track of your menstrual cycle by marking the day you start your period on a calendar. After a few months, you can begin to see if your periods are regular or if your cycles are different each month.
\nYou may want to track:
\nYou 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.
\nThe average age for a girl in the United States to get her first period is 12.6 This does not mean that all girls start at the same age.
\nA girl may start her period anytime between 8 and 15. The first period normally starts about two years after breasts first start to develop and pubic hair begins to grow. The age at which a girl\u2019s mother started her period can help predict when a girl may start her period.
\nA girl should see her doctor if:
\nGet more information for girls about getting their period at girlshealth.gov.
\nOn average, women get a period for about 40 years of their life.6\">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.
\nPeriods also stop during pregnancy and may not come back right away if you breastfeed.
\nBut if you don\u2019t have a period for 90 days (three months), 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.
\nThe average woman loses about two to three tablespoons of blood during her period.8\">8 Your periods may be lighter or heavier than the average amount. 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.
\nYour 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:
\nFollow the instructions that came with your period product. Try to change or rinse your feminine hygiene product before it becomes soaked through or full.
\nUse 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.
\nToxic shock syndrome (TSS) 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.
\nToday, 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.9\">9
\nIf 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.
\nSymptoms of TSS include:10\">10
\nThe changing hormone levels throughout the menstrual cycle can also affect other health problems:
\nLearn more about your menstrual cycle and your health.
\nFor more information about the menstrual cycle, call the OWH Helpline at 1-800-994-9662 or check out the following resources from other organizations:
\nThis content is provided by the Office on Women's Health.
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