All about PERIODS | MENSTRUATION

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The most common questions when it comes to that normal thing: your PERIOD

Menstruation, why?

At the age of 8 to 17 years, the period may begin. This means that every month an egg is released into the uterus. If it is not fertilized, your body simply sheds the prepared lining and prepares for the next month.

Bleeding can last from 2 to 5 days and can be light, heavy, short or long. Because each body is different.

How will your period effect you?

Discomfort, mood swings and cramps are quite common when menstruating.

But don’t worry, you are not alone. Sanitary towels, tampons and other products are available to absorb the bleeding during this time. If you are concerned, your doctor will always be more than happy to help you to adjust to this process.

What's a normal period length?

The average period length, that is the time from the first sign of blood to the last, is usually in the 3-to-5-day range.

It’s common for cycles to be a little irregular, especially for a few years after your first period. This means your periods may not always come at the same time every cycle, and they may be a bit different from one month to the next. Don’t worry, as you progress through adolescence, your cycles will become more regular and start to reflect adult cycle ranges, but they may still be a bit variable.

tampon - sanitary article for the period

Why is my period late?

There are several reasons why your period might be late. One of them: you might be pregnant. If you think this could be the case, you can take a home pregnancy test or see your doctor to check.

Other causes can range from stress or changes in your eating or exercise habits, to hormonal imbalances and serious medical conditions.

Young people, whose cycles are not yet so well established, often have hormonal fluctuations that can cause late or even missed periods.

Why do I miss my period?

Basically, late and missed periods have the same reasons. And there are many reasons other than pregnancy. For example, you may miss a period because of medication, stress, changes in diet or exercise habits. Young people in particular may experience late or even missed periods due to hormonal fluctuations and the fact that their cycles are not yet so well established.

However, if you cannot rule out pregnancy, you can take a home pregnancy test or see your doctor to check.

Am I pregnant?

A missed period may be a sign of pregnancy. To find out if you are pregnant, you can take a home pregnancy test. A positive test result is almost certainly correct. However, a negative one is less reliable. Blood tests are even more accurate and can be performed by a health care provider.

Why is a cycle irregular?

Many things can cause irregular periods, e.g. hormonal imbalances. That's why teenagers going through puberty and persons approaching menopause commonly have irregular periods.

Other common causes can range from stress or changes in your eating or exercise habits to serious medical conditions.

Talk to your healthcare provider if your menstrual patterns change to rule out pregnancy or a health problem.

Menstrual Cycle

4 Phases of the menstrual cycle

The menstrual cycle is as individual as you are. On average a full cycle lasts 28 days, but cycle lengths of 25-35 days are also within the perfectly acceptable range.

During this time, your body switches from one phase to the next, powered by hormonal swings.

There are four phases in the menstrual cycle:

Menstruation
Post-menstrual phase
Ovulation
Pre-menstrual phase

However, the duration of each phase can be highly individual and may even change as you get older.

Menstruation: the bloody days

You probably got your first period between the age of 8 and 17. However, the timing of the first bleeding is not fixed to a certain age and can occur at a different point in time for everyone. For some people this new development may have been pretty frightening, but it’s actually a reason to celebrate - a sign that you’re growing from a child to an adult. Your body has likely already shown the first signs of this earlier, because immediately before your first menstruation your body begins to change. Your breasts slowly start to develop, and hair grows in your pubic and underarm areas. This is mainly due to rising levels of estrogen, the female sex hormone, and of another sex hormone called progesterone. It’s partly due to these hormones that your body is ready to have a baby and this takes us back to the menstrual cycle. When you menstruate for the first time, your body is now able to have a baby. From now on, when you have sexual intercourse it’s possible for one of your eggs to be fertilized and to implant itself.1

If this doesn’t happen, bleeding occurs - the period. The uterus rejects parts of the uterine wall which had previously thickened to protect a possible embryo. It doesn’t need them anymore, so these parts are now washed out with the menstrual blood. That means when your period happens, your uterus simply cleans itself. It's quite positive when you think of it in that way, isn’t it?2

Post-menstrual phase: time for estrogen and egg maturing

The first days after your period is where the proliferative and follicular phase begins. Stimulating hormones cause your ovaries to form an “ovarian follicle,” a little sac containing one egg. At the same time, your uterine lining regenerates and the walls of your uterus become thicker again as your estrogen level rises.3

But that pumping estrogen does a whole lot more in your body. The estrogen can make you and your skin glow. And a boost in testosterone might let you feel especially strong right now. Go for it - now’s a great time to tackle a fitness workout or other activities! When your estrogen level is at its peak, you probably feel sexier than ever before. Your body is glowing, you're radiant inside and out, and you look even more fabulous than usual. Pretty great, this menstrual cycle thing, isn't it? And here’s another fact to make you stop and think: during this time orgasms can be especially intense and frequent.4

But hold on just a minute! Caution is required here, because this is the time when you are at your most fertile days and so right in the middle of this phase, the ovulation phase will start.

Ovulation: a fertility explosion

In a process called ovulation, hormones stimulate the ovary to release a mature egg. During ovulation, the mature egg travels down the fallopian tube from the ovary into the uterus. At any time during this journey, the egg can be fertilized by sperm and could be implanted in the uterus. An egg can only be fertilized within the first 12 hours of its release; however, sperm can survive in the human body for about 5 days and their life span is unpredictable. Therefore, it is hard to pin down the fertile days exactly. So, if you want to shelve family planning for a while, you should pay extra-special attention to what happens during sex at this time.

Never forget: not only during this time you should pay special attention to contraception. Because no matter what you usually hear and no matter if your especially fertile days occur during a certain period: You can get pregnant at any time, really at any time of your cycle. These and other unbelievable facts about the period can also be found in our FAQs.

So if you don’t want to have a baby yet, you must think of contraception. With the right contraceptive method nothing will stand in the way of an exciting night (or day 🙂). Not sure yet which contraceptive method you prefer? Take a look at our method overview and we’ll help you to decide. Do not forget that only some methods of contraception also protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Pre-menstrual phase: nest or go

In this phase, the uterine lining gets itself ready for an egg to implant. If implantation does not occur, the uterine lining stops being supplied with sufficient blood.5

Within a few days your hormone levels change making your emotions more intense, and you might feel tired and weak (symptoms can differ individually) - now the dreaded premenstrual syndrome (PMS) gradually begins. That radiance in your complexion fades, mainly due to decreasing estrogen levels. Your skin might produce more oil, which can cause skin impurities and make your skin more sensitive. This is the time to hit the healthy food, which is now especially good for your body - even if all your cravings are screaming “candy!” and you can’t even think about vegetables. As if that wasn’t enough, increased progesterone also makes you feel bloated and can put you off sex right now - and that's fine. But don't let PMS get the upper hand! With exercise and a healthy diet, you can boost your serotonin levels and help to counteract chest pain, headaches, and fatigue.6
Use this time to recharge your batteries - you’ll need them at full power for the next step:

If the egg is not fertilized during ovulation, the follicle simply dissolves in the body. Both estrogen and progesterone levels plunge, marking the beginning of the menstrual phase, and your body gets ready to start the whole cycle all over again. But don't stress yourself! The menstrual cycle is something completely normal and holds so much wonderful potential for you. Who can claim that hormones potentially can improve the complexion of your skin and make it possible to get pregnant, huh? Just people who menstruate! So you better ride that menstrual cycle – it pays off!

References

Pains

Period pain

Why do I suffer from menstrual cramps?

To expel the lining of the uterus, the hormone prostaglandin triggers muscle contractions that can cause pain, but it’s not always possible to identify the cause of painful periods, nor why some people are affected and others are not.

Why are cramps so painful?

Painful period cramps could be caused by heavy menstrual bleeding, which often affects people who menstruate, and impacts them taking part in their everyday life around their periods.

Or they could be caused by endometriosis. In this painful condition, the cells or tissue lining the uterus grow outside the uterus. If you notice particularly painful cramps, you should see your doctor who can do a blood test and take your medical history to help you get better.

How to reduce period cramps?

To reduce period cramps and pain you can try the following things:

Over‑the‑counter pain medicine
Putting a heating pad on your belly or lower back
Having a hot bath
Hormonal birth control (like the pill, patch, ring, implant, and hormonal IUD)
Acupuncture and acupressure

Cramps are a pretty standard part of having your period. But if your period pain is so painful that you can’t take part in everyday life, please talk to your doctor.

Period Sex

Period sex and pregnancy

Although your period is your body reacting to not becoming pregnant, don’t be fooled into thinking that you can’t get pregnant during this time. Your body is an amazing thing and sometimes can seem like it has a mind of its own, so always be smart about sex. You can get pregnant just before, during and just after your period so always use contraception to be safe.

Why can I get pregnant during my period?

For two reasons: firstly, you can ovulate close to your period, which means that the mature egg sits in the ovary and can be fertilized there. Secondly: sperm can survive in the body for several days and fertilize the egg as soon as you ovulate.

Can I get pregnant if I’ve never had my period?

Yes, you can get pregnant before your first period and here is why: getting pregnant is related to ovulation. Ovulation means that your ovaries release an egg which is ready to be fertilized by sperm. Your first ovulation occurs around 2 weeks before your first menstruation. This means that there is already a fertilizable egg in your body before you have your first period. That is the reason why you can get pregnant even if you have not yet had your period.

FAQ

Can sperm survive in period blood?

Yes, sperm can survive in your body for up to 5 days whether you are menstruating or not.

View all FAQs

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