Tell me about menstrual periods
A period is the part of the menstrual cycle when a woman bleeds from her vagina for a few days.
For most women, a period happens every 28 days or so. But it is common for periods to be more or less frequent than this, ranging from every 23 days to every 35 days.
Your period can last between 2 and 7 days, but it will usually last for about 5 days. The bleeding tends to be heaviest in the first 2 days.
When your period is at its heaviest, the blood will be red. On lighter days, it may be pink or brown.
You will lose about 20 to 90ml (about 1 to 5 tablespoons) of blood during your period, although some women bleed more heavily than this.
So. Tell me more about menstrual periods
When do periods start?
Periods usually begin at around the age of 12, although some girls will start them earlier or later.
A delay in starting periods is not usually a cause for concern. Most girls will be having regular periods by age 16 to 18.
Read more about early or delayed puberty.
Sanitary products
Sanitary products soak up or collect the blood released during your period. The main types of sanitary products are:
- Sanitary pads
- Tampons.
Sanitary pads
Sanitary pads are strips of padding that have a sticky side you attach to your underwear to hold them in place. One side of the pad is made of an absorbent material that soaks up the blood.
Pads come in many sizes, so you can choose one to suit how heavy or light your period is.
You can also get reusable washable pads.
Pantyliners are a smaller and thinner type of sanitary pad that can be used on days when your period is very light.
Tampons
Tampons are small tubes of cotton wool that you insert into your vagina to soak up the blood before it comes out of your body.
There are 2 types of tampon – ones that come with an applicator and others without an applicator that you insert with your fingers. In both cases, there is a string at one end of the tampon, which you pull to remove it.
Tampons come with instructions that explain how to use them. If the tampon is inserted correctly, you should not be able to feel it inside you. If you can feel it or it hurts, it might not be in properly.
It is not possible for a tampon to get lost inside you. Your vagina holds it firmly in place and it expands inside you as it soaks up the blood.
For more information, read:
Period underwear
Period underwear are pants made from absorbent fabric. They soak up blood in the same way as sanitary pads, and have a layer to prevent leaks. They are designed to be washed and reused. A black colour is ideal.
When do periods stop? – the menopause
Your periods will continue until you reach the menopause, which usually happens when you are in your mid-40s to mid-50s. In the UK the average age of menopause is 51.
Your periods will not usually stop suddenly when you go through the menopause. They may start to become less frequent over a few months or years before stopping altogether.
Summary
We have answered the request ‘tell me about menstrual periods’. We hope it has been helpful.
Other resources
Read more about heavy periods, period pain, irregular periods and stopped or missed periods.
