Menstruation

Menstruation at a Glance

• Also known as "having your period"
• Menstruation is a normal, healthy part of a woman's life
• Some women experience discomfort before or during menstruation
• Your health care provider can help you manage period-related symptoms

Every healthy woman menstruates, or has a period. But every woman's period is different. And a woman's period can change throughout her lifetime.

Menstruation usually begins when a girl is between 9 and 16 years old and continues until she is 45 to 55. Even if you have had your period for a while, you may still have questions about what's normal. Here are some answers to common questions about menstruation, the menstrual cycle, and period-related symptoms, like PMS.

What is the Menstrual Cycle?

The menstrual cycle is the time from the first day of one period to the first day of the next. A normal menstrual cycle can be as short as 21 days or longer than 35 days. For most women, the menstrual cycle lasts 25-30 days. But it's not unusual for the number of days in each cycle to vary from month to month.

Menstrual flow usually lasts 3 to 7 days, but it may be slightly shorter or longer. Once your period ends, hormones cause some of the eggs in your ovaries to start to ripen or mature. The hormones also cause the lining of the uterus to thicken.

About half way through your menstrual cycle, one mature egg leaves the ovary. This is called ovulation. Most women do not feel it when they ovulate. But some women feel pain in the lower abdomen around the time they ovulate. Some women have light spotting of blood for a day or two after ovulation.

After leaving the ovary, the egg then travels through a fallopian tube toward your uterus. As the egg travels through the fallopian tube, a spongy, soft lining continues to build up in the uterus. The lining is where a fertilized egg may attach for pregnancy to begin. If pregnancy does not happen, the lining breaks down and the blood and tissue flow from your uterus through your cervix and out of your body. This is your period. During an average period, you will lose 4 teaspoons of menstrual fluid.

If you have additional questions, you are always welcome to call any of our health centers directly at 1.800.230.PLAN or visit our Info Place.

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