How many periods are considered normal. Short periods: causes, diagnosis, treatment. menstruation in women

Normal menstruation is a topic that is relevant for every woman of reproductive age. The frequency of menstruation, duration, color of discharge are associated with the state of the female body and indicate the absence or presence of pathologies. How many days do menstruation last and how to count the cycle correctly? What are cycle disorders associated with, and what symptoms indicate malfunctions in the body? Knowing the answers to these questions, it is easier to understand if there are problems with women's health.

Knowing about the normal course of the monthly cycle, it is easier to notice problems with it

Menstruation cycle

The menstrual cycle is a monthly change in the female body, repeated at regular intervals and manifested by spotting.

Monthly discharge begins in adolescence, at the stage of puberty of girls, and ends with menopause. The norm in gynecology is the onset of menopause at 45-55 years.

Duration

The duration of the cycle is taken into account from the first day of menstruation to the first day of the next menstruation. The result of calculations for each woman is individual, depending on the physiological characteristics of her body.

How long is the ideal monthly cycle? 28 days. But there are women in whom its duration varies between 21-35 days.

How long should a period go? Normally - from 3 to 7 days. The process is accompanied by weakness, heaviness in the mammary glands, pain in the lower abdomen. With a longer or shorter duration of critical days, it is recommended to consult a gynecologist. Abnormalities can be a symptom of inflammation or a hormonal imbalance in the body.

The average menstrual cycle is 28 days

First menstrual cycle

In the language of medicine, it is called "menarche." Usually menstruation in girls begins by the age of 12, but may appear at a different age - a period of 10-15 years will be the norm.

The cycle does not stabilize immediately: someone needs 2-4 months for this, for some girls it takes a year until it gets better. Before the stabilization of the cycle, it is difficult to talk about the frequency of menstruation, because some girls may not have them at all.

How long the first menstruation lasts, not all teenagers know. It usually lasts 3-5 days and is characterized by scanty brown discharge or a few drops of blood. This is due to hormonal changes in the teenage body and should not bother girls and parents.

The menstrual cycle stabilizes by the age of 14 - from that moment on, girls are recommended to control its frequency. If your period lasts 1-2 days or more than a week, see your doctor.

Menstruation in the postpartum period

How long does it take after childbirth or a caesarean section for women to get their periods back? The average period is 6 months under the condition of breastfeeding. If the child is artificial, then the body recovers faster - the first menstruation can begin in 2-3 months.

The first menstruation after childbirth is often accompanied by profuse spotting - many women are worried about this condition, because the symptoms are similar to bleeding. Abundant discharge in this situation is normal, but if they have an unnatural smell and color, it is better to consult a doctor.

The recovery period of the cycle after a "caesarean section" is the same as after a natural birth - closer to six months. Sometimes the operation is complicated - then menstruation may begin later, because the uterus and ovaries take longer to recover, especially when suturing.

Menstruation after childbirth begins at about the 6th month

How to calculate cycle time?

You already know that a normal menstrual cycle is 28 days with allowable fluctuations up or down. It is determined from the first day of menstruation to the next first day. The calculation formula for women looks like this: the date of the start of menstruation in the current month - the date of the start of menstruation in the last month + 1 day = cycle duration.

What causes cycle fluctuations?

The menstrual period in women is interconnected with any changes that occur in the body. The duration of the cycle may decrease or increase against the background of:

1. Stress.
2. Increased workload.
3. Viral and colds.
4. Changes in region, country of residence and climate.
5. Unfavorable environmental conditions.

The autumn-spring off-season, when chronic diseases are exacerbated, can also cause cycle fluctuations. 6-7-day deviations from the norm in the cases listed above are considered acceptable.

Bad ecology can disrupt the monthly cycle

What factors influence the number of critical days?

Menstrual flow can be twice a month or every two months, lasts longer than a week, due to:

1. Genetics. If one of the women in your family had periods for 8 days, there is a high probability of a repetition of the situation with you. Genetic predisposition is not treated with medication, so medical attention is not required.
2. Individual characteristics. Critical days can be protracted with poor blood clotting. Features of the structure of the uterus also affect the duration of menstruation.
3. Diets and other eating disorders, sudden weight loss are accompanied by hormonal changes. As a result, the menstrual cycle is disturbed - scanty or abundant discharge bothers women for more than a week, and sometimes stops altogether.
4. Exhausting loads in the gym affect the duration of menstruation.
5. Oral contraception shortens the duration of menstruation, leads to its complete cessation.
6. Disruptions in the endocrine system are a common cause of disorders.

The cause of deviations from the norm must be established by doctors - treatment is prescribed only after an examination and an accurate diagnosis.

Sudden weight loss disrupts hormonal balance

Normal menstrual flow

Homogeneous spotting during menstruation is the norm, they may have small blood clots, which is also normal. After all, during critical days, along with the secret of the vagina, the torn off layer of the epidermis comes out.

At the beginning and towards the end of menstruation, the discharge may be brown - there is nothing wrong with a change in color. There is little blood at these stages, it has time to clot under the influence of oxygen and the microflora of the vagina.

In the same period, the discharge may be pink. This is due to the fact that the process of cleansing the uterus from mucus and rejection of unnecessary epidermis has not yet begun or has already ended. Blood is released in a small amount - a few drops, so pink.

When should pink be alert?

Menstruation lasts for several days, but instead of the characteristic bloody discharge on the pad, pink mucus of an unpleasant odor and heterogeneous consistency. What is the reason for this and how long can it last:

1. Pink discharge can be the result of hormonal disruptions, progesterone deficiency. This condition is treated with hormone therapy.
2. In the postoperative period, women may have pale pink mucus instead of blood. As the body recovers, the cycle normalizes.
3. This color of menstruation occurs with erosion of the cervix, cyst, lipoma, miscarriage. In such cases, you should immediately be examined by a gynecologist. The period of treatment and restoration of a normal menstrual cycle is individual.
4. Pink discharge in women lasting more than 10 days is a symptom of infectious diseases, disorders in the thyroid gland, and other pathologies.

Light discharge in the postoperative period is considered the norm

What colors should alert?

How many symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases do you know? One of them is purulent or orange discharge during menstruation, often with gonorrhea. Often they are accompanied by itching, sharp pain during urination, and have a specific fishy smell. Such menstrual flow is profuse, of a thick consistency. Vaginosis also causes orange discharge.

Black menstruation in women occurs with inflammation of the appendages or cervix, it is accompanied by nausea, dizziness, fever. No matter how much you delay visiting a gynecologist, but this will have to be done - it will not resolve itself.

Black color of blood sometimes occurs after an abortion, difficult childbirth, operations during the recovery period. The body recovers - the color of menstruation normalizes.

The green color of menstruation is an anomaly caused by an excess of white blood cells in the female body or a serious inflammation of the genital organs.

You can solve the problem yourself if it is caused by climate change, nervous strain or changes in diet. In other cases, you can not do without the qualified help of a doctor.

A woman should constantly pay attention to her health. Therefore, it is important to have a correct understanding of the functioning of the female body, the processes that occur in it. Ignorance in this matter leads to panic when minor problems appear or, conversely, a frivolous attitude to severe symptoms.
Doctors believe that an important indicator of a woman's condition is the peculiarity of the course of the monthly cycle. The most frightening and prolonged bleeding. No less doubt arises for and . The main question that women ask is: “How long do periods last, and when should I worry?” We offer to understand what is considered the norm, and for what reasons deviations may occur.

Read in this article

What is considered normal

It is very important to monitor the duration of menstruation, as this is an important indicator for:

• determining the state of functioning of the ovaries;
• establishing the presence of inflammatory diseases;
• detection of neoplasms in the uterus;
• prescribing hormonal drugs.

Women are advised to keep special calendars of the menstrual cycle, where you need to mark the beginning and end of critical days.

First of all, it should be noted that in women in adulthood, the duration of critical days differs from how long menstruation lasts.

When is long periods normal? In medicine, it is generally accepted that ... During menstruation, the mucosa is torn off and comes out in the form of bleeding.

Menstruation is the period of the menstrual cycle, during which the girl has a discharge of blood from the vagina. The blood released during menstruation is thick and dark in appearance, and may contain clots or lumps. This is due to the fact that during menstruation, not only blood is released from the cavity, but also sections of the inner layer of the uterus, which is called the endometrium.

Where does the blood come from during menstruation?

Bloody discharge during menstruation appears due to damage to the blood vessels of the inner layer of the uterus. The destruction of these vessels occurs during the death of the uterine mucosa (endometrium) if the woman is not pregnant.

At what age should menses start?

Most girls have their first period between the ages of 12 and 15. Often (but not always) a girl's first period occurs at the same age as her mother. Therefore, if your mother's first menstruation came late (at 15-16 years old), then there is a high probability that they will come to you at this age. However, the first period may come a few years earlier or later than your mother. This is completely normal.

Some studies show that the arrival of the first menstruation in girls occurs when they reach a certain weight, which is about 47 kg. Thus, in thin girls, on average, menstruation occurs later than in chubby ones.

What are the first symptoms of menstruation?

A few months before your first period, you may feel a nagging pain in your lower abdomen, and you may also notice white or clear discharge from the vagina.

If you notice even a small amount of brown discharge on your panties, this is your first period. Often the first menstruation is very scanty - just a few drops of blood.

What is the monthly cycle and how long does it last?

The monthly or menstrual cycle is the length of time from the first day of one menstruation to the first day of the next menstruation.

Different women have different cycle times. Normally, the length of the menstrual cycle should be from 21 to 35 days. In most girls, the menstrual cycle lasts 28-30 days. This means that menstruation comes every 28-30 days.

What is a regular menstrual cycle?

The regularity of the menstrual cycle means that menstruation occurs every time after a certain number of days. The regularity of your menstrual cycle is an important indicator that your ovaries are working properly.

How to determine the regularity of the menstrual cycle?

To do this, you can use a calendar in which you will mark the first day of your period each time. If, according to your calendar, menstruation occurs every time on the same date, or at certain intervals, then you have regular periods.

How many days should a period go?

The duration of menstruation for different girls can be different. Normally, periods can go from 3 to 7 days. If your period is less than 3 days, or more than 7 days, then you need to contact a gynecologist.

How much blood should be released during menstruation?

It may seem to you that during your period you have a lot of blood, but this is not so. Usually, within 3-5 days of menstruation, a girl loses no more than 80 ml of blood (this is about 4 tablespoons).

To get an idea of ​​how much blood you're bleeding, you can watch your pads. Pads vary greatly in the amount of blood they can absorb. On average, a 4-5 drop pad can absorb up to 20-25 ml of blood (while it looks evenly filled with blood). If during one day of menstruation you have to change pads every 2-3 hours, this indicates that you have heavy periods and you should consult a gynecologist.

Pads or tampons?

Most girls prefer to use pads during menstruation. There is a separate article on our website about which pads are best to choose, how to use them correctly and how often you need to change them:.

Is menstruation painful?

A few days before the onset of menstruation and in the first days of menstruation, you may feel aching or cramping pain in the lower abdomen. This is normal. If the pain in the abdomen is severe, you can take painkillers (No-shpu, Ibuprofen, Analgin, etc.) or use other tips described in the article.

With frequent severe pain in the abdomen during menstruation, it is recommended to consult a gynecologist. You may need to undergo treatment.

Is it possible to play sports during menstruation?

During menstruation, you can play sports if you do not feel pain in the abdomen and if the periods are not too heavy. When playing sports, avoid exercises in which your butt is above your head (for example, you can’t hang on the horizontal bar upside down, do somersaults, do a “birch tree”).

Is it possible to take a bath and go to the pool during menstruation?

Can. A warm bath during your period can reduce stomach pain and make you feel better.

When swimming in the pool, water cannot enter your vagina during menstruation or on other days of the cycle. You can go to the pool if your periods are not heavy and you have used a tampon. At the same time, you should not stay in the pool for a long time, and immediately after swimming, you need to change the tampon, or replace it with a pad.

Is it possible to go to the bath or sauna during menstruation?

No, this is not desirable, as high ambient temperatures can cause increased bleeding.

Is it possible to go to the solarium and sunbathe during menstruation?

No, this is not desirable, because during menstruation, the female body is more susceptible to ultraviolet rays. Sunburn (in the sun or in) during menstruation can lead to increased bleeding or other unwanted symptoms (headaches, weakness, dizziness, etc.)

Help from a specialist

Feel free to ask your questions and our full-time specialist will help you figure it out!

Every woman is obliged to know everything about menstruation, and such information will allow not only to delve into the functioning of the reproductive system, but also to identify deviations and even determine the days most suitable for conception.

Menstruation or menstruation is called spotting that occurs in a woman. They begin the menstrual cycle, which normally should last about 21-36 days. Menstruation is periodic and cyclical, and their regularity indicates that the woman's reproductive system is functioning smoothly and correctly.

The first menstruation occurs in adolescence, which is the peak of puberty. But the time frame is quite wide, and the period of the onset of menstruation depends on several factors, such as genetic predisposition, lifestyle and nutritional habits, weight, past or existing chronic diseases, and even place of residence and climatic conditions. Usually, menstruation begins at about 11-15 years old, but as a result of acceleration in each subsequent generation, this stage of development occurs earlier. Although the onset of menstruation before the age of 10 signals early puberty. It is worth sounding the alarm even if there are no periods at the age of 17-18.

Menstruation. What is important to know about it.

Menstruation occurs in the first follicular phase of the menstrual cycle under the influence of certain hormones. The adenohypophysis is stimulated by the hypothalamus, as a result of which the latter begins to synthesize small amounts of luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormones. They start the process of maturation of follicles, one of which should become dominant, burst and release an egg that has matured in it. But in the follicular phase of the cycle, the endometrium, which, under the influence of progesterone and estrogens, developed, thickened and prepared for possible fertilization and attachment of the fetal egg, becomes unnecessary and is rejected during contractions of the uterine muscles and comes out in the form of menstrual flow.

Normally, menstruation occurs every month, and it is this feature that determines the generally accepted popular name for these days. But they stop during pregnancy, since the endometrium at this important stage cannot be rejected and creates favorable conditions for bearing a child. Also, menstruation may be absent during lactation, which is due to the action of the hormone prolactin, which suppresses ovulation.

The composition of normal menstrual flow, in addition to the blood itself, also includes the tissue lining the uterus of the endometrium and the secretory fluid secreted by the glands of the vagina and cervix. Normally, the blood practically does not smell or has a mild characteristic odor. The color of the discharge is dark, close to burgundy. A characteristic feature is that menstrual blood does not clot, as it contains special substances that prevent clotting and ensure timely separation due to its liquid consistency.

The duration and frequency of menstruation

Normally, periods can last from three to seven days. Usually, the first 2 days of discharge are more abundant, then they begin to fade away and become moderate, and then scarce. If the duration has increased, then you should consult a doctor.

The duration of the menstrual cycle.

The first day of menstruation is considered the beginning of the menstrual cycle, the duration of which can be from 21 to 36 days. Thus, menstruation can occur every 18-33 days. Their frequency depends on the duration of the menses themselves and the cycle as a whole. Normally, the discharge should be regular, although fluctuations within a few days are possible. But during puberty, the cycle is established, and its final formation may take six months or a year. Failures are also observed after childbirth and during lactation.

Every health-conscious and responsible girl or woman should keep her menstrual cycle regular for several reasons. The first is to identify possible deviations and diseases. Frequent failures can signal problems in the reproductive system. The second reason is pregnancy planning. Ovulation, at which a fully mature and ready-to-fertilize egg leaves the bursting follicle, occurs approximately 13-16 days after the start of the cycle, depending on its duration. That is, if menstruation is regular, then with their help you can find out the days that will be most favorable for conception. In addition, the absence of the next menstruation in most cases signals the onset of pregnancy.

So that menstruation is not a surprise, it is worth keeping a calendar, marking the days of menstruation in it.

An interesting fact: there is such a thing as the synchronization of menstrual cycles. Several studies have been conducted, during which it was found that women who live together, menstruation occurs at the same time.

Normal volumes and possible accompanying symptoms

On average, the volume of blood lost per day varies from 20-25 to 50 milliliters. For the entire menstruation, a woman can lose up to 250 ml, that is, a whole glass. But such an amount is quite normal and harmless, as the body quickly replenishes reserves. Scanty periods can talk about hormonal disruptions or gynecological diseases, as well as excessively abundant.

Menstruation can be accompanied by a number of symptoms, and some are observed even before the onset of discharge. The following are considered normal:

• Cramping pains. Their intensity depends on the structure of the uterus, the characteristics of the contraction of its muscles and on the individual pain threshold. For some representatives of the weaker sex, pain causes discomfort, while others hardly notice it. But if the sensations are strong and sharp, you should consult a gynecologist.
• Weakness, dizziness, drowsiness. These symptoms are natural and are due to the loss of blood, albeit within the normal range. If fainting or complete disability is observed, then this may indicate profuse discharge or bleeding.
• The so-called "daub". Pale pink discharge may occur within one or two days before and after your period. It is also normal, but should not be prolonged.
• A small amount of clots should not scare. Their presence indicates that the body does not have time to secrete a sufficient amount of anticoagulants, and part of the secretions coagulates on the way from the uterus to the vagina.
• Separately, it is worth noting premenstrual syndrome (PMS), which begins to appear about a week before the onset of menstruation and includes symptoms such as swelling, depression, mood swings, apathy, tearfulness, irritability, weight gain, soreness and breast engorgement. All these signs are due to the influence of hormones.

Possible deviations

The following signs should be alert:

• Irregularity of menstruation. She talks about hormonal disruptions or diseases of the endocrine or reproductive system.
• Heavy periods are also abnormal and are sometimes a symptom of serious abnormalities.
• Scanty discharge indicates that the endometrium is very thin, and normally by the end of the cycle it should have a significant thickness.
• Excessively thick blood, a large number of clots. This is probably due to increased blood clotting and threatens the formation of blood clots.
• An unpleasant strong smell can be a sign of genital infections.

Sexual life and menstruation

Many women and girls are interested in whether it is possible to have sex during menstruation. This is not worth doing for several reasons. First, both partners may experience discomfort, which will reduce the pleasure of sex. Secondly, an intimate relationship during menstruation can end in pregnancy if ovulation is early. Thirdly, sex during menstruation is dangerous from the point of view of the risk of infection, because the cervix at this stage opens slightly, and pathogenic microorganisms can penetrate through the resulting lumen.

Sexual life and menstruation. Recommendations from a doctor.

If, nevertheless, both partners decided on an intimate relationship, then you should follow the rules of hygiene before sex, as well as take a shower after it. In addition, a man must use a condom: this contraceptive will not only prevent pregnancy, but also minimize the risks of infectious diseases.

Knowing everything about menstruation, any girl and woman will be able not only to identify deviations in time and avoid serious consequences, but also to conceive a child.

Menstruation (or menstruation) - regular monthly spotting from the genital tract of a girl / woman, which is considered part of the menstrual cycle. The essence of menstruation is that they complete it if the fertilization of the egg that has matured in the ovary has not occurred. In everyday life, many people perceive the "red days of the calendar" as a kind of process of symbolic "cleansing" of the female body, in particular the uterus and vagina, from everything superfluous and unnecessary.

The first menstruation - menarche - appear during puberty. As a rule, this happens at 12-15, more often at 12-13 years. The timing of the onset of menstruation depends on many factors: the physical development of the girl, her nutrition, past illnesses, etc. Approximately within 1.0 - 1.5 years after the onset of the first bloody discharge, a regular monthly cycle is established, which is about 28 days, and blood discharge lasts from 3 to 7 days; blood loss averages 50-70 ml.

About what menstruation in a healthy woman we will tell in this article.

WHAT MONTHS IS NORMAL

A few days after the onset of menstruation, the level of estrogen, the female sex hormone, rises. At the same time, the transformation of the endometrium begins - the mucous layer lining the uterus from the inside. It grows, increasing in volume and thickness. At this time, the follicle begins to mature in the ovary with the next egg.

Approximately on the 12-14th day from the beginning of menstruation, ovulation occurs - the release of a mature egg from the ovary. It is this period that is most favorable for conception. In the ovary, in the place where the egg came from, the so-called corpus luteum is formed, which begins to produce progesterone, one of the main hormones necessary for the development of pregnancy during its first three months. You can determine the moment of ovulation in the monthly cycle by measuring basal temperature.

Further, the egg, completely ready for fertilization, moves along the fallopian tube to the uterus. It is programmed so that after merging with a spermatozoon, a human cub will grow up in the next nine months. Therefore, the endometrium at the time of cell travel under the influence of the hormone progesterone intensively produces nutrients for the initial nutrition of the egg with the embryo.

Fertilization occurs in the fallopian tube, then the dividing cell enters the uterus and implants in it, that is, it sinks into its inner layer, where it begins to develop.

In the vast majority of cases, in the absence of fertilization, the monthly cycle does not end with the onset of pregnancy. Therefore, the endometrium, whose function has not been realized, becomes unnecessary, and somewhere by the 14th day from ovulation (this is approximately the 28th day of the menstrual cycle), the level of female hormones - estrogen and progesterone - drops, and rejection of the internal uterine layer. Menstruation begins, which stops approximately on the 5-7th day. At the same time, the blood is bright scarlet in the first days, at the end it is dark, with a specific smell. The amount of blood lost is about 50 - 100 ml. With the end of bleeding, the circle closes, and then the whole process of the monthly cycle is repeated.

SIGNS OF PERIOD

• bleeding from the vagina;
• pulling pain in the lower abdomen;
• swelling, heaviness and pain of the breast;
• pain in the lumbar region;
• irritability;
• fatigue, heaviness in the legs;
• dizziness, apathy;
• sometimes - increased libido.

HOW MANY DAYS DOES THE PERIOD GO

The cycle of menstruation is the period from the first day of the onset of spotting to the first day of the next. The normal cycle of menstruation in healthy women is 20-35 days. The duration of monthly bleeding is from 3 to 7 days. You can track your menstrual schedule using the calendar, regularly marking the dates of arrival and end of discharge. There are also various special applications for mobile devices that can be downloaded from the Internet. The regularity of the monthly cycle is determined by the built schedule in the calendar. This indicator is very important for women's health, as it indicates the proper functioning of the ovaries.

How to find out how much blood during menstruation?

Usually during this period we use special hygiene products - pads or tampons. Let's try with their help to determine the possible blood loss. For example, a regular pad for 4-5 drops absorbs up to 20-25 ml of blood. If in one day a girl changes the pad every 2-3 hours, then she has heavy periods and a specialist consultation is required.

Scanty periods last less than 2 days and have a brown tint. Such brown periods appear due to the fact that the process of separating the remnants of the endometrium is very slow and the blood has time to clot, which causes such a color. Lean periods may indicate a violation of the second phase of the cycle and insufficient thickness of the endometrium. Among other things, this situation creates very real problems for the onset of pregnancy.

PROBLEMS WITH PERIOD - WHEN TO GO TO THE GYNECOLOGIST:

• the first menstruation appeared before 10 years;
• at 15-16 years of age, menstruation has not yet begun;
• menstruation lasts 1-2 days or more than 7-8 days;
• very scanty or very copious discharge of blood;
• the monthly cycle lasts less than 20 days or more than 40;
• severe pain in the lower abdomen during "critical days";
• bleeding between periods;
• "these days" is not a couple of months.

In all these cases, as well as in others associated with the failure and delay of menstruation, it is necessary to consult a gynecologist-endocrinologist. In our medical center, on certain days, a teenage gynecologist-endocrinologist sees.