The woman's body is a huge mystery. After all, for inexplicable reasons, her life changes every month. Scientists have noticed that the cyclical nature of the moon directly affects a girl’s menstrual cycle. Magnetic storms often occur, and women's health begins to lose ground - disturbances occur in the body, which bring a lot of troubles in life. The main trouble is the inability to become a mother. After all, children are the most precious thing that can be. Any woman dreams of motherhood, and for many it is the meaning of life.
Hundreds of thousands of years ago, nature established a program for women, and has maintained it in women all this time. Hormones work constantly at a rhythmic pace, since procreation directly depends on this. And menstruation is an important part of the life cycle. Its task is to prepare good conditions for the development of the egg and a comfortable stay for the child in the mother’s womb.
The menstrual cycle is a series of complex coordinated processes. In genetic terms, a woman’s body works in such a way that there are long pauses between periods during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
The smooth functioning of organs is subject to many factors regulated by nature. This is how the female body is designed for a specific purpose - to continue the race, namely:
The norm is to start menstruation at the age of 10–14 years. But due to the individual characteristics of each organism, there may be slight deviations from this figure. Also, the cause may be genetic inheritance, and a girl’s period may begin at the age at which her mother or grandmother began. At first, the cycle will be irregular, but after about a year, the number of days should stabilize. Throughout life, a healthy woman's cycle should be regular. By the age of 50, menopause begins. The most irregular cycle is observed in the first two years from the beginning of menstruation, and two years before its end. The difference in cycle lengths can be up to 20 days.
The regularity and duration of the menstrual cycle are the main indicators of a woman’s health and her reproductive system. It is important to know that the duration of the cycle and the duration of the period itself are different things and should not be confused. The menstrual cycle is the time from the first day of one period to the first day of the next, and menstruation is the number of days when bleeding occurs.
How many days does the menstrual cycle last? In only 15% of women it is regular, exactly up to 1 day; normally it can last 21–35 days. If the cycle is longer or shorter, then we are talking about pathologies and you should contact a specialist.
The menstrual cycle has an important reproductive function, so you should not take a violation of the duration of the cycle carelessly.
Causes of menstrual irregularities:
If your cycle is out of whack, don’t immediately run to the doctor. Try, first, to eliminate external negative factors. Perhaps you have simply experienced stress and need a regular rest.
If the cycle does not recover for a long time, and the pregnancy test is negative, you need to undergo a full course of examinations:
Self-medication is highly discouraged, as it is life-threatening. In case of long-term failure, you need to contact a medical institution, since self-medication can lead to inflammatory diseases, infertility, and even death.
All women are recommended to keep their own personal calendar, where the onset of menstruation, its duration, the woman’s well-being, the quantity and quality of discharge are noted. Very convenient special computer and mobile programs have been created for various operating systems to simplify monitoring the menstrual cycle.
Since complex processes occur in a woman’s body, which we discussed above, it is not surprising that they can affect her well-being. Let's look at the symptoms that a woman may experience a few days before her period begins, and which can be considered normal.
A woman may experience:
All these signs do not indicate any pathology and are considered normal. They can be very weak and practically invisible, and some women do not even pay attention to them and do not feel discomfort.
But there are girls for whom the onset of menstruation is accompanied by poor health and sometimes they cannot do without medication. But painful periods are also normal, unless the pain becomes simply unbearable.
How many days does menstruation last? It is considered normal for menstruation to last approximately 3–5 days, but there may be slight deviations. Two to seven days is considered normal.
If a woman is sexually active and has no complaints, preventive examinations every six months are recommended, since there are many asymptomatic infections that do not manifest themselves.
Usually, for the convenience of deciphering female processes, a cycle of 28 days is taken as a basis. This does not mean that the cycle ideally should be exactly like this.
If during the first phase the follicle does not have time to mature in order to burst during the period of ovulation, then the second phase of the cycle is delayed, thereby lengthening the cycle. Sometimes the delay under these circumstances can last up to two months. The next cycle, despite the previous one being protracted, may be normal in duration.
If such alternation occurs periodically, then we are talking about an irregular menstrual cycle. Another reason for a delay in menstruation may be the prolonged work of the corpus luteum. The reason for the early onset of menstruation may also be the corpus luteum. Only in this case, on the contrary, it ceases to exist too early.
And of course, the most important and pleasant reason for a long absence of menstruation is the onset of pregnancy. It can be easily determined by taking a pregnancy test, donating blood for hCG, or doing an ultrasound.
Do not forget that a woman’s health is the main guarantee of healthy offspring. And the health of her own children is the most important thing a mother can have. Take care of yourself and your family.
Knowing how many days a normal menstrual cycle lasts will help girls and women independently determine whether they have any problems with the health of the genital organs, even before visiting a gynecologist. But knowledge of many subtleties about the menstrual cycle should in no way replace a consultation with a doctor in a gynecological office, which is mandatory in this situation. On the contrary, mastery of the situation should help the woman orient herself and give her the idea to seek medical help as soon as possible.
In addition, knowledge of how the menstrual cycle is calculated will help those planning a pregnancy choose the most favorable day for conceiving a child, or, conversely, use reliable contraception on ovulation days. The ability to calculate the onset of menstruation is necessary for every woman in order to simply prepare for it.
If a woman knows exactly how long normal periods should last, it will not be difficult for her to notice any changes in a timely manner. Since each organism is individual and self-sufficient, there is no specific time frame for the duration of menstruation. However, the norm is still highlighted.
Typically, periods last from 3 days to a week. In this case, a woman may experience weakness, deterioration in performance, and nagging pain in the lower abdomen. This condition is considered normal, so no special suspicions arise.
If there are deviations in duration in one direction (less than 3 or more than 7 days), then in this situation you should consult a gynecologist. A change in the duration of menstruation may result from:
Correct periods are those that always begin after an equal number of days of the menstrual cycle, that is, they come regularly. What do regular periods mean?
Some women incorrectly believe that the menstrual cycle is equal to the number of days between menstruation. This assumption is wrong. In fact, the cycle is counted from the beginning of one period to the beginning of the next (the first day is included, that is, it should be taken into account in the calculations).
For a more complete understanding of the situation, you can calculate using the following formula: (number of days of present menstruation - number of days of previous menstruation) + 1 day = cycle duration.
The normal menstrual cycle is assumed to be 28 days.
However, the duration of the cycle for each woman can be influenced by the following conditions:
When exposed to the above factors, the functioning of the organs and systems of the body undergoes significant changes from time to time. The performance of the reproductive organs is no exception, and therefore a deviation in the duration of menstruation by approximately 6-7 days in one direction is considered normal.
For this reason, a cycle that varies from 21 to 36 days is considered normal. And it will be correctly determined if the difference between all cycles does not exceed 5-7 days. Menstruation with such an interval is called regular.
To facilitate the task of counting your cycle, they resort to using a regular pocket calendar. The dates on which menstruation occurs are crossed out. This accessible method allows you to remember the dates and duration of each period, so that they can be reported to the gynecologist in the future.
The nature of menstruation differs for everyone. Here the situation may develop according to one of the typical schemes.
Normally, the nature of menstruation can be as follows:
These examples are not reference ones. They only reflect the most typical cases of menstruation. Naturally, the process is individual for each woman.
What is the normal volume of menstrual flow?
Menstruation is also classified according to the volume of blood released. In this connection, bleeding is divided into:
It’s easy to determine for yourself whether bleeding is normal. Usually, with the heaviest bleeding, girls use 6-7 pads per day, changing them every 3-4 hours.
When there is a more frequent change of pads, and the bloody discharge still stains the panties, then such periods are called heavy.
In a situation where one pad can be used for 6 or more hours, we are talking about scanty discharge.
Having found out the normal number of days of menstruation, women will be able to assess their situation. Having discovered a clear discrepancy with the norm, you need to go to the doctor to find out the reasons why this is happening.
A specialist may not see anything wrong in a particular situation, mistaking the duration of menstruation as a feature of the female body. This scenario is ideal. But in reality, everything may turn out differently.
For example, heavy bleeding lasting more than a week may indicate the presence of diseases:
Regular, scanty bleeding may be a sign of the following problems:
Some of the women who notice that their periods are irregular (sometimes they come ahead of schedule, sometimes they have to wait a long time, sometimes they last longer than the prescribed 6-7 days) do not know what can be done to restore the disturbed rhythm. First you need to find out why such jumps occurred.
A shift in the cycle should not be particularly alarming if the nature (color, consistency, etc.) of the discharge remains the same. However, failure can also occur due to more serious reasons. Then you can’t do without examination and treatment. It is extremely dangerous to ignore such cycle disturbances, and even more so you cannot wait for them to disappear on their own.
Such changes have medical names, they have their own symptoms and treatment options.
Classification of pathologies of the menstrual cycle:
Any postponement of menstruation should be a signal that observation by a doctor is required, as well as treatment.
The woman’s body is a mystery of nature; it can be studied endlessly.
The menstrual cycle has a great influence on well-being and emotional background. It is the duty of every woman to know about it and be able to feel her body.
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The menstrual cycle is usually called a period of time, the beginning of which is considered, and the end is the day before the appearance of the next menstrual flow.
This process is repeated in all healthy women every month, with the exception of pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Every month nature prepares a woman for a potential pregnancy and does everything to ensure that the fetus finds itself in comfortable and favorable conditions in which it can grow and develop harmoniously.
When a girl is born, there are about 2 million eggs in her ovaries, but by the time of puberty there are no more than 400 thousand of them. During 1 cycle, as a rule, 1 egg is consumed.
It is impossible to imagine a regular menstrual cycle without the participation of brain structures and hormones.
The sequence of events that occur during a normal cycle is determined by the close relationship between the hypothalamus, the anterior pituitary gland, the ovaries and the endometrium.
On average, its duration is 28 days. But a cycle that lasts from 21 to 35 days is also considered normal.
If the cycle does not fit into these time periods, this is not the norm. In this case, you should contact a gynecologist and undergo a comprehensive examination under his guidance.
Figure 1 - Scheme of the phases of the menstrual cycle
The menstrual cycle consists of several phases. The phases of changes in the ovaries and endometrium differ (see diagram in Figure 1 and table). Each of them has its own characteristics and characteristics.
| Endometrial phase | Peculiarities | Signs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ovulation (1-2 days) | --- | ||
| Luteal (14 days +/- 2) | Secretory |
The very first phase of the menstrual cycle is called follicular. It begins on the 1st day of menstruation, and its end occurs on the day when ovulation occurs.
During menstruation, the surface layer of the uterine mucosa is shed and bleeding begins.
On days 1-3 of the cycle, the uterus looks like a wound surface and is large these days. By day 5, the thickness of the endometrium begins to increase.
During the first phase, follicles mature in the ovaries under the influence of FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone).
Initially, there may be several of them, but only one will complete the maturation process, becoming dominant (main).
During this period, active growth (proliferation) of the endometrium occurs in the uterus under the influence of a high concentration of estrogens (mainly estradiol).
Thus, the follicular phase correlates in time with menstruation and the endometrial proliferation phase, that is, it covers days 1-14.
It begins after a sharp surge of LH (luteinizing hormone). After the dominant follicle bursts, an egg is released and begins its movement along the fallopian tube.
If at this moment the egg and sperm meet, an embryo is formed and the woman can become pregnant.
If this meeting does not occur, the egg will die in about a day. Ovulation can be calculated and determined by the signs listed below:
The second phase is characterized by the formation and growth of the corpus luteum at the site of the ruptured follicle. On average it lasts 12-16 days. The corpus luteum prepares the body for pregnancy and produces progesterone.
The maximum concentration of progesterone is observed 6-8 days after the formation of the corpus luteum (approximately day 22 of the cycle).
During this period, the endometrium thickens even more, only due to the formation of secretion by the uterine glands and an increase in cell size (the third phase of secretion). Its thickness at the end of the luteal phase can reach 12-14 mm.
If conception does not occur, then the level of hormones (estrogens, progesterone, FSH, LH) gradually begins to decrease. Their minimum triggers the onset of menstruation, and a new cycle begins.
This process is influenced by stress, bad habits and past illnesses.
| What causes the cycle to break? | Conditions and diseases |
|---|---|
| Hyperprolactinemia | |
| Cushing's disease | |
| Thyroid pathologies | |
| Decreased endometrial quality | |
| Effect on the ovaries | |
| Impact on multiple links | |
Women should be attentive to their bodies. The ability to feel the changes occurring in it, to hear its signals, will help you avoid many difficult situations.
What is not the norm, and what warning signs should you pay attention to?
Now there is no need to start a special notebook for this. You can install an app on your phone and enter data regularly. Such a diary is needed to know the average time of one cycle.
What does the menstrual calendar look like?
If its duration changes sharply, the diary will help to find out the nature of the violations.
The diary will also help determine the date of expected ovulation. This is especially important for those who have problems conceiving.
Electronic applications offer to enter the start and end date of your period each month. Based on this data, they will automatically calculate the length of the cycle, the time of ovulation, unfavorable days for planning a child and the start time of the next menstruation.
Some applications are not limited to this data; they can record how you feel on certain days (amount of blood released, symptoms, changes).
All this data, if necessary, will make the doctor’s work easier and help identify the causes of violations.
| Phase of the ovarian cycle and its duration | Endometrial phase | Peculiarities | Signs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Follicular (average 14 days, range from 7 to 22 days) | Menstrual + proliferative | FSH stimulates the formation of follicles. An increase in estrogen concentration from days 3-5, the growth of a renewed endometrium. | It begins at the same time as menstruation. Bloody discharge appears. In the first days, the woman feels bad, she is bothered by pain in the lower abdomen, lower back tension, and her mood is low. After the end of menstruation, the discharge is moderate or scanty, the skin condition gradually normalizes. |
| Ovulation (1-2 days) | --- | A sharp surge in LH stimulates the release of the egg from the follicle. Movement of the egg through the fallopian tube. | Increased sexual desire, moderate pain in the lumbar region, lower abdomen. The amount of light-colored discharge increases, it becomes mucous, viscous or liquid. The skin under the influence of estrogen is clean, smooth, and radiant. Increase in basal temperature. |
| Luteal (14 days +/- 2) | Secretory | The follicle transforms into the corpus luteum, and progesterone production begins. Its peak concentration occurs 6-8 days after the formation of the corpus luteum. | In the middle of the phase, against the background of hormonal changes, some people experience premenstrual syndrome. Its symptoms include swelling of the mammary glands, decreased mood, tearfulness or aggression, increased appetite, nagging pain in the lower abdomen, weight gain, swelling, headaches, less often constipation, flatulence. |
| What causes the cycle to break? | Conditions and diseases |
|---|---|
| Anovulation (no normal ovulation) | PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), ovarian failure |
| Hypothalamic syndrome, tumors and other diseases of the pituitary gland | |
| Excessive training and exercise | |
| Eating disorders, anorexia nervosa, bulimia | |
| Hyperprolactinemia | |
| Cushing's disease | |
| Thyroid pathologies | |
| Decreased endometrial quality | Cancer, endometrial hyperplasia, endometritis, polyps, endometriosis (adenomyosis) |
| Effect on the ovaries | Cysts, tumors, adnexitis, cancer |
| Changes in the levels of hormone regulators | Incorrect use and selection of oral contraceptives, intrauterine systems, early menopause, taking tamoxifen, progesterone drugs |
| Impact on multiple links | Inflammatory diseases of the cervix and vagina, including STDs (chlamydia, genital herpes, trichomoniasis, gonorrhea) |
| Taking medications (such as anticoagulants) | |
| General somatic diseases: kidney, liver, adrenal glands, diabetes mellitus, inflammatory bowel diseases, hemophilia and other diseases of the blood coagulation system, oncology, etc. |
The female body is a very interesting subject of study, since many different processes occur in it. The organs of the reproductive system deserve special attention, because their health and normal functioning are very important for the successful conception and bearing of a child.
The easiest way for a woman to notice any abnormalities is by regularly tracking her menstrual cycle, in particular recording the beginning and end of her period. What it is, what phases of this period exist and what you should definitely pay attention to, including at the beginning of menstruation in girls - we will tell you further.
Menstruation is a natural process that occurs in the female body and completes the monthly cycle of a whole set of other changes in it. Technically, this is the time when the endometrium that lines the surface of the uterus begins to be shed and excreted through the vagina along with some blood. Normally, such discharge should last no more than 7 days., while differing in different intensities (towards the end of the week there should be fewer of them). 
Did you know? With such bleeding in the female body, on average, it becomes 35–40 ml of blood less, although this value can vary within 10–80 ml. Unlike bleeding wounds, in this case the blood does not clot, which is prevented by its fragment plasmin.
Menstruation was called menstruation, since spotting occurs every 30 days, although everything is individual here: while some women experience a similar phenomenon every 22–23 days, others buy special pads only after 35 days, and in both cases this is considered the norm. Also, when making calculations, it is important to understand that the first day of the menstrual cycle is the first day of menstruation, that is, the beginning of bleeding.
The first menstruation for a teenage girl is a very important stage in life, and how she perceives changes in her body largely depends on her psychological preparation by her mother. Puberty is a rather slow process, so the first symptoms of the approach of the first menstruation in many girls are observed 2–2.5 years before their onset, at approximately 11–13 years, although there may be exceptions. 
Depending on the body type and other characteristics of the body, the onset of menstruation often occurs only at 15 years of age. In any case, the closer it is, the more noticeable the signs of hormonal changes become:
It is generally accepted that the female menstrual cycle covers the period of time from the first day of the current menstruation to the first day of the next. As we have already mentioned, on average it ranges from 22 days (or even 21 days) to 35, although for most women indicators of 28–30 days are typical. 
Bloody discharge indicates the beginning of this period, but this does not mean that nothing happens in the woman’s body the rest of the time. Thus, the menstrual cycle is always divided into several interconnected stages (phases): menstrual, follicular, ovulatory and luteal.
Some women perceive the menstrual phase as the end of cyclic processes, others as their beginning, but in any case we can talk about a certain starting point. This period is the most noticeable and often the most painful of the 4 phases, and its duration ranges from 3 to 7 days. This is a normal period for the endometrium to be rejected and removed from the body, to which the fertilized egg has not been attached. In the first days of menstruation, bleeding is more abundant, and by the end of the week its volume decreases and gradually stops.
Special cells present at this stage produce estrogens - female sex hormones. Throughout the follicular phase, a woman’s basal temperature is maintained at +37 °C, and this value needs to be known if you want to clarify the specific moment of ovulation (when it occurs, such temperature readings will drop sharply).
Ovulation is the appearance of a fully mature egg from the follicle, ready for fertilization. She slowly moves through the fallopian tubes to the uterus, where she will wait to meet the sperm.
The first ovulation occurs a little later than the onset of puberty, and the last one occurs during menopause, after a decrease in menstrual function. Ovulation temporarily stops during pregnancy, but after the birth of the child, all processes return to normal.
Did you know? Before a girl reaches puberty, her body already contains about 300–400 thousand eggs, and all of them are laid in the ovaries from birth.
Determining the exact moment of egg release is mainly of interest to those women who are planning a pregnancy, since this possibility exists only in one of the 3-4 days before ovulation during it and 1-2 days after.
The last phase of the menstrual cycle is the so-called “luteal” or, more simply, the “corpus luteum” phase. It appears in the ovary and takes the place of the released egg at the end of ovulation, remaining there for about 12–14 days (the phase itself lasts the same amount).
The main task at this stage is to maintain the balance of estrogen and progesterone secreted by the corpus luteum in preparation for possible conception. During this phase, basal body temperature reaches 37 °C, and drops sharply just before the onset of menstruation.
If you analyze the period of menstruation by day (meaning the time from the beginning to the end of bleeding), then you should pay attention only to the first 5 days, because for many women, their periods stop within five days.
On the first day, the “old” endometrium exfoliates and, along with bloody discharge, comes out through the vagina. This process is often accompanied by pain (sometimes quite severe) in the lower abdomen and back, which is explained by contractions of the uterus. 
The second day of menstruation is no longer characterized by severe pain, although heaviness in the abdomen still persists. A new egg begins to form in the body, and due to hormones, the functioning of the sebaceous glands may change, that is, special attention should be paid to personal hygiene.
On the third day of menstruation, a wound surface remains at the site of the endometrium that left the uterus, which is why during this period the likelihood of infection entering the body is especially high. The abundance of discharge, compared to the first two days, decreases slightly, and in some cases, menstruation practically stops.
A woman’s well-being on the fourth day of her period is already very close to normal, but if there is a sufficiently large amount of discharge, it is still worth limiting physical activity and not overworking, which will help reduce blood loss. 
Usually, by the fifth day, the healing of the inner surface of the uterus is completely completed, and metabolic processes in the body accelerate, which contributes to the woman’s good physical and psychological well-being.
Of course, menstruation is not a disease, but at this time it is still worth taking care of yourself. Stop going to the gym and try not to do heavy housework for a few days. You should not visit saunas, swimming pools or baths, because during menstruation the cervix opens slightly and an infection can easily penetrate inside, which can subsequently provoke inflammation of the female organs or appendages. At the same time, a warm or even hotter bath will not be beneficial, which is better replaced with a slightly cool or moderately warm shower.
If the onset of menstruation is accompanied by very severe pain and you can’t relax to relieve the cramps, you can use painkillers, but, contrary to popular belief, these should not be medications containing acetylsalicylic acid or acetaminophen (present in traditional analgin and aspirin). 
Some women find relief by walking, cycling, or using a warm heating pad on their abdomen.
Important! Do not get too carried away with hot water bottles or warm baths, as the amount of discharge may increase and this will lead to large blood loss.
During menstruation, it is necessary to limit rehabilitation and physiotherapy procedures, therapeutic exercises, and in some cases, massage. Many cosmetologists who apply tattoos, administer Botox injections and some other drugs also warn about the possibility of complications in the condition of their patients during this period. It would be wise to avoid deep chemical facial peeling, tightening and lifting procedures.
Many doctors also recommend stopping sexual activity for a while, or at least using latex contraceptives, being sure to follow the rules of personal hygiene by taking a shower several times a day. Review your diet. Surprisingly, but Plain water can cope with the symptoms of PMS and ease your well-being during menstruation itself. Try to eat more vegetables and fruits that contain liquid, drink juices and warm herbal teas. It is useful to add foods containing vitamin E and magnesium to your daily menu (for example, dried apricots, avocados and bananas), but it is better to exclude such familiar drinks as coffee and tea, as well as too salty or sweet foods.
The human body does not always work with the precision of a clock, so you need to be prepared for possible disruptions in its functioning. In particular, in order to promptly detect and eliminate a possible problem, it is necessary to understand what is normal and what should be considered a deviation.
Not all women experience their periods in the same way. The amount of discharge and its duration can vary significantly, which is influenced by a number of factors: stress, childbirth, diet and various methods of contraception. The characteristics of different menstrual cycles often differ for one woman, and this should not be considered a pathology - perhaps the load on the body over the previous month was stronger. 
In a word, it is very difficult to talk about the norm in this case, since we are all individual, although most experts talk about a normal monthly cycle of 21–35 days and a monthly duration of about 3–7 days.
Also quite normal is pain before the onset of discharge, characterized by nagging pain in the lower abdomen and aching in the lumbar region. True, if the pain is very strong and you can’t do anything about it, then it’s better to consult a gynecologist for advice.
Most women monitor their cycle and can immediately detect whether there is a “delay” and how long it lasts. With regular sexual activity, even small deviations from the usual schedule often cause panic due to possible... But the absence of menstruation, not to mention a change in its duration or abundance, does not always indicate conception, just as it is not evidence of the presence of diseases.
For example, after the birth of a child, during lactation or during severe anxiety, the menstrual cycle will not be constant, since the hormonal background in the body changes greatly. There is no need to be afraid of this - when the influence of these factors ends, everything will fall into place. 
However, with long delays for no apparent reason, the possibility of developing any gynecological diseases should not be completely ruled out. The most common of them is algomenorrhea, which is expressed in pain of varying intensity. These are no longer just pulling sensations in the lower abdomen; vomiting, nausea and severe migraines are often added to them. A similar condition is observed with endometriosis, and less significant signs of algomenorrhea sometimes indicate inflammation of the uterus or appendages.
Fluctuations in the duration of the cycle and the duration of menstruation may also be characteristic of dysmenorrhea, which often appears due to the lack of ovulation. In some cases, it is combined with pain in the menstrual cycle, and then they talk about algodismonorrhea, which occurs as a result of frequent flights, polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis and inflammation of the appendages. Therefore, if there are symptoms of menstruation, but no menstruation itself, then it is still worth contacting a gynecologist.
Did you know?It has been established that the severity of dysmenorrhea is directly related to the social status of a woman and the conditions of her working activity.
Also, do not forget about the possibility of developing amenorrhea and oligomenorrhea. In the first case, cycle disruption is expressed in the absence of menstruation for up to six months, and in the second, menstruation is constantly rare and not abundant. In such a situation, such failures cannot be called normal, since cyclic processes in the female organs either do not occur at all or develop very slowly. A similar picture is often characteristic of infertility. There are many reasons for the absence of bloody discharge, called “menstruation”. So, they distinguish between primary absence, in which they do not begin in girls during puberty, which, it must be said, is a very rare phenomenon, and secondary absence, which we will talk about later. What are the grounds for the development of such a phenomenon in the second case? There are several reasons.
The first and most obvious reason is .
By and large, this is the only reason for such a phenomenon in a healthy woman, and you can confirm your guesses by simply purchasing a special test to determine this special condition (sold in every pharmacy). 
However, if the test strip shows one line, which does not confirm the presence, but you feel other signs of it, then a trip to the gynecologist and examination using a device will help to dispel all doubts. If the fact of fertilization is confirmed, then the return of menstruation can be expected no earlier than within a year after the baby.
The second and, I must say, quite common reason for the absence of menstruation is a disruption in a woman’s hormonal background. Such disorders are often caused by the development of various diseases (for example, ovarian dysfunction), although there are also situations where problems were caused by improper use of oral contraceptives. Special analyzes will help determine the presence of such failures. In this case, the normal menstrual cycle will be restored after the course of treatment prescribed by the doctor (sometimes this period lasts up to a year).
Normally, hormonal changes in the female body that cause the cessation of menstruation can also be associated with menopause (menopause), which occurs when a woman reaches the age of 45–50 years. Here you no longer have to wait for the return of menstruation, but there is no need to worry, since this is quite natural. Painful conditions of the body such as bulimia and anorexia sometimes serve as the basis for the absence of critical days for a woman. In both cases, evidence will be severe exhaustion of the body, in which it is simply impossible, and in some cases may pose a threat to the life of a girl or woman. The body itself understands this, so it activates its protective functions, stopping menstruation.
As soon as fat and muscle mass begin to increase and reach normal levels, the cycle will be restored, however, it usually takes much longer to restore reproductive function.
Did you know? The fair sex is more prone to bulimia (an eating disorder), but according to experts, up to 15% of people who are treated for this disease are men, who are much more aggressive in accepting psychological help.
The list of reasons for the absence of “female monthly discharge” also includes diseases associated with impaired functioning of the thyroid gland or metabolic processes, but these reasons are so rare that it makes no sense to talk about them for a long time. With timely and successful treatment of the underlying cause, the cycle quickly normalizes. 
The situation is much more complicated in the presence of oncology. In this case, cancer and other diseases of this nature not only lead to the absence of menstruation, but also cause infertility. Surgeries, constant chemotherapy and huge doses of drugs have a serious impact on the female body, so it is not surprising that she has no time to maintain a normal menstrual cycle.
Cessation of menstruation (usually temporary) is sometimes characteristic of exacerbation or complication of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). As soon as a woman is cured of the underlying illness, she will be prescribed hormonal therapy, which is designed to restore and normalize the usual monthly cycle.
Important! Even if menstruation returns, fertility cannot be restored after some STDs.
We can talk with almost one hundred percent certainty about the absence of menstruation after prolonged use of alcohol and drugs. It stops within a year of regular abuse and, depending on the duration of such actions, is almost always accompanied by the complete destruction of the woman’s reproductive system. Of course, in this case, restoring the normal functioning of all organs, and with it the resumption of reproductive function, often turns out to be not just a difficult task, but also an impossible undertaking. 
And finally, speaking about the possible reasons for the absence of menstruation, one cannot help but recall constant stressful situations and frequent depression, which often become companions for many modern women. However, it is much easier to deal with the psychological reasons for this problem, since they are usually situational in nature and pass quickly enough.
Be that as it may, the absence of regular menstruation is a fairly serious reason for visiting a doctor, because only a gynecologist, based on many tests, will help to find out the true cause of this condition and avoid serious consequences.
Menstruation for women has become a familiar and routine occurrence, which receives too little attention. To maintain your health and well-being, you should know how your periods go, what your discharge should be and its quantity. Both teenage girls and older women should be able to recognize deviations from the normal course of the cycle.
It can be characterized by the degree of pain, regularity and amount of discharge. This process is individual and each woman goes through it differently.
Unfortunately, during menstruation, most women experience significant discomfort associated with pain. Spasms are provoked by a group of lipid biologically active substances that stimulate contraction of the muscles of the uterus to remove blood from the body. Some women claim that period pain decreases significantly after giving birth.
Painkillers such as tempalgin, tamipul, solpadeine, and no-shpa help women cope with pain. Antispasmodics should be taken strictly in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. It is not recommended to exceed the dose, so as not to provoke side effects. You should also not take aspirin or apply a heating pad to your stomach, as this will increase bleeding.
Although most doctors advise against exercising during menstrual periods, moderate physical activity helps reduce the intensity of uterine spasms. Therefore, if she feels well, a woman can go for a walk or bike ride. This will only benefit the body.
When a woman notices that her periods (menstruation) after 35 years are accompanied by more severe cramps and pain, she should be examined by a gynecologist for the development of endometriosis or the presence of polyps.
Women should be especially sensitive to their health and regularly undergo preventive examinations with a gynecologist. This will help avoid the development of many pathologies of the genitourinary system.
Normal does not pose a threat to the body. Moderate blood loss is quickly replenished and is imperceptible to the woman. The normal discharge rate during menstruation ranges from 20 to 50 grams per day. The duration and intensity of discharge varies from person to person; these numbers may vary slightly in each specific case. The total blood loss does not exceed 250 grams.
Sometimes women complain of heavy discharge that literally “floods” them in the first days. They have to change tampons or pads every two hours, and the blood may come out in clots of different sizes. For mature women in the premenopausal period and for younger women, such periods signal a hormonal imbalance in the body.
To correct the situation, you should contact a gynecologist, undergo an examination and, on the doctor’s recommendation, take additional tests. A visit to a specialist if blood loss is higher than normal is mandatory, since heavy menstruation indicates the presence of inflammatory processes in the organs of the reproductive system.
Such a popular method of contraception as the IUD sometimes causes heavy bleeding during menstruation. This situation can be corrected; you just need to draw the attention of your gynecologist to this issue.
A very effective remedy for heavy periods is sorrel, which is added to food, fresh or boiled. They are also used on the basis of yarrow, chamomile, horsetail, shepherd's purse, lungwort and horse chestnut (bark, leaves or flowers), peppermint. Effective ways to reduce bleeding are a decoction of cherry stalks and leaves, and an infusion of oak acorns. For severe bleeding, soak flax seeds in the evening. The next day, only flax is allowed as food.
A meager amount of menstruation for just two or three days may be due to the following reasons:
If scanty discharge appears after an abortion or a procedure to clean the uterus after childbirth, you should check the possibility of sticking of the walls of the uterus. To eliminate this problem, surgery is sometimes used. Light bleeding sometimes occurs during pregnancy.
Menstrual discharge is characterized by a bright red color and a specific smell. Often women notice traces of blood clots on the pads. Their size can range from small grains to large clots. This phenomenon is considered absolutely normal. Enzymes intended for processing secretions do not have time to correctly perform their functions. Therefore, the blood that remains unprocessed accumulates in the vagina, transforming into clots.
As mentioned above, intrauterine devices promote copious discharge of blood, which also transforms into clots. If there is a spiral, clots can be explained by the fact that the fertilized eggs were unable to attach to the walls of the uterus and left the body along with menstrual blood.
We found out how normal periods should go in the middle of the cycle. At the very beginning and end of menstruation, instead of bright scarlet blood, faint bleeding may appear. A small amount of discharge has a brownish tint and lasts about two days. A longer discharge of such blood indicates gynecological problems, the nature of which should be determined by the doctor during examination.
The discharge is spontaneous and irregular. The formation of the cycle can take about a year. As a result, when asked how often menstruation occurs, we can answer that the duration of a normal cycle is 28 days with possible deviations of 1-2 days. Some people have a cycle length of only 25 days (short cycle). The longest cycle, which is not considered a deviation from the norm, lasts 32 days.
The most favorable are regular periods, that is, when the beginning and end of menstruation occur on approximately the same days of the month. In this case, we can talk about the coordinated functioning of the body’s genitourinary system. When the cycle is constantly changing, lengthening or, conversely, becoming shorter, we are talking about irregular periods. Normal menstruation and a regular cycle are two parameters that indicate a healthy state of the reproductive system.
Irregular periods are not a consequence of pathologies if we are talking about young girls with an unformed cycle or a premenopausal period in a woman’s life. Sometimes a cycle is disrupted due to its absence or failure. For couples planning children, the ability to calculate the days of ovulation is extremely important, so it makes sense for a woman to make an appointment with a gynecologist.
If a woman has a long absence of menstruation, this cannot be called the norm. If the possibility of pregnancy has been excluded, you should be examined for early menopause, for the presence of hormonal or psychological causes of cycle failure.
Attitudes towards intimacy during menstruation among women and men often do not coincide. Men strive for unprotected sex and the opportunity to experience pleasure, while women are somewhat wary of such experiments. And for good reason. The health of the fair half of humanity on such days is especially susceptible to various diseases due to the slightly open cervix. Therefore, if you cannot do without sex, you must follow the basic rules of hygiene, as well as use a condom to protect against infections entering the female body.
Don’t forget what a normal period should be and how to keep your body clean so as not to get an infection. The basic rules of feminine hygiene are:
Both pads and tampons are convenient and practical devices. They protect laundry from dirt and leaks. For a woman’s convenience, you can try combining these hygiene products.
Every girl and woman should know which periods are normal and which indicate the need to visit a doctor. The reasons for deviation from the norm may be: hormonal imbalance, weight gain or loss, stress, as well as infectious diseases of the genitourinary system. In order not to be at a loss about the state of your health, you should regularly undergo examination by a gynecologist.
Medications:
Folk remedies:
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