Take a period test. Girls' first periods: signs and symptoms

When girls start menstruating, it means that a new and interesting stage of growing up is opening up for them. It will be accompanied by unfamiliar sensations and experiences. To ensure that such an event does not come as a surprise, you need to be able to recognize the signs of imminent menstruation and know how to prepare for it.

Statistics show that modern girls get their periods much earlier than previous generations. Nowadays, it is considered normal for girls to experience their first menstruation between the ages of 11 and 15. When menstruation begins before 10 years of age, we can talk about the early development and maturation of a girl. If the delay in menstruation lasts up to 16 years, this means that the teenager is lagging behind in sexual development.

The arrival of the first depends on how physically developed the girl is, on hereditary predisposition, balanced nutrition, region of residence, as well as illnesses suffered in childhood. The appearance of early menarche can be triggered by hormonal imbalance, excessive physical exertion for the child’s body, as well as a lack of nutrients. There are cases when girls have their first menstruation at 18-19 years old. Of course, this situation should be discussed with a gynecologist. Sometimes the doctor recommends hormone therapy, since the reasons for such a long-term delay are the following factors:

insufficient development of the ovaries;
failure of the pituitary gland;
hormonal disorders;
emotional and mental disorders;
other individual reasons.

There are some signs that allow you to recognize the approach of your first menstruation. The girl's physical condition and emotional mood changes noticeably. The most visible signs of this process are the following:

physical changes occurring in the girl’s body. The figure takes on a more feminine and rounded shape;
thickening of pubic and armpit hair;
slightly enlarged external genitalia;
activation of sweat and sebaceous glands. Leads to excessive sweating of the child, to the appearance of acne on the face, chest and back;
the appearance of dandruff, which the child did not have before. Hair roots quickly become dirtier and greasy;
headache;
sudden mood swings, touchiness and tearfulness;
constant feeling of fatigue and indifference, aggressive behavior for no reason.

And although information about what critical days are can be gleaned from the Internet, the main role in familiarizing the girl with the upcoming changes in the body should belong to her mother. Therefore, it is important to maintain a trusting relationship so that a teenage girl can always turn to a loved one with questions that interest her.

What you need to know and what to take care of

In order for the first menstruation to go as smoothly as possible for a girl, the mother needs to prepare as much as possible for this event. What to do:

Purchase special sanitary pads for teenagers. They are more convenient and comfortable to use at this age. There are also tampons on sale that can be used without harm to the hymen from the very first menstruation. However, the opinion of gynecologists regarding the use of tampons at such an early age is ambiguous.
Have gentle painkillers in your first aid kit that can be used to relieve pain in your child.
Have a short conversation with the girl about the importance of maintaining hygiene. No one can predict at what age menstruation should begin with 100% probability, but by explaining to the girl in advance about the possible negative consequences of non-compliance with hygiene, you can avoid the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms and the development of the inflammatory process.
Purchase a special women's calendar or install an application on your phone that records the beginning and end of critical days. And although it takes about a year or even more to establish a cycle, you need to get used to marking the days now.

During the first menstruation, the use of pads is more preferable than tampons, since in this case it is possible to observe the first discharge of blood, its color, consistency and smell.

For a teenage girl, blood before her period was a sign of trauma or injury. Therefore, you should prepare the child in advance and approximately explain the mechanism of bleeding.

A small test when girls' first periods begin will help determine how ready the child's body is for further growing up. So, you need to answer the following questions:

How old is the girl? In most cases, menstruation begins between 11 and 14 years of age. If the girl has reached the specified age, you should talk to the child and explain what changes are occurring in her body.
At what age did her mother have her first menstrual flow? As a rule, the onset of menstruation for mother and daughter coincides.
Is there hair in the pubic area and armpits? These signs that your period is approaching can appear several years before your period begins.
When did breasts begin to grow and form? A slight swelling or increase in the size of the mammary glands also occurs 1-2 years before the first menstruation.
Is there white discharge? Approximately six months before the first menstruation, leucorrhoea (a special physiological discharge) begins to be released from the vagina. The color of the discharge can be yellowish or almost transparent with a sour odor.

By answering the above questions one by one, you can roughly understand when your period should start. This process depends on the characteristics of the girl’s body. Therefore, if there is a slight delay in the first menstruation, do not worry or worry. Perhaps the child’s body needs time and then everything will happen naturally.

Contraception after the start of menstruation

It is impossible to predict at what age girls begin menstruation, but the conversation about contraception should not be postponed. The onset of menstruation does not mean that the body is ready to bear a child. This process indicates that conception can now occur. Although a conversation on such a sensitive topic may cause some discomfort and embarrassment for the mother, it must take place.

When menstruation arrives, if a teenage girl has sexual intercourse without contraception, she may become pregnant. But it is impossible to bear a healthy child without harming your own body at such a young age. Therefore, it is necessary to take care of the girl’s safety by visiting a consultation with a gynecologist who will help you choose the most suitable means of contraception (condoms, hormonal drugs).

Discussing issues related to sexual contacts does not mean that a girl or girl can enter into an intimate relationship from that moment on. The choice of partners should be taken very responsibly, which should also be explained to a growing girl.

When very young girls menstruate, the question arises of how to reduce pain without the use of potent analgesics and antispasmodics (tempalgin, no-shpa, solpadeine). If you ask for help, the most effective painkillers are:

Elecampane root. One teaspoon of root is brewed with boiling water and left to infuse for 1 hour. It is recommended to drink 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.
Infusion of horsetail. Take 3 times a day until the pain disappears.
Celery root. 2 tablespoons of root are poured into a glass of clean and cold water. Leave for two hours, after which you need to strain the mixture and drink 1/3 cup 3 times a day.
One tablespoon of knotweed, centaury, cinquefoil, and horsetail herbs is sufficient to infuse for 1 hour. The resulting infusion is taken to eliminate pain, one small sip throughout the day.
Infusion of strawberry or raspberry leaves. Wild berries are known for their healing properties, so they make an excellent pain reliever.

At what age girls begin menstruation and how severe the pain will be largely depends on genetic predisposition. For example, if a mother had severe pain, nausea and fatigue during her first menstruation, most likely the same will happen to her growing daughter.

Medicines and folk remedies

Medications:

tempalgin;
no-shpa;
Solpadeine

Folk remedies:

elecampane root;
infusion of horsetail;
celery root;
infusion of knotweed, centaury, and cinquefoil herbs;
infusion of strawberry or raspberry leaves.

Pain, dizziness, nausea, surges in blood pressure, sudden mood swings, lack of or, conversely, increased appetite - this is not a complete list of their problems!

Most women manage with analgesics and patience, but doctors are increasingly calling for more effective solutions.

Is your cycle normal? To test this and get advice on overcoming monthly problems, take this test. For each answer a) give yourself 6 points, for b) - 3 points and for c) - 0.

1. My first period came during...

A) at 11 - 14 years old.
b) at 15 - 18 years old.
V) later (or earlier) and with problems.

2. During my period I...

A) I hardly change my usual rhythm of life.
b) especially attentive to yourself.
V) I'm lying flat.

3. I have pain during menstruation...

A) on the first or second day and not very strong.
b) every day, sometimes you have to take painkillers.
V) They make me climb the wall, sometimes I lose consciousness.

4. As a means of preventing unwanted pregnancy, I use...

A) calendar method, physiological tricks (or I don’t use protection at all).
b) hormonal contraception.
V) barrier agents.

5. After pregnancy, periods...

A) flow easier, become shorter.
b) at the same level (or there was simply no pregnancy yet).
V) became much heavier and more painful.

6. My cycle is...

A) from 26 to 31 days.
b) from 21 to 25 days.
V) irregular (or frequent failures are observed).

7. Intimate life for me...

A) one of the highest pleasures.
b) something you cannot deny yourself.
V) something that, unfortunately, cannot always be denied to a man.

8. The duration of menstruation varies within...

A) from 3 to 5 days.
b) from 2 to 4 days.
V) one week.

9. I know about premenstrual syndrome because...

A) During it my mood and appetite change.
b) Sometimes I feel nauseous, my chest hurts and swells.
V) Its manifestations in me are truly terrible.

10. Sex in my life...

A) permanent with one partner.
b) permanent with several partners.
V) irregular.

Calculate your scores and see your findings

If you typed from 60 to 40 points- most likely, there is no need to sound the alarm! Even if there are certain problems, in general your cycle is normal. Don't forget to visit your gynecologist 2 times a year. It is better to endure minor painful sensations during menstrual periods without taking painkillers (why put extra stress on the liver?). Under no circumstances should you engage in intense or prolonged physical activity during these days, even if you feel great. Drink more fortified drinks. You can add rosehip and hawthorn syrup to tea.

From 39 to 19 points- you should tell your gynecologist about your problems during your menstrual period and get examined. Once you receive your doctor's recommendations, follow them carefully. You will likely have to make some lifestyle changes to achieve a normal, pain-free cycle.

Avoid both hypothermia and overheating of the body. Avoid sudden changes in temperature - saunas and steam baths are contraindicated for you even outside of critical days. During menstruation, walk in the fresh air more often, allow yourself your favorite treat, drink pomegranate juice and blackcurrant juice.

Less than 18 points- you should be wary and consult a doctor as soon as possible. Analyze your lifestyle yourself. Maybe you are chronically sleep-deprived? Do you live in a constant state of stress? Do you lead a sedentary lifestyle or, on the contrary, exhaust yourself with physical activity and diets? Your attending physician should certainly find out all these factors during the examination. Most likely, in addition to the course of therapy, you will be recommended a radical revision of your lifestyle, including in the intimate sphere.

Every mother of a young princess is preoccupied with the question of when her daughter will begin. Usually it falls on the mother’s shoulders to tell her daughter about the physiological characteristics of the female sex, as well as explain what menstruation is and how it proceeds.

In this article, we will tell you about when girls' periods most often begin, and by what signs you can suspect their imminent onset.

When should girls get their periods?

Typically, menstruation in teenage girls begins at 12-14 years of age. However, all children have different physiology, and some may start their periods earlier, while others may start later. The normal age range for the onset of the first menstrual flow is considered to be from 10 to 16 years. If your daughter’s period started too early, or at 17-18 years old she still doesn’t have it, this is a reason to visit a gynecologist.

The first menstruation usually lasts about 3-5 days. In some cases, critical days may be slightly delayed, but the discharge should not last more than a week. Most often, the first periods are not heavy, but still give the girl a lot of discomfort.

The next period can begin in 28-30 days. However, in most cases, young girls have irregular periods for a long time, and the interval between spotting can be up to 6 months. Gradually, a girl’s menstrual cycle should shorten, approaching the ideal “lunar” value of 28 days. If, after two years after the start of the first menstruation, the cycle has still not returned to normal, the girl should consult a doctor.

How can you tell when a girl's period starts?

You can determine the time when girls start menstruation by the following signs:

You will be able to notice the very first signs of your daughter’s puberty several years before the onset of her first period. The girl's figure becomes more feminine and rounded, the sebaceous and sweat glands begin to work in full force. Most teenagers develop acne at this age.
A few months before the onset of the first menstruation in girls, the nature of vaginal discharge changes. Most often, mothers notice that there is a lot of moisture on their daughter’s panties that does not have any foreign odor. Also, the discharge may be viscous and transparent. If you notice yellowish discharge on your child’s underwear that has an unpleasant odor, this is a reason to consult a doctor. Perhaps they indicate the presence of some infectious disease of the genitourinary system.
Finally, 1-2 weeks before the approach of menstruation, a girl may experience changes in her condition such as frequent mood swings, discomfort in the lower abdomen, weakness and malaise, headache and dizziness, vomiting and nausea.

Test for girls “When will your first period start?”

Today, on popular Internet sites, as well as in various women's magazines, you can find a test to determine the time when girls start their periods. The result of such tests is most often based on the girl’s answers to questions such as:

How old are you?
At what age did your mother start getting her period?
What is your weight and height?
How long ago have your breasts started to get bigger?
Is your pubic hair and armpit hair growing?
Have you noticed white discharge on your panties?

Such tests can be quite accurate, but do not forget that each person is individual, and the time when a girl begins her first period depends on many factors.

The site is a medical portal for online consultations of pediatric and adult doctors of all specialties. You can ask a question on the topic "when will my first period come" and get a free online doctor’s consultation.

Ask your question

Questions and answers on: when will your first period come?

2011-06-21 21:49:38

Anastasia asks:

Hello, I got my first period when I was 12 years old, now I’m 18. I have this story:
I went for an examination with a gynecologist because I was constantly feeling sick for 10 days, the pregnancy test was negative, they diagnosed a torsion of my cyst, and immediately from the doctor’s office they took me by ambulance to the hospital for surgery, when I arrived at the hospital, they told me, that the doctor was mistaken, I just had inflammation. We started injecting Metrogyl and Biotum 2 times a day for 7 days. The nausea went away, but severe pain in the lower abdomen began, I went to another hospital for an ultrasound, they told me it was a hormonal cyst, it would come out with menstruation, i.e. in the last hospital they treated me incorrectly and caused severe thrush, they prescribed me Nystatin and hormonal pills Jazz. The pain seemed to have gone away. My periods started, in general they last 7 days. From the first day of menstruation I started taking Jazz. On the seventh day I had sex with my husband, and bright scarlet blood began to flow, this has never happened before. I read on the Internet that this happens with erosion, I think I had it, but I cured it. I’m already on the 9th day of my period, I don’t know what to do, I can’t get to my gynecologist, so how she went abroad and I don’t know when she’ll arrive, I’ll call accordingly and call too. Please tell me exactly what it could be, maybe it’s a side effect from Jazz?

Answers Konovalenko Natalia Vladimirovna:

Anastasia, hello! One of the reasons for spotting may be during sex. This process causes a rush of blood to the internal genital organs. Your period lasted 7 days, you no longer saw discharge, but in small quantities it could still be discharged from the cervical canal. And having sex provoked their intensification.
The second reason may be related to the beginning of taking jazz. This is a drug containing small doses of hormones. In the first months of taking it, spotting between menstrual periods is possible, which is quite possible for you.
In addition, menstrual irregularities may be associated with the presence of an inflammatory process.
But this is all speculation. The most reasonable thing is to make an appointment with a gynecologist and together with him find out the reason for what is happening to you. If your doctor is currently unavailable, then you can make an appointment with another gynecologist, using the advice of your friends or family.
Take action! All the best!

2010-06-18 13:30:34

Anna asks:

Hello! My husband and I decided to have a second child! Conception occurred around June 2, but menstruation started yesterday! I read that this is possible in the early stages of pregnancy! I would like to know when should I take the test now, after the end of my period or wait for the next one, there may be a delay! With my first child I had my period in the first month! thank you in advance!!

Answers Medical consultant of the website portal:

Hello Anna! Bloody discharge during pregnancy in most cases is evidence of a threat of miscarriage, usually due to insufficiency of the hormone progesterone, which ensures the maintenance of pregnancy, which is secreted by the ovaries until 12-14 weeks of pregnancy. The second option is the absence of pregnancy. That is, menstruation was really menstruation. To check which of the options is reality, you need to do a pregnancy test, especially since the timing allows it. Right now you can buy a pregnancy test and get tested without waiting for your next menstruation. You can learn more about the work of pregnancy tests from the article Pregnancy test or how to find peace of mind, posted on our portal. Take care of your health!

2016-03-29 09:33:31

Ekaterina asks:

Hello. Please help me determine the approximate embryonic age of the fetus (conception), it is very important. The last menstruation was 11/09/2015 and ended on 11/15/2015. PA was regular, unprotected (spermatozoa got inside) PA was until November 20, 2015. After which there was no PA (until December 6, 2015). The next menstruation was supposed to begin on December 4-5, 2015, but it didn’t start, the stomach hurt very much below, the next day there was PA on December 6, 2015, but interrupted (it turns out when it was already there was a 1-2 day delay). My period never started, I waited another week exactly and on December 15, 2015 I took a test, it came out positive and immediately went to the doctor, after examining me in the chair, I was told that I was already 5 weeks pregnant. Then another week later (December 25, 2016) I had my first ultrasound, and it was determined that it was not 6 weeks, but already 7 weeks, two days ago. When approximately did conception occur? Thank you very much in advance.

2016-02-24 08:05:01

Daria asks:

Hello!
I am 21 years old, married. I started getting my periods at the age of 12, before university there were no problems with them at all, but somewhere from the first year, delays of up to three months began to appear (when such delays began to appear, I had not yet had sexual activity). Then everything seemed to settle down, everything was regular again, then again there were delays. With the onset of sexual activity (since March 2014), the cycle was regulated, but then delays occurred again. The sex was protected, the tests gave a negative result. But probably those delays could be attributed to university and when I had a cold. I'm dealing with the same problem now. For the last six months, my periods have come on time (30-35 days on average). The latter began on February 9 and lasted 4 days. But yesterday (February 23) they started again, exactly two weeks later. Could this situation be due to stress? The last session was very nervous, and last week there was clearly a nervous breakdown (in all physical, emotional and other symptoms), but an ambulance was not called. Could my period start so early due to the factors listed above? I saw a gynecologist once in my life for a school examination (which was extremely unpleasant, and they put me in a chair, and in general), since then I have been very afraid to go to him, in principle, a wild fear.

Answers Bosyak Yulia Vasilievna:

Hello, Daria! Most likely, delays in menstruation are not associated with study and stress, as well as colds. Hormonal imbalances most often occur due to endocrine disorders. If you are married and sexually active, then I advise you to find a gynecologist whom you will trust and not be afraid to come for an examination. First of all, after the end of the next menstruation, it is necessary to undergo an ultrasound scan of the pelvic organs. Most likely you have multifollicular ovaries or polycystic syndrome (PCOS); based on the ultrasound scan, a preliminary diagnosis can be made. Then the gynecologist will prescribe therapy or refer you for a blood test for sex hormones. Taking COCs should most likely regulate your hormonal levels.

2013-12-28 19:55:52

Heda asks:

Hello! I am 22 years old, my periods are not regular, they vary every 2-3 months, the longest period is 9 months. I got married a year ago, and after the first sexual intercourse they began to go normally, they went every month, but about 3 months ago there was a delay, after 5 weeks bleeding began, I could neither stand up nor lie down from pain in the back and pain in the lower abdomen, and immediately discovered a clot blood like a piece of meat. but when I took the test, it was negative, now I can’t understand whether it was a miscarriage or menstruation, since I don’t have any pain during menstruation, and could I still get pregnant if I had ovarian dysfunction before? Now 3 months have passed and I only had my period once.

Answers Purpura Roksolana Yosipovna:

What diagnosis were you given – polycystic disease? Have you had an ultrasound scan of the pelvic organs, a test for sex hormones? It would be advisable to submit the clot that came out for histology. Now it is impossible to say whether it was pregnancy. Today, the issue of another hormonal imbalance is relevant, so you need to be examined, and then the gynecologist should prescribe hormone therapy. If you do nothing, it will be difficult to get pregnant.

2013-05-10 17:07:59

Ekaterina asks:

Please tell me if the obstetrician-gynecologist gave me the correct due date and explained what was what, I can’t figure out why I have three of them?!) January 31 seems to be the last period, the cycle is broken, irregular, in March there was a delay, but signs of ber. began to appear only after the 7th, on March 13, the pregnancy was not detected by ultrasound, on the 15th, nothing was detected, but my stomach and lower back hurt a lot, so I went in, then the tests began to show weak two stripes, on March 26, the due date showed 4, 3 weeks embryonic, that is, conception at the end of February, the doctor explained, at the screening at 12 weeks from my period, I was diagnosed with 10.4 - April 25 and moved to May 8, when the ultrasound reading was 12.1 and 13.6 monthly, and from conception it is approximately 10.2, is this true? I didn’t understand the scratching at the first ultrasound, then they set the due date shorter than the previous ones, but the pregnancy did not appear after two weeks of delay. They say whoever has a broken cycle always has three deadlines

2011-10-28 16:47:34

Natalia asks:

Hello. At 9-10 weeks of pregnancy, I started having slight burgundy discharge and mild pain in the lower abdomen. The local doctor examined her, put the pregnancy at risk and sent her for preservation. In the hospital, literally on the 2nd day of treatment (I took Utrozhestan, Nokhsha and Noshpa intramuscularly) everything went away. After 21 days I went for the first ultrasound (in a private office) and they told me that the fetus froze for 5-6 weeks. On the same day, I had a “curettage” done in the same hospital where I was being kept. Afterwards, I was told that the fetus was not 5-6 weeks old, as the ultrasound showed - but 7-8, possibly 9. While keeping me in the chair, they examined me once and then upon admission... but they constantly only felt the stomach... there is their mistake ? Are their conclusions reliable? why I didn’t have any symptoms of a frozen fetus (I felt great), even my tummy was getting bigger, as it seemed to me and my husband. Why did everyone set a time frame significantly longer than 5-6 weeks when the fetus froze? after all, they set 12 weeks during examinations... there was also one nuance, my husband and I purposefully conceived a child on August 13, July 20 was the first day of menstruation... we took a pregnancy test in early September - it didn’t show anything. done in early October - showed a positive result. please explain my situation to me! For reference, I was in hospital No. 7 in the city of Dnepropetrovsk.

Answers Wild Nadezhda Ivanovna:

Hello. I really sympathize with you and understand how painful it is for you. The fact is that a frozen pregnancy at 5-6 weeks is the presence of a congenital genetic pathology incompatible with life. Usually, after the fetus has frozen, the threat of miscarriage begins - spotting. But you were prescribed treatment, so the miscarriage did not take place. Frequent examinations are not done when there is a threat of miscarriage, but an ultrasound should have been done. The size of the uterus may be greater than the gestation period, because the fetus first stops growing and after a while dies, after which it may decrease in size. There may have been no signs of a frozen fetus because you were taking morning-after pills (progesterone). Why the decision to conceive specifically on 08/13/2011 is either late ovulation or an old egg - this could lead to a missed abortion. You need to be examined by a geneticist 2 months after the termination of pregnancy, be examined for the presence of TORCH infection, check the functioning of the thyroid gland and kidneys. It is necessary to find out and eliminate the cause of a frozen pregnancy.

Answers Petrenko Galina Alexandrovna:

Hello, Natalia. I sympathize with you on the loss of your desired pregnancy. But let me consider this situation point by point: 1. You will not be able to establish after the fact either the fact of a doctor’s error (if any) or the cause of a missed abortion. 2. The data you provided are not clear facts on which conclusions can be drawn 3. Diagnosis of a frozen pregnancy is carried out using ultrasound data, preferably over time at intervals of a week. The diagnostic criteria are: - absence of growth of the fertilized egg in a period of up to 4-5 weeks - absence of heartbeats in the embryo in a period of 6-7 weeks 4. You do not write how the pregnancy was initially diagnosed - only on the basis of tests and the size of the uterus during a bimanual examination , or there was also an ultrasound. 5. A frozen pregnancy usually does not manifest itself in any way. The uterus can continue to enlarge while the embryo is already frozen. The abdomen cannot noticeably increase in such a short period of time.

2011-07-09 13:08:16

Oksana asks:

I’m 19 years old, I took acyclovir for 5 days, I was cured when I was late for 2 weeks, I found out that I was pregnant, the doctor put it at about three to four weeks. He prescribed vitamins, three days passed, closer to the night my stomach began to feel like I was on my period, I woke up in the morning, I started bleeding and blood clots began , I immediately went to the hospital, but the doctor said that he would not examine me since I had not been registered for too long, if I had a miscarriage, it would come out in clots, if it became bad, call an ambulance, she told me. and even during pregnancy I had a high temperature of 38 6 that lasted for 2 days. I’ve been bleeding for the 7th day now, but there aren’t so many clots anymore, you can say it’s getting dirty, the breast is swollen again, it hurts, irritability, good sense of smell, there are a lot of symptoms of pregnancy, and even when the clots went away, it started getting dirty on the 7th day, I bought a test of 2 strips, what could this even be? many said that they had dirt coming out in the first month, some had washing of the fetus, and women also told me that they had this during pregnancy, everything was normal but they gave birth, what could it be???

My next period still hasn't started. I went for an ultrasound on May 19. All organs are normal. Phase 2 of the cycle. The only thing is that the endometrium is enlarged - 14 mm, the corpus luteum is not detected, there is no free fluid. They said that pregnancy is possible, but this is a 1 chance in 1000. My husband and I had unprotected sexual intercourse on April 23 and May 14. A pale pink line began to appear on the tests. Since May 24, the basal temperature has remained stable at 36.7, today it has risen to 36.8. Is pregnancy possible with these indicators? Thanks for the answer.

While waiting for “these” days, you may feel excited or even afraid, not quite understanding what exactly to expect and how the very first period begins. The correct and simple way to get rid of fear and dispel all doubts is to learn about menstruation: get to know what symptoms of menstruation exist.

When do you get your first period?

How can you tell if your period is about to start? There are several signs.

Beli

Usually, shortly before the onset of your first period, leucorrhoea appears - a light discharge from the vagina that you can notice on your underwear. This discharge is normal and its appearance simply means that your body is maturing. Your period will likely begin a year or two after those first period signs appear.

Premenstrual syndrome

There are several other menstrual symptoms that indicate that menstruation will occur literally in the coming days. However, they usually do not appear immediately, but after they are established (about a year after the first menstruation). These are symptoms such as:

aching, nagging pain in the lower back or lower abdomen,
slight enlargement and tenderness in the chest,
mood changes (tearfulness, aggressiveness or irritability).

Such symptoms are usually called. Don't worry, all these unpleasant period symptoms are pretty easy to deal with. Perhaps our "".

What will help you feel fresh?

To help keep you feeling fresh before your period starts, try using panty liners for girls (like ®). They can also be used if you do not know when your first period will come and you are afraid that it will come unexpectedly. Also, “daily pills” can be used for scanty discharge during menstruation.

By the age of 10-11, girls are usually already aware of the existence of menstruation and why they are needed. The onset of the first menstruation is the beginning of adulthood. They are waiting for him with excitement. Questions often arise that not every mother can answer. For example, what kind of strange discharge appeared, is this normal for a 9-10 year old girl, when to expect her period to start and why is it late. And it also happens that menstruation appears completely unexpectedly at the age of 7-8 years. The girl is not ready for this either mentally or physically. It is important to understand what the causes and consequences of early and late periods may be.

What determines the timing of the appearance of the first menstruation?

Puberty in girls begins at about 10 years of age and ends by 17-18 years. They begin to grow mammary glands and develop genital organs. 1-1.5 years after the start of maturation, the first menstruation (menarche) appears. The ovaries begin to function and female sex hormones are produced. At this time, ovulation occurs, and pregnancy may occur.

The timing of this period depends on the following factors:

heredity;
state of the nervous system;
lifestyle and social environment;
awareness of gender relations;
general health, presence of endocrine diseases.

If a girl was often sick since childhood, had congenital pathologies, or had to take a lot of medications, then menstruation may appear later. The norm is the appearance of the first menstruation at the age of 12-15 years. If it occurs at the age of 8-10, it is considered that menstruation is early, and if after 15 years, then it is considered late. In both cases, the causes of deviations are most often hormonal disorders or improper development of the genital organs.

What should your first period be like?

The first periods in girls appear in connection with the beginning of the functioning of the ovaries. Puberty begins when the pituitary gland and hypothalamus produce hormones (FSH - follicle-stimulating hormone, LH - luteinizing hormone) that promote the formation of estrogens in the ovaries. In the reproductive system, processes such as egg maturation, ovulation, and endometrial development begin to occur. Conception becomes possible. In this case, regular fluctuations in the level of sex hormones occur, characteristic of the menstrual cycles.

Addition: Follicles with egg primordia are present in the girl’s ovaries from birth. Their number is determined genetically. They are consumed throughout the reproductive period. The reserve is exhausted by the age of 45-52. A woman enters menopause and menstruation stops.

Menstruation occurs as a result of rejection and renewal of the uterine mucosa if fertilization of the egg does not occur. Menstrual discharge contains blood from vessels damaged during endometrial detachment. Therefore, normal first menstruation is dark red in color and has a mucous consistency with clots. There is slight discomfort; there should not be severe abdominal pain.

The girl needs to be told about what sensations she may have and in which case she needs advice and help from a doctor. After signs of the imminent arrival of the first period appear, the girl should always have pads with her.

Warning: The mother should explain to her daughter how to use pads and talk about the need for enhanced care of the genitals during menstruation. Otherwise, due to inexperience, an infection may be introduced into the genitals. Incorrectly chosen gaskets often leak. This causes not only discomfort, but also emotional stress.

After the appearance of menstruation, you need to start a calendar, marking the date of its beginning and end. This will allow you to monitor the regularity of your cycle and notice deviations in the nature of menstruation. The first cycles are unstable in duration and time of onset.

Video: Causes of instability of the first menstruation

When to see a doctor

Pathology is said to exist if:

Menstruation appears at too young an age or is late.
The volume of menstruation exceeds 150 ml, they are bright red in color. This may be a sign of hormonal disorders, pathological development of the reproductive organs. Such abnormal first periods in girls occur due to blood diseases. Such menstruation is a sign of tumor diseases and occurs due to taking certain medications that affect the development of the endometrium.
The first menstruation has appeared, but the next one does not come, although more than 3 months have passed. The reason for this phenomenon may be professional sports or ballet, when the body experiences too much stress. At the same time, such a pathology is a consequence of an inflammatory process, an infectious disease, or a malfunction of the endocrine glands.
Menstruation comes irregularly, although more than 1.5 years have passed since its onset. They appear either after 20 days, or after 35-40. The reasons for the instability of the cycle are illnesses, injuries, vitamin deficiencies, and the desire to lose weight by exhausting the body by starvation.
Severe abdominal pain appears during menstruation.
Their duration is 1-2 days. The cause may be a lack of estrogen due to underdevelopment of the ovaries. If they last 8-10 days, this indicates increased functioning of the ovaries or weak contractility of the uterine muscles.

In such cases, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive examination by a pediatric gynecologist, as well as an endocrinologist.

Video: About the features of the first menstruation, the need to prepare girls for their onset

Symptoms during menstruation

The girl should be prepared for the fact that with the onset of her period she may experience the following symptoms:

fast fatiguability;
tearfulness, causeless irritability;
headache, dizziness, nausea;
intestinal disorders during menstruation.

During menstruation, it is necessary to limit sports and other physical activities and get more rest.

Early periods

Early menstruation is considered to occur when a girl is under 11 years of age. There are cases when menstruation occurs in 8-year-old girls.

Sometimes early puberty is not a pathology. If the same situation was observed in mother and grandmother, then this is genetically determined. Accelerated physical development, intense sports, and dancing can also trigger the onset of menstruation at a young age.

However, in any case, when a girl’s first period appears at this age, it is recommended that she be examined, since most often the cause of the phenomenon is hormonal disorders, developmental pathologies, or diseases of the reproductive system. Hormonal disorders are caused by brain tumors, since it is the pituitary gland and hypothalamus that produce hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle.

Menstruation appears early if the child has diabetes. Early periods often occur in girls who have experienced severe stress or psychological trauma. One of the causes of stress may be too early exposure to issues of the physiology of sexes. A child’s psyche is easily traumatized by watching non-children’s programs on TV, as well as observing the sexual relations of loved ones.

What are the dangers of early puberty?

The early appearance of menstruation in a girl causes future health problems, such as early menopause, cardiovascular diseases, abnormalities in the thyroid gland, and hormonal disorders. Women who get their periods early are at increased risk of tumors of the reproductive organs and breasts.

With the onset of puberty, growth and physical development slow down. An important factor in the proper development of the reproductive system is good nutrition and normal living conditions.

Prevention of early menstruation

In order not to provoke the onset of menstruation too early, parents need to take into account what factors contribute to early sexual development. Prevention measures are:

Elimination of stress that can traumatize the delicate psyche of children. We need a calm, friendly atmosphere in the family and a trusting relationship between children and parents, and timely introduction to the problems of sexual development.
Ensuring proper diet. It is harmful for children to eat spicy, overly salty or sour foods, drink a lot of cocoa, coffee, and strong tea. Drinking beer and other alcoholic beverages is strictly contraindicated for teenagers.
Treatment of endocrine diseases.
Parental control over what the child watches on TV or on the computer.

It is important to observe moderation in sports and not to physically overload the child’s body.

Video: What will a girl’s early maturation lead to?

Late periods

The onset of the first menstruation in girls aged 16-18 is considered a deviation from the norm. Late sexual development is also indicated by poor development of the mammary glands.

The causes of late menstruation may be abnormal development of the uterus and ovaries, dysfunction of the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, and the presence of neuropsychiatric diseases. Late puberty is caused by infectious diseases suffered in childhood (measles, mumps, scarlet fever, rubella).

Often the cause of late menstruation is a girl’s excessive thinness. Adipose tissue, like the ovaries, produces estrogens. In its absence, the level of estrogen is insufficient for the normal functioning of the genital organs.

There are other unfavorable factors that lead to the late appearance of the first menstruation in girls: vitamin deficiency, poor ecology, consumption of genetically modified foods.

Consequences of late puberty

If you do not consult a doctor in time and do not eliminate the anomalies during adolescence, then the woman subsequently develops so-called genital infantilism. At the same time, the reproductive system of a mature woman remains underdeveloped (like a teenager). This affects appearance and leads to hormonal imbalances that affect overall health.

In girls, unlike adult women, this pathology is usually curable.

Video: What are the dangers of early and late onset of the first period

A regular menstrual cycle is an indicator that a woman’s body is in complete order and healthy. Knowing the start days of your period helps in many situations. The simplest thing is that when a gynecologist asks questions during an examination, you won’t look stupid, thinking for a long time about the answers - when was your last period, how many days did it last, etc. In addition, if you want to have a child, it is useful to know the day of ovulation and the most favorable days for conception. And vice versa, if you already have children and you don’t want to get pregnant again, then the menstrual calendar is your irreplaceable assistant. So, how do you know when your period starts?

Normal periods appear at the age of 11-14 years, the cycle is established within 3-4 years. And then the menstrual cycle - the number of days from the first day of menstruation until the start of new blood flow in the next month, becomes constant. This way, you can easily find out when your period starts and create a calendar for your convenience. The ideal cycle is 28 days, but in reality it varies from 25 to 36 days for different women. There are three phases in the cycle; in the middle of the cycle, ovulation occurs - the release of a mature egg. This usually occurs 14-16 days after the start of menstruation. The day of ovulation is the best day to conceive, as the likelihood of getting pregnant is highest. If it is not desirable to have a baby in the near future, then avoid sexual intercourse several days before and after ovulation, or use contraceptives.

How to calculate when your period starts? We add 28-35 to the first day of menstruation and get the approximate start date of the next menstruation. So for a few months you will know exactly how long your cycle lasts. This is the simplest method, but it is only suitable if your periods come without problems.

A more accurate way is to count from the day of ovulation. The thing is that before ovulation the basal temperature is 36.4-36.6 degrees, and with the release of the egg it becomes 37.1-37.5. Get yourself a notebook with two columns – date of measurement and temperature. Using a regular thermometer, measure your basal temperature every morning by inserting the thermometer into the anus and waiting 7-9 minutes. As soon as the temperature changes by 0.5-0.7 degrees, you know ovulation has occurred. Now count 12-16 from this day. The number that results from the calculation is the day when the next period begins. Nothing complicated, but the result is accurate.

Your health – PMS (premenstrual syndrome) – can also serve as a clue. The lower abdomen aches, the breasts swell, the mood deteriorates - all these are signs of the imminent arrival of menstruation. Observe your body and use our tips, and then determining the day of the next menstruation will not be a problem.

A menstrual calendar is something that every girl should definitely keep, regardless of whether she is sexually active or not. Depending on how regularly menstruation occurs, one can judge the general state of health, not only the reproductive system. For example, irregular periods may be associated with problems in the endocrine system or too low body weight. Only a doctor can determine the exact cause of this phenomenon.

Any girl can calculate her period calendar. Ideally, the cycle lasts no less than 25 and no more than 35 days, more often - 28-30. Other options require a medical examination. An important point is that the menstrual cycle is counted from the very first day of menstruation until the first day of the next one. So when your doctor asks the question, “When was your last period?”, you need to say the first day of your last period. For a healthy woman, her period comes exactly after a certain period of time. Our online menstruation calendar will help you remember about the onset of the next critical days. You only need to correctly indicate the first day of your last menstrual bleeding and the length of your cycle.

For most women, the main role of the calendar is not to track the possible onset of pregnancy (noticing a delay in time). The menstrual calendar also allows you to calculate the days of ovulation - when pregnancy is most likely to occur during unprotected sexual intercourse. These days occur in the middle of the menstrual cycle. The beginning of the cycle and its end are considered “sterile.” However, there are many cases where women became pregnant even at “safe” times, and therefore it is not worth using only the calendar method as contraception. It is better to keep a record of dangerous and safe days for, rather than for protection from it.

Another interesting option for using an online period calendar is this. It is known that conception that occurs exactly in the middle of the cycle usually gives a boy, and 1-2 days before ovulation - a girl. It is believed that this statistics is due to better motility of sperm - carriers of the male chromosome. Future girls are not so nimble, but more resilient and patient, and can remain viable in the female genital tract for up to several days.

An online menstrual calendar will help expectant mothers calculate their due date. The average duration of pregnancy for women is 280 lunar days. You can add 280 to the probable date of conception (the day of ovulation, as a rule) and thus find out the expected date of birth. An easier way is to use Naegele's formula - subtract 3 months from the first day of the last menstruation and add 7 days. However, this formula may give erroneous results for women with irregular, too long or, conversely, short menstrual cycles. With a long cycle, ovulation occurs later, which means the pregnancy lasts longer, so to speak. But with a short birth, on the contrary, a woman can give birth a little earlier than the due date. The date of birth of a child is influenced by many factors. Even at the date confirmed by several methods, not even half of the babies are born.

In a word, the menstrual calendar is a universal thing. And it is much more convenient to monitor your cycle online than to check off a paper version, which can be lost, torn, wet, or, in general, become unusable at any time, and all the data entered in it will be lost. Here the program will calculate everything for you and display the results on the monitor. What could be simpler?

Good luck with your calculations and women's health!

Every girl, when she gets married, dreams of numerous offspring or at least one or two children. But now time passes, dreams of motherhood have long been realized, it seems like I don’t want to give birth anymore. And the woman begins to closely monitor her menstrual cycle in order to avoid unwanted pregnancy. Or another situation. The couple have been living together for a long time, but there are no children. They go to the doctor, and he asks about the regularity of the menstrual cycle, when and how. But the woman didn’t even pay attention to him before, he walks and walks. And now she faces the question of how to find out or calculate the day when her next period will begin. Let us also take care of this issue, especially since a regular cycle is the most accurate indicator of women’s health.

Why is menstruation necessary?

Before understanding the menstrual calendar, let's get acquainted with the process itself and understand why we need this knowledge. So, menstruation is the name for bloody vaginal discharge that occurs every month if pregnancy has not occurred. And the menstrual cycle is the period of time from the first day of one period to the first day of the next. Ideally it lasts 28 days, but can vary from 25 to 36 days. This period is divided into three phases, and the central place is occupied by ovulation - the release of a mature egg from the follicle. This event usually occurs in the middle of the cycle on the 14-16th day from the start of menstruation. It is at this time that the likelihood of getting pregnant is greatest. Therefore, every woman and girl should know how to determine the day when the next period begins and monitor the accuracy of their menstrual calendar.

There are several ways to calculate when your next period will start. The simplest of them will be counting by numbers. Add 28-35 days to the number of the first day of menstruation, and you will get the exact start date of the next cycle. For example, the first day of menstruation fell on March 1st. Let's add 28-36 days and get the result March 29 - April 4. But this method is good and accurate only if your periods run like clockwork, without failures or errors. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. With hormonal imbalances, as well as during adolescence and before menopause, the cycle is confusing and inaccurate. How to understand and calculate when menstruation will begin in this case? There is a way out of this situation, and not just one.

Ovulation will tell you

Ovulation, or rather the knowledge that it has occurred, will help you find out when your next period will begin. As mentioned above, this important event occurs approximately in the middle of the cycle. When the egg leaves the follicle, there is a sharp jump in the level of female sex hormones estrogen. And the body’s reaction to a hormonal surge is an instant increase in basal temperature by 0.5-0.7 degrees. And this increase lasts until the very last day of the cycle or until the end of pregnancy, if it occurs. Every girl should be able to measure basal temperature, since there is nothing complicated here. Get yourself a separate thermometer and keep it on the nightstand near your bed or under your pillow. Shake it well every evening, and in the morning, immediately after waking up, insert it into your anus and hold for 7-10 minutes. Then look at the thermometer readings and write them down in a notebook specially kept for this purpose. The record should contain the date, the ordinal day of the cycle and your basal temperature readings. Before ovulation, these indicators remain at 36.4-36.6 degrees, and after the egg is released they become 37.1-37.5. Count 12-16 days from the day of ovulation according to the calendar. It is the number that you land on when counting that will indicate the day of your next period. See how simple it is.

Personal feelings

And one more additional factor is your own personal feelings. The so-called premenstrual syndrome. For some, a week before the start of their period, their breasts become enlarged, their mood deteriorates, and their lower abdomen ache. And others feel drowsy, have a headache and don’t want to do anything. And a lot of other similar sensations. Observe your condition carefully, and it will definitely tell you how to more accurately find out and understand when your next period will begin. And if you have any doubt, do not be afraid to consult a doctor, because no one will take care of your health except you.