Information about menstruation, menstruation or menstruation

The first period is an important and exciting stage of puberty. The onset of menstruation indicates serious physiological changes in the body. To ensure that this event does not become too stressful for the girl, she must be prepared in advance. This responsible mission falls on the shoulders of the mother. After all, there is no more reliable and wiser friend and adviser for a girl than her own mother. Some parents also prefer to choose medical specialists as assistants: a psychologist and a gynecologist.

Puberty

In girls, this period is usually called puberty. Girls' first periods begin already in the middle of this cycle. What happens to the girl at this stage of her life? There is a process of transformation from a girl into a mature woman who is able to continue her family. Menstruation in girls indicates that the reproductive function has started, and now there is a possibility of pregnancy with unprotected intercourse.

How this process starts:

• the brain transmits a signal to the ovaries at the right time;
• the latter respond to it by producing hormones;
• hormones start the process of forming a girl’s body.

It is important to note that there are both visible changes and not. During puberty, the following changes occur:

• the girl begins to grow;
• the brain enlarges;
• expansion of the hip bones occurs;
• mammary glands are formed;
• reproductive organs grow and actively develop;
• changes occur in the nervous system and much more.

The first day of menstruation occurs approximately one year after a girl begins puberty. The first menstruation is usually called “menarche”. This indicates that the ovaries have begun to function and are now able to produce hormones. It is now that ovulation appears and the likelihood of pregnancy is high.

The first menstruation should normally begin between the ages of twelve and fifteen. There are cases when they begin much earlier or later. It is important to know that there are many factors that influence the time of the onset of the first period:

• hereditary information;
• degree of physical development;
• nervous system;
• there is an influence of lifestyle;
• social environment;
• knowledge about sexual development and intersexual relations;
• health status.

Early menstruation occurs from eight to ten years of age, and late menstruation occurs from the age of 15 years or more. The latter option occurs quite often in children who have been sick a lot and taken medications for a long period of time. Quite often, the cause of deviations from the norm is considered to be hormonal imbalances and improper development of the reproductive organs.

What to do if there are no periods at all

If you understand that by all indicators you should already have menarche, but they never came, this also requires medical intervention, you should not be afraid to visit a gynecologist, you will need to undergo a series of medical tests so that the doctor can identify the cause, due to which you have no menstruation at all. At this age, stressful situations can have an impact, because adolescence is one of the most unstable periods, when not only physiology changes, but changes also occur at the psychological level. Conflicts at school, first love, all this can be the result of a delay in the first menstruation. But this is only a version, remember that only a specialist can confirm or refute it.

Cycle duration

The girl just needs to be told how her periods are, how long they last, possible problems and how to take care of herself during this period. It is very important to familiarize her with the concept of the duration of the menstrual cycle and teach her how to use a calendar, so as not to get into an absurd situation with “leakage”.

So, how should your period go? It is important to know that this question is purely individual, because each organism is special. If there are no health problems, then the cycle should be stable. However, it takes a little time to stabilize the menstrual cycle.

What is the menstrual cycle? This is a kind of reconfiguration of the body. This process involves:

• vagina;
• uterus;
• ovaries.

It is important for a girl to know that menstruation is a natural process that occurs when the ovaries produce hormones. This bleeding from the genital tract should not be scary or uncomfortable. A cycle is the period of time between the first day of one menstruation and the first day of another. Although the ideal cycle is the lunar cycle (28 days), the norm is from 10 to 45 days. If you notice a deviation from these norms, or the cycle has not established itself for a long time, then you need to consult a gynecologist, because the problem may be a dysfunction of the ovaries.

Menstruation in animals [ edit | edit code]

In addition to humans, menstruation is also observed in females of some placental mammals. These include, first of all, many primates. Menstruation is common in species that are members of the infraorder Apes, which include humans, apes, Old World (or marmoset) monkeys, and New World (or broad-nosed) monkeys [1]. Menstruation is rarely expressed in representatives of the more primitive suborder of prosimians: it has not been found in the suborder of the apes (which includes lemurs and lorises), but is sometimes observed in some species of tarsier [1].

Other animals that menstruate, besides primates, include bats and bats (also known as elephant shrews)

) [2] [3] [4] [5] . It is interesting that malarial plasmodia are found in the blood of the latter, which is also evidence of their evolutionary closeness to lower primates (only primates, including humans, and tupaia suffer from malaria).

In females of other species of placental mammals, instead of a menstrual cycle, an estrus cycle occurs, during which the endometrium is not rejected, but is completely reabsorbed in the body. It should be noted that in people with menstrual blood, only a third of the volume of the endometrium is secreted, while the remaining two-thirds are absorbed by the body.

The duration of the menstrual cycle in female orangutans, like in humans, is on average 28 days, close to the duration of the lunar month, 29.53 days, while, for example, in female chimpanzees the cycle length is about 35 days. [29]

Control (calendar method)

We figured out what menstruation means. Let us repeat once again - this is monthly bleeding from the vagina of every woman. When a girl starts her period, she should be taught to mark these days on the calendar. Why is this necessary? Of course, the calendar tracking method helps determine the length of the cycle and the duration of menstrual flow.

In addition, the calendar method is a means of contraception. Thanks to the calendar, you can avoid unwanted pregnancy, as it is possible to calculate the approximate day of ovulation. It is worth noting that this method should be combined with others, because there is a low probability of unwanted pregnancy even on days unfavorable for conception.

Causes of uterine bleeding

Factors that can provoke the onset of metrorrhagia should be considered:

• Spontaneous or artificial termination of pregnancy;
• Tumor formations in the uterus or ovaries;
• Inflammation in the organs of the female reproductive system;
• Endocrine diseases;
• blood problems such as bleeding disorders;
• Severe and prolonged stress;
• Vitamin deficiency and poor nutrition;
• General infectious processes;
• Intoxication of the body.

Personal hygiene

While your period is passing, it is necessary to observe personal hygiene rules more carefully. This will help avoid unpleasant feelings, both for the girl and for those around her.

Everyone knows that secreted blood has a specific smell. You can get rid of it very easily by following some rules.

What is discharge during menstruation? This is largely the upper layer of the endometrium. The endometrium lines the inside of the uterus. It is important to know that this layer needs to be changed over time. As a result, menstruation occurs. During the “cleansing” of the uterus, the cervix dilates so that unnecessary parts can come out without any obstruction. An enlarged cervix is ​​an ideal condition for bacteria to enter the uterus. They may be found on a pad or tampon that has not been changed for a long time.

To eliminate unpleasant odors and prevent the entry of bacteria, you should listen to some hygiene rules:

• change your pad or tampon every three hours;
• if possible, take a shower before changing protective equipment;
• if the last point cannot be achieved, then it will be enough to wash or wipe with a damp cloth;
• when washing, first of all you need to clean the perineum and only then the anus (this will prevent germs from the rectum from entering the vagina);
• You cannot take a bath or visit the sauna.

The last point is mandatory, because the water in the bath is not sterile, therefore, bacteria and germs can enter the vagina. In addition, hot water and high temperature promote a rush of blood to the pelvis and dilation of the cervix, which makes it easier for bacteria to enter the uterus.

Why did nature come up with this?

The endometrium is the mucous membrane of the uterus, consisting of basal and functional layers. The first of them is the main one and always remains in place, regardless of the phase of the cycle. The surface layer matures every month and is rejected along with the blood that flows from the destroyed vessels. As a result, the woman gets her period.

This mechanism was invented by nature because the main function of the body of the fairer sex is childbirth. Every month there is preparation for pregnancy.

Thanks to this, the fertilized egg passes through the fallopian tubes and penetrates the reproductive organ, penetrating into its mucosa. This is where the fetus subsequently develops before labor begins.

To understand where periods come from and why they come monthly, you need to consider that the uterine cavity must be constantly cleaned for successful fertilization. Old cells are not suitable for the normal development of the embryo. Therefore, at the end of the cycle, in the absence of conception, the functional layer of the endometrium is detached. As a result, critical days come. After their completion, the functional layer of the reproductive organ begins to recover again.

How long does your period last?

So, how do normal periods go? Let's start with the fact that menarche, that is, the first menstruation, does not last long, only a couple of days. There is practically no blood (just a couple of drops), as a rule, this is a “daub”. A normal cycle will be established only after a year and a half.

Please note that the established cycle should not be disrupted throughout the entire childbearing period of a woman’s life. This is very important; if there are deviations, it is better to visit a gynecologist.

How long do periods last? 10 days, 7 or 2 – these are all normal limits. For some, they pass quickly enough, but there are cases when menstruation lasts up to ten days. There is no need to worry about this, because each organism is individual. Below are some norms regarding menstruation; if you do not have any deviations from them, then consider that you are completely healthy:

• The cycle should range from twenty to thirty-five days. The “lunar cycle” is common and, according to gynecologists, the most successful (28 days).
• On average, women's periods last five days, but the norm is two to ten days.
• The intensity of bleeding should decrease by the last day of menstruation.
• This is quite difficult to determine, but, nevertheless, there is a norm of blood loss. Be sure to pay attention to the intensity of the discharge; during the entire cycle you should not lose more than 60 milliliters of blood. This amount is optimal; the woman does not feel any discomfort or malaise, because the loss is quickly restored by the body.

Menstrual disorders[ edit | edit code]

Menstrual irregularities are quite common and boil down to:

Suspension of menstruation depends on various conditions. Conception stops the normal flow of blood and constitutes a physiological cause. Menstruation may stop with any significant loss of blood from another part of the body, in which case the menstrual blood is retained or removed by other means [ which?

] . When stopping menstruation, it is necessary to keep in mind the reason that caused this abnormality. If after a cold, after emotional unrest, menstruation does not occur for a long time, then you need to see a doctor. Mechanical delay of menstruation deserves special mention; it occurs when the entrance to the vagina narrows, when the vagina itself and the cervix narrow [24]

Sometimes bleeding appears in some part distant from the uterus, from the latter the flow can either be reduced or stopped, this phenomenon is called additional or deviated menstruation

(vicarious menstruation) [25].
In such cases, discharge usually occurs in places without skin, for example in wounds, ulcers; also in the mucous membrane, for example the mouth, nose. Generally speaking, there is not a single point on the surface of the body where additional menstruation would not be observed. At the same time, phenomena that are usual for menstruation take place in the ovaries [ source not specified 2363 days
].

For menorrhagia

the flow is increased.
This happens with diseases of the uterus or neighboring organs: with inflammation of the uterus, with erosion of the cervix, with engorgement of the broad ligaments, etc.; sometimes there are no uterine disorders, and increased discharge depends on the general deterioration of health [ source not specified 2363 days
].

Dysmenorrhea

are called menstruation accompanied by pain.
With them, blood clots often pass away. During treatment, they pay attention to the cause that supports the irregularity of menstruation and try to eliminate it [ source not specified 2363 days
].

Blood quantity

The amount of bleeding during menstruation depends on many factors:

• the presence of an intrauterine device as a means of contraception increases blood volume and the duration of critical days;
• taking contraceptive hormonal drugs can reduce blood volume, as well as reduce or increase the number of “red days”;
• hormonal background;
• existing diseases;
• heredity;
• body type;
• external factors (climate, social environment, etc.);
• food quality;
• state of the nervous system;
• age;
• in women who have given birth, the amount of blood during menstruation increases significantly;
• weight.

At the same time, the color of menstruation can also say a lot. We will talk about this in the next section of the article. Please note that the volume of blood lost should not exceed 60 milliliters during the entire cycle. If you go beyond this limit, contact your gynecologist, he may prescribe a special drug for bleeding during menstruation.

How are your periods? Duration of menstruation

There is no exact figure that indicates the duration of bleeding. But there are certain norms for all women: menstruation lasts from 3 to 7 days. The first few days you can observe abundant discharge, and in the remaining days it becomes scanty.

If you experience heavy bleeding during menstruation, you should consult a gynecologist for examination.

The amount of bleeding is affected by contraception. The intrauterine device provokes painful periods with increased bleeding. Oral medications, such as hormonal birth control pills, make periods shorter and heavier. It should be taken into account that the above remedies do not affect the duration of critical days. Your period should not last more than a week.

The quality of blood released during menstruation

The color of menstruation can tell about any disorders and diseases occurring in the female body. Please note that the color, volume and nature of discharge can change in a woman many times throughout her life. Many factors influence this process.

What do scanty dark periods mean? As a rule, these are only their harbingers. Brown discharge before menstruation is considered normal, and there is no need to worry about it. Dark periods also occur after abortions and miscarriages, or after long-term use of hormonal contraceptives.

The first menstruation should be bright scarlet in color, and their quantity should be minimal. Please note that if menstruation of this nature appeared after the cycle had been established (that is, this is not the first menstruation), then it may be endometriosis, which undoubtedly needs to be treated with hormonal drugs.

Brown or black discharge three days before menstruation or earlier may also indicate the presence of endometriosis or an ectopic pregnancy, which poses a serious threat to a woman’s life. Take a pregnancy test and immediately go to the gynecologist.

Body condition

During menstruation, in addition to bleeding, mucous clots may come out of the vagina. These are exfoliated particles of the epithelial layer of the uterus, in which the fertilized egg was supposed to attach. There are usually not many clots, and they range in size from a few millimeters to 2-3 centimeters in length. They are most likely to be released at the very beginning of menstruation.

During the entire period of menstruation, the amount of blood released is no more than 6 tablespoons. Because extra fluid is removed from the body during menstruation, it may seem like your bleeding is unusually heavy and prolonged. As a rule, this is not the case, and after the second or third day the amount of blood discharge begins to decline. In the first 1-2 years, menstruation may have varying degrees of profuseness, but over time this characteristic of the cycle stabilizes.

At the very beginning of menstruation, the blood has a scarlet color and the highest density, without coagulating. Towards the end of menstruation, they become darker – brownish.

Also, menstruation may be accompanied by the following side effects, such as frequent mood swings and pulling sensations in the lower abdomen and pain. You can cope with nervous excitement on your own or with the help of mild sedatives. Painkillers, warm heating pads, and drinking clean water in large quantities will help relieve abdominal pain. To protect yourself from unpleasant sensations in advance, you need to do regular exercise and play sports between menstruation.

Pain during menstruation

Some girls note that the first day of menstruation is very difficult to bear, as it is accompanied by severe pain. As sad as it may be, such cases are the majority. Consult a gynecologist and he will help you relieve these sensations with the help of medications. There is absolutely no point in worrying about this issue; this is a completely normal state for a girl during her period. Many women claim that after the birth of their child they were able to get rid of this symptom.

Signs of menstruation: symptoms at different periods of life

PMS

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The signs of menstruation are individual for each woman. Even siblings may experience a different set of symptoms on the eve of their approaching menstruation. The intensity and severity of each manifestation varies, which is determined by the physiological characteristics of the body and the presence of concomitant diseases.

The development of each sign has its own clinical explanation and does not pose a threat to health. The exception is when the symptoms are severe and reduce the woman’s quality of life.

Menstruation is part of the life of any woman between the ages of 12 and 45. Every woman, even if she doesn’t monitor her cycle, always feels her period approaching.

A week before their onset, changes develop in the body, which are called premenstrual syndrome. All women experience these symptoms, to varying degrees of severity.

Their presence is a variant of the norm, provided that they are not associated with disorders in the body.

Regulation of the reproductive system is carried out at the organic, biochemical and physiological levels. With PMS, changes are observed in the functioning of several systems and organs of the female body:

1. 1. Nervous system: headaches, general malaise, increased fatigue, some aggressiveness, decreased mood, anxiety, emotional lability, absent-mindedness.
2. 2. Genital organs: scanty brownish discharge from the genital tract, pain in the lower abdomen, breast enlargement and tenderness.
3. 3. Other internal organs: flatulence, nausea, swelling, increased appetite, frequent urge to urinate.
4. 4. Skin: the appearance of rashes.

After menarche, when the menstrual cycle stabilizes, girls experience approximately the same signs of the onset of menstruation. But the set of symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and the degree of their severity changes.

Monitoring your feelings can be supported by keeping a menstrual calendar, in which you should note the time of the onset of PMS, the first day of menstruation and its duration. This will allow preventive measures to be taken to relieve symptoms several days before they appear.

Most often, a woman experiences several of the above symptoms. With age, the warning signs of menstruation become more pronounced and their number increases. Because of this, a woman may be forced to consult a specialist.

The first menstruation - menarche - appears at the age of 11 - 14 years and is a manifestation of puberty. About a year before this, the girl develops clear vaginal discharge, which becomes abundant immediately before menarche, and pubic hair growth is detected.

Women experience emotional lability and irritability, which is more likely associated with pubertal hormonal changes than with menstruation itself.

Features of menarche:

• the appearance of discharge - usually scanty, brownish in color;
• duration – 2-5 days, with the most abundant discharge in the first 2 days;
• minor pain in the lower abdomen;
• dyspeptic disorders - nausea, vomiting, stool disorders.

In the future, the pain syndrome may become more pronounced, especially in the first couple of years, when the formation of the menstrual cycle occurs. Painful engorgement of the mammary glands also subsequently appears.

There are no periods during pregnancy. Even after childbirth, it takes some time to restore hormonal levels. Menstruation appears after 2-3 months if a woman does not breastfeed. After a cesarean section, the physiology of the menstrual cycle proceeds in the same way as after a natural birth.

If there was a spontaneous termination due to a missed pregnancy or a habitual miscarriage, the restoration of the cycle occurs in the same way as after physiological gestation. While it was developing, the woman’s hormonal background underwent some changes. Usually, menstruation resumes a month after a frozen pregnancy or abortion.

The speed of cycle recovery is influenced by many factors: sleep disturbances, poor nutrition, late or early childbirth, concomitant diseases, postpartum complications.

Features of the first menstruation after childbirth:

• profuse, large number of blood clots;
• the occurrence of pain, if before pregnancy, menstruation was not accompanied by pain, and vice versa - painless menstruation, if before birth they were not so;
• the appearance of precursors - nausea, swelling, dizziness, emotional lability.

After childbirth, a woman’s body undergoes some irreversible changes that indirectly or directly affect the course of premenstrual syndrome.

The structure of the reproductive organs and the concentration of hormones change.

Often, during the birth of a child, complications arise, due to which emergency surgical interventions are performed, tears are sutured, and pelvic adhesions are formed.

During lactation, prolactin regulates the functioning of the reproductive system. It suppresses the growth of ovarian follicles, making menstruation impossible - this is called lactational amenorrhea. With rare breastfeeding, the menstrual cycle may resume, and the clinical picture of PMS will develop individually.

The onset of menstruation during lactation is possible in the following periods:

• after 6 months (or after the introduction of complementary foods) - when breastfeeding at the request of the child;
• after 2 months - when feeding the child according to the regimen;
• after 4 months - with mixed feeding, i.e. when feeding with both breast milk and formula.

Features of the first menstruation during lactation:

• the discharge appears moderate and spotting;
• their duration is 3-6 days;
• pain syndrome is rare;
• in the first 2 days of menstruation, breast milk production decreases, then the volume of lactation is restored.

A baby receiving milk from a menstruating mother is restless, because during menstruation the hormonal levels change, which affects the composition of the milk.

Manifestations of premenstrual syndrome are typical for both adolescents and mature women. PMS is a variant of the norm until there is a significant deterioration in the condition and a decrease in the quality of life. In this case, it is necessary to consult a gynecologist, since the pronounced nature of these symptoms indicates the presence of any diseases of the genital area.

Source: https://fraumed.net/menstruation/premenstrual/priznaki-mesyachnyh.html

Sex during menstruation

It’s better to wait a little with your intimate life. Why:

• from an aesthetic point of view, it is disgusting;
• during menstruation, there is a high probability of “catching” the disease, because the cervix is ​​open;
• there is a possibility of developing diseases - endometriosis, algomenorrhea;
• many believe that it is impossible to get pregnant during menstruation, but this is not true (not one, but two eggs can mature; early ovulation may occur, and sperm live in a woman’s vagina for up to eleven days);
• blood is a very poor lubricant during sexual intercourse, because the latter is much thicker than blood;
• this may turn your partner off.

Menstruation during pregnancy

If you notice spotting while expecting your baby, you should immediately go to your doctor. This may indicate some pathologies of pregnancy or the possibility of miscarriage. However, there are cases when a girl has periods during pregnancy. In any case, the presence of spotting during pregnancy is a deviation from the norm.

Menstruation and menopause

At this time, the woman’s body “reconfigures”; now it will serve only you. It's not that bad. During this period of time, there may be severe disruptions to the menstrual cycle (menstruation comes twice a month, blood is replaced by scanty discharge, and so on). It's quite normal. Be sure to learn to distinguish menopause from pregnancy, because the absence of menstruation occurs in both cases. Menopause has a number of symptoms: vaginal dryness, frequent headaches, prolonged depression, profuse night sweats and many others.

Preventive measures

A healthy diet, regular exercise, stress management, an active lifestyle, sports, normal sleep and wakefulness are the main methods for preventing menstrual irregularities. It is also important to seek help and advice from a gynecologist in time; unfortunately, many girls suffering from frequent and heavy periods delay their visit to a specialist. Lack of proper treatment can lead to gynecological diseases, deterioration of reproductive health, infertility and other complications. Treatment is necessary.