Healthy periods as they should be. Menstrual cycle: a general concept of its norm, regularity, failures and irregularities. The period of the menstrual cycle and its main phases. The degree of heaviness and pain during menstruation. Normal symptoms during menstruation

Period- This is the most important indicator of women's health. By the nature of the discharge, the volume of blood and other signs that appear on menstrual days, you can learn a lot about the state of a woman’s health. Regular periods are proof that a woman has no problems with the reproductive system. If menstruation has arrived, it means that the woman has not become pregnant, which is extremely important for those who are afraid of an unwanted pregnancy. If a woman menstrual cycle regular, which means she has not yet reached menopause, during which the body stops producing the most important hormones for the cardiovascular system. Menstruation helps the body get rid of excess iron, the excess of which can lead to the most unpleasant disease - hemochromatosis.

How do normal periods proceed?

Menstruation occurs individually for each representative of the fair sex. The most important conditions are a regular cycle and the absence of discomfort during menstruation. In this case, the woman’s health is fine. It is impossible to determine the exact norm for women: after all, everyone’s body is unique. The abundance of discharge or its scarcity may depend on a variety of factors: women’s habits, dietary habits, lifestyle, heredity, etc. It is important to comply.

Discharge: volume, character

It is normal to change the gasket 3-4 times during the day. This amount may vary depending on the girl’s physique and her lifestyle. For example, if a girl is fragile and petite, then she may have less discharge. Also, if she plays sports or dances actively, the discharge also decreases. There should not be less than 30 ml per day menstrual blood, if this day is not the last day of menstruation. The discharge should not be spotty or brown. If a girl changes her pad every hour or every 2 hours, she should immediately contact a specialist. Particular attention should be paid to blood clots that appear during menstruation. In the first 2 days they may be present, and this is considered normal, but if the clots are large, you should also consult a doctor. A normal menstrual cycle lasts on average 28 days, but within the normal range the cycle ranges from 21 to 34 days.

Normal symptoms during menstruation

During menstruation, the female body undergoes several changes. After all, this process includes the nervous and endocrine systems. Women's appetite may increase during menstruation. Knowledge about . These days also affect your emotional state. Menstruation sometimes provokes mood swings; a woman can become especially irritable these days. Don’t forget about the cramps that appear in the first 2 days. Headaches are also possible, but usually mild. The skin also undergoes changes, and acne often appears these days. The chest becomes sensitive to touch. During menstruation, problems with sleep occur. The abdomen may become swollen and there may be swelling.

Pain during menstruation

If menstruation proceeds normally, then it should not cause severe and unbearable pain. It is quite possible that a woman will experience discomfort, pain in the lumbar region and lower abdomen, but these sensations should not cause serious discomfort and affect the woman’s life these days. Pain usually appears in the first 2 days. If you have severe pain, you should consult a specialist. The smell from the vagina, which can be felt during menstruation, is also considered quite natural. But it should not be harsh, associated with a fishy smell. In this case, consultation with a specialist is necessary.

A woman should take care of her health and know what periods are normal. It is imperative to visit a gynecologist regularly, even if a woman seems to have no problems in the intimate sphere. Checking will never be superfluous.

Regular periods and a stable menstrual cycle are the key to the sexual health of every woman. All processes occurring in the female body every month prepare it for a possible pregnancy. If conception does not occur, all efforts are unnecessary, the uterine lining is rejected and removed out. This is menstruation or menstruation. What color should your period be?

What is considered normal?

The menstrual cycle in women can normally be determined by the following signs: duration, color of discharge, duration of bleeding, well-being.

Only a few representatives of the fair sex can boast of painless periods. But a completely acceptable reaction of the body for this period is mild malaise, weakness, headache or pain in the lower abdomen.

The normal duration of monthly bleeding is 3-7 days, and the duration of the cycle itself is 21-34 days. The volume of blood loss should not exceed 50 ml.

It is imperative to control the color of bloody discharge during menstrual periods.

In most representatives of the fair sex, spotting is dark red in color, sometimes closer to burgundy. The presence of mucus and small clots (particles of dead mucous membrane of the reproductive organ) is acceptable. Red or scarlet secretion is considered acceptable. It is very important to follow the rules of intimate hygiene, then there should be no unpleasant odor.

If the discharge changes color, there are suspicions of negative changes in the body. Thus, the shade of the secretion may change due to sudden weight loss or weight gain, treatment with certain medications, age-related changes, and the development of diseases. So which color is considered normal and which is pathology?

Presence of clots in menstrual blood

In preparation to receive a fertilized egg, the endometrium of the reproductive organ thickens and acquires a loose structure. In the absence of fertilization, the lining of the uterus is torn off and expelled. Menstrual flow may contain clots, which can be explained by a lack of blood thinning enzymes or the woman lying down for some time.
The clots look similar to pieces of meat. Their release is considered normal during heavy periods.

The cause of the presence of clots in menstrual flow may be an intrauterine device. If pain and discomfort occurs, this indicates serious disorders in the body.

The appearance of clots is also explained by:

• bending of the uterus;
• overdose of B vitamins;
• tendency to thrombosis;
• features of the postpartum period (poor uterine contractions, placental rejection).

Black color of discharge

The black color of blood during menstruation is predominantly pathological. This color of the secretion is caused by stagnation of blood (blood does not come out naturally). The reasons may be different, for example, polyps that arise against the background of an inflammatory process or an imbalance of hormonal levels.

Black menstruation may also indicate the presence of endometriosis. The disease is characterized by excessive growth of the endometrium, which makes it difficult for menstrual blood to flow naturally. As a result, blood clots form. Another sign of endometriosis is an unpleasant stench. Here you cannot do without the help of a doctor, so you need to visit a female doctor as soon as possible.

Black menstruation also indicates:

• pregnancy;
• stretching of the reproductive organ;
• benign tumors;
• narrowing of the cervical canal;
• dysfunction of the endocrine system.

Scarlet blood during menstruation

Scarlet blood during menstruation indicates that everything is in order with the female reproductive system, especially if it has this color on the first day of menstruation. If your period is scarlet on the third day of bleeding, this is considered a violation.

This phenomenon in adolescence indicates the formation of a cycle, which is considered normal and should not cause concern. This phenomenon is also acceptable in the premenopausal period, when women’s menstrual function gradually fades away.

Scarlet blood in women of reproductive age during the entire period of menstruation indicates some kind of disturbance in the body. The most common reasons:

• malignant tumors in the pelvic organs;
• pregnancy, which is pathological;
• polyps in the uterus;
• complications after genital surgery, etc.

If a woman takes contraceptives frequently or uses a device to protect against unwanted pregnancy, such as an intrauterine device, scarlet bleeding may occur.

To determine the cause of this color of menstruation, diagnostics are required, which includes not only a gynecological examination, but also tests and ultrasound diagnostics.

Brown bleeding

Brown menstrual blood is considered normal during the period of stabilization of the cycle in adolescence. In all other cases, this phenomenon indicates disorders in the body.

The brown color of menstruation indicates the development of pregnancy outside the uterus.

With severe hypothermia, in addition to brown menstrual blood, severe pain in the lower abdomen occurs.

If you get an infection (chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhea, etc.), which is transmitted sexually, if you have had sex that is not protected by a condom, you will experience brown discharge with an unpleasant odor, as well as pain and itching.

High emotional and physical stress, frequent stress are the causes of hormonal imbalance and, as a result, the menstrual cycle changes, in particular, brown blood occurs during menstruation. The addition of pain, discomfort, itching requires an immediate visit to a gynecologist.

After an abortion, the appearance of brown menstrual blood is a reaction of the body. If this phenomenon does not go away within three cycles, you need to consult a doctor.
Strict diets can cause menstrual irregularities due to the body not receiving enough necessary substances. This will be the reason why the discharge takes on a different color.

Incorrectly selected means of protection against unwanted pregnancy can cause malfunction of the ovaries, and also lead to the death of the mucous membrane of the reproductive organ and, as a result, brown periods.

A change in the color of menstruation is often an alarming signal from the body, so every woman needs to be very sensitive to such changes and not ignore visiting a female doctor, which will help eliminate possible diseases. You need to know what color your period should be. Only attention and care about your sexual health will help you get pregnant and give birth to a healthy baby in the future.

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

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

We will tell you about what a healthy woman’s periods are like in this article.

WHAT ARE NORMAL MENSURES?

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

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

Then the egg, completely ready for fertilization, moves through the fallopian tube to the uterus. She is programmed to ensure that after merging with a sperm, a human baby will grow over the next nine months. Therefore, during the cell’s journey, the endometrium, under the influence of the hormone progesterone, intensively produces nutrients for the initial nutrition of the egg with the embryo.

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

In the vast majority of cases, in the absence of fertilization, the monthly cycle does not end with pregnancy. Therefore, the endometrium, whose function was never realized, becomes unnecessary, and somewhere around the 14th day from ovulation (this is approximately the 28th day of the menstrual cycle), the level of female hormones - estrogen and progesterone - drops, and the rejection of internal layer of the uterus. Menstruation begins and stops around the 5th-7th day. In this case, in the first days the blood is bright scarlet, in the end it is dark, with a specific odor. The amount of blood lost is about 50 - 100 ml. With the end of bleeding, the circle closes, and then the entire process of the monthly cycle is repeated.

SIGNS OF PERIOD

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

HOW MANY DAYS ARE YOUR MENSORS?

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

How to find out how much blood is during menstruation?

Usually during this period we use special hygiene products - pads or tampons. Let's try to use them to determine possible blood loss. For example, a regular 4-5 drop pad absorbs up to 20-25 ml of blood. If in one day a girl changes her pad every 2-3 hours, it means she has heavy periods and needs to consult a specialist.

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

PROBLEMS WITH MENSURE - WHEN TO GO TO A GYNECOLOGIST:

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

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

How many days should monthly discharge last normally? This question concerns not only girls experiencing menstruation for the first time, but also adult women. It is most often asked when people come to see a gynecologist.

The amount and nature of discharge are individual for each woman. But there are certain criteria by which one can clearly distinguish the normal course of the cycle from gynecological diseases.

Menstrual cycle in girls

Puberty occurs earlier in girls than in boys. The day on which the first menstruation occurs is called menarche - it indicates the functional maturity of the ovaries. Despite the fact that the girl’s hormonal background is ready for pregnancy, the reproductive tract and uterus mature after a few years. Only by the age of 18 is a girl normally ready for pregnancy and the birth of her first child.

The first year after menarche, the cycle is established, when the body adapts to changes in hormonal levels.

At this time, there may be various changes in the nature of menstruation, which should not be mistaken for a serious illness. It is better to teach the girl the rules of personal hygiene and explain the need to correctly calculate the duration of the cycle by day.

When does your period start?

There are certain time frames when the first period (menarche) arrives normally. If they occur before the age of nine, then this indicates premature puberty. With the first discharge over the age of 15 years, we can talk about primary infertility due to hormonal disorders.

How long do girls' periods last? You should not judge your cycle by your first menstruation - it will be fully established within a year. The next discharge may appear only after a few months. But usually the duration is set immediately and ranges from 21 to 35 days. This period also includes the time of menstruation itself - normally from 3 to 7 days.

Preparing for your first period

The time of maturation of the reproductive system in girls depends on various factors. It all depends on the individual level of hormones - only under their influence does the development of the reproductive system begin:

1. Heredity greatly influences the timing of menarche and the duration of the cycle. How many days do your mothers and grandmothers have their periods? If you ask them carefully, you can find many similarities between the course of your menstrual cycles. Moreover, we should not forget female relatives on the father’s side.
2. The climate of the place of residence and nationality also determine the timing of the first menstruation. In warm southern regions, especially coastal ones, people receive sufficient amounts of solar heat and microelements. This allows you to speed up your metabolism by increasing the levels of certain hormones. Therefore, the work of the sex glands begins a little earlier, and their maturity normally occurs by the age of 13.
3. The level of physical activity affects metabolism. With adequate loads, the girl’s body begins to develop faster. Therefore, active and vigorous girls rarely have problems with the course of the menstrual cycle.
4. Proper nutrition and the absence of chronic diseases do not distract the girl’s body from the processes of growth and development. He receives enough nutrients and vitamins for the timely maturation of the ovaries. The most dangerous stress is in adolescence, when girls begin to limit themselves in food and activity.

A favorable combination of all these factors ensures the timely appearance of the first menstruation. There are no problems with them in the future - they become regular not only in duration, but also in character.

Changes in the girl's body

An increase in sex hormones occurs much earlier than menarche. The signal for the beginning of maturation is given by the brain - special substances begin to be released there that accelerate the growth of the ovaries. A sign preceding the first menstruation is a slight swelling of the mammary glands and labia majora:

• Under the influence of female sex hormones - estrogens - the growth of the egg and the inner lining of the uterus begins. But estrogens are present in the blood from birth. Their effect on these organs before puberty is minimal due to the blockade of special receptors.
• Due to a sudden surge in hormones, the inner layer of the uterus with the first egg is rejected. Since the system is still immature, the duration of menstruation is usually short - up to three days.
• Menarche occurs at night - at this time the level of all hormones changes. They cannot be called copious either - a small amount of blood is released, which has a spotting character.
• There are normally no clots in the discharge, but the blood is quite dark and thick. Girls usually get scared during their first period, when their underwear and bedding get dirty.

At this time, the mother will need to calm the child down and communicate with him in a confidential environment. It is necessary to explain the issues of a woman’s personal hygiene, as well as the rules for calculating the duration of the cycle.

Mother's actions during the first menstruation

The main activities concern psychological preparation. The mother is the only close person who can simply and clearly talk about her experience. A woman should take a look at what the discharge is like during menarche - it should be dark red in color and fairly uniform.

They start with personal hygiene issues - during menarche you can use regular sanitary pads.

They are used to estimate blood volume - when it goes from 2 to 3 per day, then this is the norm. Exceeding this indicator or scanty spotting is not always a sign of illness - it may be an individual characteristic of the body. It is worth paying attention to the girl’s well-being - illness usually worsens it.

They end the conversation with an explanation of how to calculate the length of the menstrual cycle. The first day is the beginning of menarche, and the calculation of regularity begins from there. The next discharge may occur after two months - within a year the body adapts to the changes.

Menstruation in women

How long do girls' periods last? During reproductive age, the reproductive system normally comes to a state of full readiness for pregnancy and childbirth. This means that the duration and regularity of the cycle become constant. This flow can only be disrupted by severe shocks in a woman’s life - stress or illness.

With some gynecological diseases, both the normal duration of menstruation and their character may change.

Usually there is a shortening in time - menstruation lasts less than 3 days. Irregular discharge is also common - there can be an interval of up to 6 months between them. If it is more than normal, then we can talk about the woman’s infertility.

With age, the hormonal activity of the ovaries gradually fades away. This occurs under the influence of general aging of the body. The possibility of childbearing decreases, so menstruation changes its character and then disappears.

Changes in a woman's body during menstruation

When sexual function is fully formed under the influence of estrogens and other hormones, cyclic maturation of eggs occurs. This process is controlled by the brain and ovaries - there is an alternating increase in their activity. This ensures adequate preparation of the body for a possible pregnancy:

1. Under the influence of estrogens and progestins, the maturation of the egg and endometrium - the inner layer of the uterus - occurs.
2. If pregnancy does not occur, then all these formations must be removed. This is done for their constant renewal - “old” cells accumulate defects.
3. There is a surge in brain hormones, and the endometrium is removed by destroying the underlying vessels. Therefore, menstruation is accompanied by slight bleeding.

Changes in the blood and immune system ensure a rapid cessation of discharge and the beginning of mucosal restoration.

Menstruation is normal

Despite the rapid restoration of the uterine mucosa, discharge continues from 3 to 7 days. This is due to the characteristics of menstrual blood - it almost does not clot.

If this property was not present, then clots would form inside the uterus and vagina, which would impede the outflow of secretions. Character of menstruation:

• During the entire menstruation, little blood is released - from 20 to 60 ml. Moreover, the maximum amount occurs on the first day.
• It should be homogeneous - not contain dense clots. But there may be streaks, since the discharge contains mucus and tissue particles.
• Its color varies from dark red to brown.
• Menstruation may be accompanied by changes in well-being - dizziness, weakness, heaviness in the lower abdomen.

The volume of discharge is individual for each woman and is determined by the amount of hygiene products spent per day.

If you feel that the discharge is too scanty or abundant, consult a gynecologist.

Hygiene during menstruation

Its rules must be learned from adolescence - the mother and then the local gynecologist will help with this. It is necessary to keep the genitals clean for as long as your period lasts. Many people forget about this, since in recent days the discharge of blood is not so abundant.

But it is at this time that there is a high risk of microbes entering and inflammation developing.

Water procedures always come first - washing should be done up to three times a day. No special products are required - use warm boiled water and special soap (intimate). In terms of general procedures, a shower is preferable, since saunas and baths can increase blood flow.

Only after washing do you use hygiene products - pads or tampons. Their number depends on the volume of discharge - normally two per day is enough. Nowadays, there is a wide variety of them - in size and absorbency.

It is also worth replacing these products in a timely manner - menstrual blood is a favorable environment for the growth of bacteria.

What is this article about and how to use the information received?

Any woman should have information about the nature of the occurrence and characteristics of such an important physiological process. Our article will help you understand these concepts.

This information will be especially relevant for the following audiences:

1. Young girls who have just started menstruating and don’t know much about it;
2. Adult women who are concerned about the nature of their menstrual cycle, who want to know how correctly everything is happening in their body;
3. Adult women of any age if there have been some changes in their menstrual cycle;
4. Adult women, in case of unusual occurrences;
5. Pregnant women, when menstruation occurs during pregnancy (at any stage).

What is menstruation? Why and why is this happening?

And now we will tell you why and why menstruation occurs, and what it should be like for a healthy woman.

Thus, menstruation represents the rejection of the mucous membranes of the female uterus, which are not useful for the development of pregnancy. This is the principle of operation of a healthy woman’s body. But various diseases and certain conditions of a woman can disrupt the correct course of this process. They can cause cycle disruption and change the nature of menstruation.

Severe pain as a symptom of the disease

This diagnosis is confirmed if, along with pain, there are also signs such as:

• Headache;
• Dizziness;
• Nausea;
• Loss of consciousness;
• Constipation or diarrhea.

Pain during menstruation. When should you see a doctor?

Pain can signal a number of diseases:

• Uterine fibroids;
• Uterine cancer;
• Uterine polyps.

So, if you have the following signs, you need to urgently contact a gynecologist:

1. Your periods are more painful than before;
2. The pain in the lower abdomen is very strong (you constantly take painkillers);
3. In addition to the pain, the discharge itself has become more abundant (one pad lasts you less than 2 hours);
4. Along with pain, other disorders occur (weight loss, cycle disruption, inability to get pregnant).

How to relieve pain?

As we have already said, the presence of some pain during menstruation is normal.

Therefore, to alleviate your condition, you can use some common techniques:

1. These days you need to get a good night's sleep. But just lying down all day is not an option. Staying without movement, on the contrary, worsens the condition;
2. Transfer complex mental and physical stress to the period when your period is over;
3. These days you need to move more, walk, play sports. You only need to avoid heavy physical activity. The ideal option would be either Pilates;
4. Sex helps relieve pain (thus reducing muscle tension in the uterus);
5. If the pain is very painful, you can take a painkiller (, analgin, naproxen). It must be remembered that girls under 16 years of age cannot take aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid).

Period of the menstrual cycle. How regular should it be?

Particular attention should be paid to understand that a regular menstrual cycle is not the fact that menstruation arrives on a certain day. Menstruation should not start on the same day every month. The regularity of the cycle consists in observing the period of the break itself between the previous and next menstruation. This is influenced by the number of calendar days in a month, the onset of a leap year and the time of day when the previous menstruation occurred.

Let's give an example. A woman's normal menstrual cycle is 27 days. Last month, my period started on March 1st. Thus, the beginning of the critical days of the next month should fall on the date of March 27th (but not on April 1st). But next month it will be April 23rd. And so on.

Violations and failure of a stable cycle. What can delayed menstruation mean?

If disturbances in the cycle are minor, or they are isolated in nature, there is no cause for concern. But frequent and prolonged symptoms, as well as its irregular nature, may indicate many gynecological diseases. Unpredictable onset of menstruation and frequent delays should be a reason to immediately consult a doctor.


If a delay occurs in a woman whose cycle was previously stable, this may indicate the following changes:

• Pregnancy;
• The result of exposure to certain factors (nervous strain,);
• Disease.

The normal state of a woman after menstruation

The following symptoms may persist for several days after menstruation:

1. Mild pain in the lower back, lower abdomen and side;
2. Mild headache, nipple tension, slight tingling in the chest;
3. Slight when pressed;
4. Weak bloody discharge (spotting). Their color can be brown, pink, yellow or transparent.