Girls' first periods - everything you need to know

And what is it - menstruation?

Menstruation - because every month. This is understandable, but what kind of physiological process is this that is accompanied by bleeding? Menstruation is nothing more than a phase of the menstrual cycle in women. At the same time, a number of complex processes occur in a woman’s body: the surface layer is separated in the uterus - it is called the endometrium, which is accompanied by bleeding from the vagina. Some have copious discharge, while others have scanty discharge, but absolutely all women have it, except those who are carrying a child.

During menstruation, a woman’s body prepares itself for pregnancy and bearing a child. During “critical days,” the blood supply to the uterus improves and the thickness of the endometrium increases. All this will help the fertilized egg - it will be able to attach more firmly to the wall of the uterus.

A girl’s first period is not a sign that her body is ready for conception and pregnancy, far from it. This is a message that can be interpreted as “from now on, pregnancy is possible” - but nothing more.

Your first period: what do you need to know?

The onset of menstruation (months) in teenage girls is an important stage of puberty.
This is one of many signs that a girl is entering puberty and can now become pregnant. Menstruation is a delicate topic that not every family’s parents can cover correctly and explain what is happening, give scientific information about what changes are now happening to her body and what will now change in her life. Many girls dread the day they get their period, and some look forward to the change. What you feel at this moment is normal.

Unfortunately, due to fragmented data and the absence of special classes on reproductive health in the school curriculum, many girls and most boys lack basic knowledge about the structure of the female reproductive system and what menstruation is and how it occurs, and the rules of safe hygiene and protection. This is very sad, because a simple lack of reliable information in this extremely important area can lead to unpleasant consequences for your health.

When does the first menstruation occur?

Today, girls' first periods can come much earlier than it happened to our grandmothers. At the same time, the fact that the age of first menstruation has become “younger” is noted by many experts. Previously, it was considered the norm for menstruation to begin with adulthood - from the age of 18. But today, a 12-year-old girl will no longer surprise anyone with “critical days.”

Another important factor for the onset of menstruation is where you live. Women of Eastern nations often begin menstruation at the age of 10.

The timing of the first menstruation in girls is considered normal if they occur between the ages of 11 years (minimum) and 16 years (maximum). If menstruation occurs before the age of 9, this indicates that the girl has all the signs of very early sexual development. But if menstruation has not occurred by the age of 17, this indicates that the girl has a delay in sexual development.

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

1. From physical development.
2. From a hereditary factor.
3. From diet.
4. From your place of residence.
5. From nationality.
6. From diseases that were suffered in childhood.

If a girl begins menstruation before the age of 11, this may be due to the fact that the child’s hormonal metabolism is disrupted, he has a poor diet, or he receives too much physical activity.

If menstruation began at the age of 16-20, then this may be due to problems with hormonal metabolism, ovarian failure, pituitary gland disorders, or a neuropsychic disorder.

Duration of first menstruation

In girls, the menstrual cycle lasts 21–35 days. This period includes the maturation and release of the egg, as well as the critical days themselves, which can last 3-10 days. However, not everyone gets their periods right away.

Over the course of two years, many girls experience irregular menstruation. This suggests that the cycle has simply not yet established itself and you need to wait. The intervals between periods in teenage girls can be 1.5–3 months, and there is no need to worry. It’s just that the young organism has not yet fully matured, which is why such failures are possible.

In addition, the cycle may be accompanied by malaise, which is associated with the formation of the female body. If the girl does not have other more serious symptoms that are not related to menstruation, there is no need to worry.

With the beginning of her critical days, you should teach your daughter to keep a calendar in which she will mark the beginning and end of the cycle. This is very convenient and will help when consulting a gynecologist.

First menstruation: signs of approaching

About a year or even two before her period begins, a girl’s body, emotional state and behavior begin to change.

First of all, the figure begins to lose its angularity and acquires feminine roundness. At this time, hair appears - under the arms and on the pubic area. The external genitalia are slightly enlarged. These are visual manifestations, but even more work on restructuring the body takes place at the hormonal level. Due to the fact that the sweat and sebaceous glands intensify their work, girls may develop acne - a rash on the face, back, chest, shoulders, and the skin and hair roots become oily much faster.

As for later signs, after about three to four months, the girl begins to have discharge from her vagina - this is leucorrhoea. They can be completely white or completely transparent, but without an unpleasant odor or itching in the perineum. Leucorrhoea can have any consistency - either liquid discharge or more viscous discharge.

Just before her period, a girl may have the following purely subjective sensations:

1. . These can be very minor unpleasant sensations of a pulling nature or, on the contrary, very strong cramping pains.
2. . Often, immediately before menstruation, girls experience more frequent attacks that resemble.
3. Emotional instability. Most often, girls are accompanied by signs of emotional lability: they are whiny, capricious, and touchy.
4. . Detachment from the world, lack of interest in studies and activities that previously brought joy and pleasure.
5. Aggression. Immediately before the “critical days,” girls may experience aggression for no particular reason: they can take their anger out on loved ones, and completely groundlessly.

When do they start

Most often, the first menstruation occurs at the age of 13, but this is a relative concept. For many girls, they begin at age 10 or 15, and sometimes later. This depends on many factors, including:

• heredity;
• living and food conditions;
• diseases;
• developmental features.

Typically, southern peoples, gypsies and many others begin their periods for the first time at age 11 or even earlier. Most often, such girls even look more mature than their peers, and by the age of 15–16 they even look like mature women. This is connected not only with a subconscious psychological attitude, when in gypsy families the onset of menstruation is considered the beginning of adult life and soon after it the daughter is married off, but also with developmental characteristics. Therefore, for those who have people of southern blood among their relatives, menstruation may come for the first time at the age of 12 or earlier.

And, on the contrary, among northern peoples, residents of European cities, menstruation begins later than 13 years - at about 14 or 15, sometimes later. And these features are also worth taking into account. If a grandmother or mother gets her period early, then the girl will most likely get her period earlier and vice versa. But not only genetics plays an important role in the onset of menstruation.

If a girl grows up healthy, strong, and outperforms her peers in development, then most likely she will have early menstruation. But these data are conditional. For many strong, tall and athletic girls, menstruation may not begin until the age of 15 if they play intensive sports, attend several clubs or follow a diet. If a girl is physically weak, eats poorly, does not consume enough vitamins and fats, is afraid of gaining weight, and often suffers from colds, then menstruation may begin later than 13 years. Even if all the energy goes into growth.

What do the first “critical days” look like?

1. The first menstruation may be accompanied by weakness, pain in the lower abdomen, dizziness, and vomiting.
2. During the first menstruation, a girl’s body can lose 50 ml or 150 ml of blood - all this depends on the personal characteristics of each woman.
3. The heaviest discharge occurs on days 2-4 - at this time the girl loses about 75% of the total volume of menstrual blood.
4. During the first menstruation, the discharge has a special smell - this is due to the fact that the glands of the vulva are involved in their work. Afterwards the smell disappears.
5. The first year, after the start of menstruation, the body may experience disruptions in the duration of the menstrual cycle. Normally, there are 28 to 31 days between bleedings, and menstruation can last from three to ten days. But in the first year, until the cycle normalizes, these data can be very unstable: for example, the intervals between “critical days” can be up to three months.
6. If a mother’s periods pass without any problems, then they will not cause much trouble for her daughter, but if the mother’s periods are painful and difficult, then there is a high probability that her daughter will be accompanied by the same unpleasant symptoms.

At what age do menstruation begin and what should the menstrual cycle be like?

The age range may vary; on average, women of the European race begin menstruation at the age of 12-13 years.

However, it is worth considering that the age at first menstruation tends to decrease. Some girls may start their period at the age of 10 or 11, others at 15.

The interval between menstruation is called the menstrual cycle. It is counted from the first day of menstruation until the beginning of the next one.

For some it is 28 days, but it can be shorter or longer, from 21 to 45 days. Typically, after menarche, the cycle may take some time to settle, and the cycle may be longer at first. After a couple of years, it is reduced to 21-34 days.

Many girls are faced with the fact that in the first years after menarche, periods may be irregular: this is normal, the body may need some time to establish a stable cycle. For example, during this period a girl may have two cycles of 28 days, and then her period may not come on time in the next one. Although the cycle usually becomes regular within a couple of years, for about a third of women it remains unstable.

Menstruation must be noted in a special calendar or in an application on the phone. You need to celebrate from the first day of your period until the end, and so on. The length of the cycle is counted from the first day of menstruation to the beginning of a new menstruation. For example, if your period started on January 1st, then lasted for 4 days, and then started on January 30th, then you need to mark the days from the first to the fourth and the 30th as days of menstruation and count the number of days from January 1st to the 30th. e (the 30th will be the start date of the next cycle). It turns out 29—this is the length of the menstrual cycle.

Menstrual hygiene products

It is very important to tell, explain and show a girl how to protect herself and her clothes from menstrual blood during her “critical days.” Previously, our grandmothers had a lot of problems during menstruation, but today there is a huge amount of intimate hygiene products - pads and tampons.

It is very important that the mother or other loved one tells the girl how to use pads and tampons correctly. The pad must be changed every 4-5 hours, and tampons, as blood is absorbed, approximately every 2-4 hours. This must be strictly monitored, since microbes multiply very quickly in these hygiene products, which can lead to inflammation or disease of the genital and pelvic organs.

Don’t forget that during your period you need to wash yourself as often as possible - at least 2 times a day, but if possible, of course, more often. It is advisable to change panties during each pad change, but at least once or twice a day.

The pads have their own markings - from one to 5-6 drops, as well as “night”. Droplets show the intensity of absorption of a particular intimate hygiene product. “Night” pads are wider and longer, have more absorbable gel, and are used during sleep.

As for tampons, even virgins can use them (previously there were disputes about this - whether a tampon can break the hymen or not, but today experts say that this is not realistic, a virgin will remain a virgin, no matter how much she uses tampons). During critical days, the diameter of the hymen increases to an average of 2.5 cm, while an already used tampon does not exceed 1.5 cm.

Properly selected and high-quality intimate hygiene products mean comfort and excellent well-being for a girl, don’t forget about it!

What do girls' first periods look like? The question interests teenagers aged 12 years and older. After all, it is from 12 to 16 years that menstrual flow usually appears. They can be of different consistency and duration. How can a girl determine the onset of menarche?

Menstruation occurs only when the genital organs are formed and a sufficient amount of hormones accumulate. Another pattern emerges. Until the weight reaches 45 kg, menstruation will not begin. What to pay attention to:

By these signs you can determine the imminent arrival of menstruation. In addition, you can navigate by your mother. Usually, a daughter gets her first period at the same age as her mother.

Late menstruation

As mentioned earlier, the absence of menstruation before the age of 18 is an alarming sign. But now it is not uncommon for the first period to start very late. Some girls experience menarche in their twenties. What causes such an anomaly?

This is often associated with disorders in various body systems, which were mentioned earlier. Serious illnesses suffered in early childhood can also make their own adjustments. Gynecologists note that among those who have had mumps, measles, rubella or scarlet fever, late first critical days are more often diagnosed. There are also a number of factors that can “delay” the onset of menarche. These include:

1. Strong emotional excitability.
2. Diseases of the central nervous system.
3. Addiction to strict diets and sudden weight changes.
4. Heavy study load.
5. Poor nutrition.
6. Unfavorable climate in the family.

How long do girls' periods last at 20? What are their features? Despite its late appearance, menarche is no different from the classic ones. The duration of the debut critical days also varies from two to three days. But a girl should carefully monitor her body during her period. A late onset of menarche indicates that the organs of the reproductive system are a weak point for this representative of the fair sex.

How long does the first period last?

The normal duration of menstruation in girls is from 3 to 5 days. Under certain circumstances, menstrual discharge is present for 7 days. This duration is often influenced by genetics.

The first menstruation begins with a slight discharge. On the second and third days, the discharge is the strongest. They contain clots, which are also normal. The uterus is rapidly cleared of endometrium, renewed, and prepared for a new menstrual cycle. Therefore, already on the 4th day, the discharge becomes moderate, and on the 4th it turns back into a smear. If menstruation lasts only 3 days, the heaviest discharge is on day 2.

The duration of menstruation can also be judged by the mother's menstrual cycle. Often the duration is the same. There are no rules for your first period. They are very different. Both scanty and abundant discharge are regarded as the norm.

How the menstrual cycle is formed

The time for complete formation of the cycle is 2 years. The first periods can be irregular, absent for several months, be heavy or scanty. Typically, the duration of the first cycles is from 28 to 36 days. But sometimes periods can stop for 3 or more months and come again.

Sometimes the number of days changes. For example, the first is 23 days, the second is 32, the third is 29. Usually this is the main cause of female anxiety, when it is difficult to predict when the next menstruation will occur. So that she does not take the girl by surprise, you need to keep a special calendar. This will help predict your next menstruation. Well, you can put a pad in your cosmetic bag just in case, so you have time to be on the safe side.

Such a calendar will help you calculate your cycle, which will become regular in 2 years or less. But if within 3-5 years it has not stabilized, you need to see a gynecologist or endocrinologist. It could be a mild hormonal disorder.

What to do if your period begins

It is best to spend the first day of menstruation at home, in bed. If critical days are caught at school, you should not hesitate to inform the class teacher about this and ask to go home. Notify your mother or another loved one about an important event in your life. , antispasmodics. You can calm the nervous system with tincture of valerian and motherwort. , you need to use available means. Tear off a piece of a clean sheet or diaper, or use gauze and cotton wool. Some gynecologists recommend using only such pads during menarche.

When does the menstrual cycle begin?

The first period does not mean that a girl will menstruate next month. It takes 2 years for the monthly cycle to develop. During this time, the girl’s hormonal levels should normalize. Its unstable position leads to a long delay or frequent occurrence of menstrual discharge. Absence of menstruation after the first critical days is allowed for up to 3 months. This can happen periodically for 1 year. In the second year the cycle will begin to improve. The girl will already be able to know when her critical days will come. Although you can’t count on the exact number of days in a cycle.

In the life of every representative of the fair half of humanity, there comes a moment when she turns from a girl into a girl capable of becoming a mother. And this event is associated with the beginning of menstruation (menstruation).

Deviations from the norm

The following situations are cause for concern:

• too early periods that appeared before the age of 9;
• absence of menarche after 15 years.

Such situations may indicate quite serious deviations:

• hormonal imbalance and endocrine diseases;
• the presence of inflammatory processes.

Early menstruation

The onset of the first period earlier than normal is caused by the following reasons:

• hormonal disbalance;
• decreased ovarian reserve;
• genetic predisposition;
• constitutional features, excess weight;
• mental trauma;
• lifestyle (excessive physical activity);
• lack of nutrients.

Early menstruation indicates early puberty, which is directly related to the condition of the brain. Brain pathologies that cause early menstruation:

1. tumors of the pituitary gland and hypothalamus or congenital changes in these areas of the brain;
2. impulse disturbances from the cerebral cortex.

All these pathologies lead to increased production of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), which activate the ovaries and cause the ovulation process. The time of the onset of the first menstruation is also influenced by the mental state in which the girl is: with malfunctions in the nervous system and emotional stress, the risk of earlier menarche is obvious. In addition, the appearance of early menstruation is also influenced by the food a girl eats: the predominance of a large amount of spicy, sour and salty foods in the diet can accelerate the onset of menarche. Situations where the first menstruation began at an early age, and then there was a long period of delay, are also not considered the norm and require consultation with a doctor. Women whose menarche occurred earlier than normal may develop in the future:

• cardiovascular diseases;
• osteoporosis;
• diabetes;
• mammary cancer.

Late menstruation

If girls have not started menstruating before the age of 15, this is a cause for concern. Factors influencing the appearance of menstruation at a later age:

• pathologies of uterine development;
• dysfunction of the pituitary gland;
• emotional stress and nervous tension;
• diets;
• constant and exhausting physical activity;
• fluctuations in body weight;
• malnutrition;
• ecological situation.

Very often, the reason for the absence of menarche is the girl’s excessive thinness. It has been noticed that thin and short girls begin their periods much later than their peers of normal build. The reason is that if there is insufficient amount of adipose tissue, the body does not produce the required amount of the female hormone estrogen and this becomes the cause of primary amenorrhea (complete absence of menstruation).

At an early age, this disease is successfully treated and easily diagnosed. Girls with later menarche are at risk of developing:

• endometrial cancer;
• breast cancer

What is menstruation

The onset of menstruation is associated with the beginning of ovulation - the process of the release of an egg from the ovary into the oviduct. If a woman has sexual intercourse during this time, she may become pregnant. If this does not happen, the inner layer of the uterus begins to peel off. In this case, its numerous blood vessels are damaged, which leads to bleeding. Blood, enzymes and uterine cells begin to leak out through the vaginal opening. This is menstruation. Subsequently, a new layer “grows” in the uterus. This is how she prepares for the possible appearance of a child inside her.

Early periods

The appearance of menstrual bleeding indicates the level of sexual development when conceiving a child becomes possible. Girls of eleven or fourteen years old are already interested in the attentions of boys.

Full physical development is impossible without the onset of critical days. But for some girls, discharge begins at the age of 6–8 years

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You need to know exactly what to do if your first period begins prematurely
. The reasons for such deviations may be:

• overwork, stress, physical exhaustion;
• unhealthy diet, consumption of carbonated drinks;
• disrupted hormonal levels;
• spasms or dilation of blood vessels;
• the presence of diseases of the reproductive organs and infections;
• injuries;
• tumors.

To identify the cause of the failure, you must consult a doctor. Ignoring the problem can lead to serious health problems.

It is difficult to predict the consequences. Scientific articles and studies report the following negative results:

• diseases in any of the genital organs;
• early menopause;
• high likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases;
• obesity;
• development of breast cancer;
• hypertension.

Timely first menstruation is very important. It lays the foundation for a woman’s reproductive health.

What does a girl feel before her first period and what does it look like?

It is impossible to accurately predict the onset of menstruation. Some girls may have a stomach ache before this. The pain is usually nagging and localized in the lower abdomen. You may notice that your breasts have increased sensitivity and may feel a little sore. Often before menstruation, the mood worsens, irritability and the desire to cry for any reason appear. But for many girls this day comes suddenly. When you go to the toilet, you find brownish-red stains on your panties. This is what the first period looks like. On the second or third day, the amount of discharge usually begins to increase. That's how it should be. Towards the end they will become more and more scarce and will soon disappear completely.

For the first time, menstruation can last from a couple of days to a week. Then there will be a break of 2-3 months. Gradually, on average after 1.5-2 years, the cycle will improve and will be 21-35 days.

The onset of menstruation is a cause for celebration. After all, now you have practically become an adult. Tell your mom about this event. She will support you and tell you what needs to be done. There is no need to be shy, this is an absolutely normal phenomenon, characteristic of all healthy women. More information can be found.

The first signs of menstruation in girls

You can assume that the first critical days will soon begin a year before menstrual bleeding.

What to pay attention to:

1. The figure changes according to the female type. A mother has to buy her child's first bra.
2. The reproductive organs enlarge, hair appears on the pubis and in the armpits.
3. The sebaceous glands begin to work actively. Acne appears on the face and body, hair becomes oily, and seborrhea may develop.
4. Leucorrhoea is a white vaginal discharge that does not cause discomfort. As they mature, they become more viscous and abundant.
5. Aching pain without signs of inflammation in the lower abdomen. These symptoms can be observed several months before menarche, or just before the first menstruation.
6. Changes in behavior in adolescents, tearfulness, frequent mood swings, aggression. This is the same PMS as an adult woman.

Preparing for your first period

You need to be prepared morally and theoretically for this event. Most likely, the mother will tell the growing girl in advance about menstruation and the rules of personal hygiene during this period. But self-education is never superfluous.

To prevent blood from leaving stains on clothes, there are special hygiene products: pads and tampons.
At the very beginning of menstruation, it is recommended to use pads. You need to practice fixing the gasket in advance. It's quite simple, but if you're not used to it you can get confused. You should always carry one or two pads with you. After all, you can’t guess when your period will start. Facebook

Psychologist's advice

Here are some recommendations from a psychologist on how to tell a girl about her first period:

1. Since a girl’s first blood may appear not at 12 years old, but at 11 years old, and sometimes at 10 years old, it is necessary to tell the girl about menstruation in advance.
2. It is necessary to take a closer look at the child to see how actively he shows interest in “forbidden” topics.
3. You need to find suitable literature that explains in accessible language how to tell a girl about menstruation and at what age they should start (books, magazines, video lectures).

Common questions from teenage girls: “Does it hurt?”, “How much discharge is there?”, “How long does the first period last?”

Try to explain that the harbingers of the first menstruation are unpleasant sensations and moderate nagging pain in the lower abdomen. Discharge flows out evenly, sometimes in the form of clots, lasting several days (for example, if menstruation began on December 1, then her next period will begin on December 28).

When a girl approaches 11-12 years of age, she begins to wait for her period. During this period, you can purchase hygiene products - pads or tampons. If the girl is not yet sexually active, then these will, of course, be pads

. It is necessary to explain to the girl that the pads need to be changed every 3-4 hours or as they get dirty, take a shower twice a day (morning and evening) and wash each time the pad is changed.

In addition, explain to the girl that the onset of menstruation indicates that there is a possibility of pregnancy and from this stage the girl should take more responsibility for her health and life.

https://youtu.be/nFolEQDFHXE

Puberty is a significant stage in the life of every person. For girls, this period is associated with great changes both at the physiological and psychological levels.

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One of the most important indicators of puberty is the first menstruation in girls. You need to know how to prepare your child for this and what you should pay attention to.