how to find the period

Menstruation

Also called: Menses, Menstrual period, Period

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Summary

Menstruation, or period, is normal vaginal bleeding that occurs as part of a woman's monthly cycle. Every month, your body prepares for pregnancy. If no pregnancy occurs, the uterus, or womb, sheds its lining. The menstrual blood is partly blood and partly tissue from inside the uterus. It passes out of the body through the vagina.

Periods usually start between age 11 and 14 and continue until menopause at about age 51. They usually last from three to five days. Besides bleeding from the vagina, you may have

Abdominal or pelvic cramping pain
Lower back pain
Bloating and sore breasts
Food cravings
Mood swings and irritability
Headache and fatigue

Premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, is a group of symptoms that start before the period. It can include emotional and physical symptoms.

Consult your health care provider if you have big changes in your cycle. They may be signs of other problems that should be treated.

NIH: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

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Bleeding Disorders in Women (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Delaying Your Period with Birth Control Pills (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Hormone Replacement Therapy: Can It Cause Vaginal Bleeding? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Noncontraceptive Benefits of Birth Control Pills (American Society for Reproductive Medicine)
Period Problems: Fibroids, Endometriosis, and Other Issues (National Institutes of Health) Also in Spanish
Toxic Shock Syndrome (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Female Reproductive System (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Menstrual Cycle (Merck & Co., Inc.) Also in Spanish

Coping with Common Period Problems (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Dr. Stacey Missmer on Painful Periods in Teens (National Institutes of Health) Also in Spanish
Feeling Fresh (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Female Athlete Triad (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Irregular Periods (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Menstrual Disorders in Teens (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
Problem Periods (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
Toxic Shock Syndrome (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Using Your First Tampon (Boston Children's Hospital) Also in Spanish
Your Menstrual Cycle (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)

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Mittelschmerz (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
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