All you need to know about your period
A woman's period and menstrual cycle can change quite often or stay the same for many years. Whether you want to know more about your body, are trying to increase your chances of getting pregnant or want to avoid pregnancy, we explain how the menstrual cycle works, answer the most common questions and help you to get to know your period better.
What is a period?
A period is when the lining of your womb (uterus) sheds its lining - this is why you bleed and you might also have lumps in your blood. The blood flows through a small hole in your cervix (the opening of the womb) and through the vagina.
What is a menstrual cycle?
The menstrual cycle lasts about a month, on average around 28-30 days and is the life cycle of one egg. The first day of the cycle is the first day of your period, that may last anything up to 7 days.
Around day 14 is what doctors refer to as mid-cycle. For many women, this is when you are most fertile, however when you ovulate depends on the length of your cycle.
You then have another 14 days to make 28 days, which is when your cycle finishes and you start your period again.
Don't worry if your cycle is not exactly 28 days - it's very common for a period to last anything from 25-35 days in length.
What is a normal period?
A normal period can differ from woman to woman and will change over the years. However, it's generally accepted that a girl will start her period between the ages of 10-14, although this could be later in some girls. It finishes around the age of 50, when the menopause begins, but for some women their periods stop sooner than this. A normal period will last between 1-8 days, although the average is 4-5 days.
By Louise O'Connell
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