Period is also known as menses or menstrual cycle which refers to the monthly shedding of blood from the lining of the uterus if no pregnancy occurs. During the menstrual period, a woman will lose about 80ml of blood and experience hormones drops. The lining will thicken with blood and tissues again to prepare for the next pregnancy.
Most women have their period every month at an interval of 28 days. Some women have their period at a shorter interval of 26 days while others at a longer interval of 34 days. What is more important for a woman is that she is having a regular period and it lasts for about 5 days. A woman should have about 13 menstrual cycles each year and up to 450 periods in her lifetime. Only women having menstrual periods can get pregnant naturally.
If a woman has little blood shed before her period, it could be a symptom of contracting sexually transmitted disease (STD). A further check can be done by observing the vagina discharge to check if there is foul smells, yellowish-green in colour or she had experience sharp itchiness. If she suspects of having it, she can consult the doctor for treatment.
During pregnancy, a woman will stop menstruating. She will resume her period after giving birth to her baby. Other factors such as underweight, overweight, sick, stress, or addicted to drug will affect a woman period regularity and shut off the ovulation. Menopause is when a woman has not had a period for 1 year. Clinical tests can prove that the ovaries are no longer making the female hormones and are not able to produce an egg for reproduction.
Consult a doctor if the following happens:·A sudden change in the period regularity·Heavy menstrual bleeding ·Unable to start menstruating by age 16 ·Missed period ·Bleeding between periods or after sexual intercourse
