Period why

The time between periods last day to first day typically averages 28 days, with bleeding typically lasting around 4 to 5 days. Every month, your body prepares for pregnancy.

The lining of your uterus gets thicker as preparation for nurturing a fertilized egg. An egg is released and is ready to be fertilized and settle in the lining of your uterus. If the egg is not fertilized, your body no longer needs the thicker lining of the uterus, so it starts to break down and is eventually expelled, along with some blood, from your vagina.

The way that women experience their periods varies widely. Your period is a natural occurrence. If you experience inconsistencies such as a change in your menstrual regularity, frequency, duration, or volume, talk with your doctor or gynecologist.

Many women believe they experience period syncing with other women they live with or are close to. But is there scientific proof that this can happen…. The process of your uterus shedding its lining every month is called menstruation. Some discomfort during your period is common, but intense or….

A menstrual period is vaginal bleeding that occurs at the end of the monthly menstrual cycle. This is when the female body prepares itself for…. Having a headache during your period is pretty common, and is due to the hormonal fluctuations that occur at that time of your cycle. See your GP if you're not pregnant — you've had a negative pregnancy test — and you've missed more than 3 periods in a row. If you're sexually active and you have not taken a pregnancy test, your GP may advise you to take one.

Your GP may recommend waiting to see whether your periods return on their own. In some cases you may need treatment for your periods to return. You should also see your GP if your periods stop before you're 45 or if you're still bleeding when you're over If your GP thinks a medical condition might have caused your periods to stop, they may refer you to a consultant who specialises in the condition.

If test results show a medical condition has caused your periods to stop, you may be offered treatment for your condition. For example, if the cause is PCOS, you may be advised to take the contraceptive pill or tablets containing a hormone called progesterone.

Read more about the treatment of PCOS. If the cause is early menopause premature ovarian failure , this means the ovaries no longer function normally. Hormone medicine is usually recommended. Treatments may include the contraceptive pill or hormone replacement therapy HRT.

If you have an overactive thyroid gland, you may be given medication to stop your thyroid producing too many hormones. Read more about treating an overactive thyroid gland. Page last reviewed: 02 August Next review due: 02 August Stopped or missed periods. Why your periods might stop There are a number of reasons why your periods can stop.

The most common reasons are: pregnancy stress sudden weight loss being overweight doing too much exercise taking the contraceptive pill the menopause polycystic ovary syndrome PCOS Periods can also sometimes stop as a result of a medical condition, such as heart disease , uncontrolled diabetes , an overactive thyroid , or premature menopause.

Pregnancy You might be pregnant if you're sexually active and your period is late. Stress If you're stressed, your menstrual cycle can become longer or shorter, your periods may stop altogether, or they might become more painful. Sudden weight loss Excessive or sudden weight loss can cause your periods to stop. Being overweight Being overweight can also affect your menstrual cycle. Excess oestrogen can affect how often you have periods, and can also cause your periods to stop.

Doing too much exercise The stress that intense physical activity places on your body can affect the hormones responsible for your periods. Contraceptive pill You might miss a period every so often if you're taking the contraceptive pill. However, your periods should return when you stop using these types of contraception. Menopause You may start missing periods as you approach the menopause. If the egg is fertilized by a sperm cell, it attaches to the wall of the uterus, where over time it develops into a baby.

If the egg is not fertilized, the uterus lining breaks down and bleeds, causing a period. For the first few years after a girl starts her period, it may not come regularly.

This is normal at first. By about 2—3 years after her first period, a girl's periods should be coming around once every 4—5 weeks. Yes, a girl can get pregnant as soon as her period starts. A girl can even get pregnant right before her very first period. This is because a girl's hormones might already be active. The hormones may have led to ovulation and the building of the uterine wall.

If a girl has sex, she can get pregnant, even though she has never had a period. Periods usually happen about once every 4—5 weeks. But some girls get their periods a little less or more often. You have many choices about how to deal with period blood. You may need to experiment a bit to find which works best for you.

Some girls use only one method and others switch between different methods. It may look like a lot of blood, but a girl usually only loses a few tablespoons of blood during the whole period. Women also won't have a period while they are pregnant. PMS premenstrual syndrome is when a girl has emotional and physical symptoms that happen before or during her period.

These symptoms can include moodiness, sadness, anxiety, bloating, and acne. The symptoms go away after the first few days of a period. Many girls have cramps with their period, especially in the first few days.

If cramps bother you, you can try:. Periods are a natural, healthy part of a girl's life. They shouldn't get in the way of exercising, having fun, and enjoying life.