How many days does a girl's second period last? Duration of menstruation: normal menstrual cycle

U different women Menstruation occurs differently and this is due to a number of reasons. How long a girl’s period lasts on average is influenced by lifestyle, heredity, the structure of the uterus and the secretion of hormones.

How many days does the first period last?

Girls' first menstruation (menarche) is the main indicator of puberty, which normally occurs between 9 and 15 years of age. The duration of the first menstruation can vary dramatically and depends on the physiology of the body. On average, the first period lasts about 5 days and is most often quite scanty compared to subsequent periods. Teenage girls may experience periods on the first day of their period. aching pain lower abdomen, nausea and dizziness. All this signals the establishment of a cycle and is the norm. If one of the symptoms becomes alarming, then a mandatory consultation with a doctor is necessary.

How to count the beginning of a cycle?

The period of time from the beginning of one menstruation to the next is called the menstrual cycle. The question of which day is considered the beginning of menstruation is quite simple to answer. The first day of bleeding is considered the beginning of the cycle, the last day before the start of a new menstruation is the last day of the cycle. Typically the cycle lasts from 28 to 35 days. To make it easier to control your cycle, you can create a menstrual calendar, in which you should mark the start and end dates of menstruation. To get the date of your next menstruation, you need to add the cycle duration to the end date of your period. If critical days have not occurred within 10 days from the start of the expected date, then this is considered a delay.

How many days should women have their periods?

Normally, menstruation lasts from 3 to 7 days, but it also happens that menstruation stretches for more than a week, or quickly ends before the due date. If these temporary deviations are accompanied by unbearable pain, nausea, vomiting and weakness, then this may indicate menstrual irregularities. Every woman simply needs to know how many days a normal period lasts in order to notice in time possible deviations and diseases. Cycle irregularities can signal a hormonal imbalance or prevent a desired pregnancy.

Long periods

If your period is one or two days longer than usual, and there are no other alarming signs, then most often there is no reason to worry. But in mandatory You should consult a doctor if your long periods are too heavy (you use more than one pad in 3 hours), if they are too painful or have clots.

Menstruation that lasts 2 weeks is considered very long and can occur due to:

side effects of installing an intrauterine device;
reception hormonal contraceptives;
hormonal imbalance during the first year after the onset of menstruation, after childbirth or during menopause;
diseases thyroid gland;
adenomyosis (disease in muscle layer uterus);
endometrial polyps;
fibroids or uterine cancer.

Short periods

The short duration of the cycle should also alarm the girl, especially if a small amount of blood is released in the form of a “spot” or the discharge is different in color (light or dark brown). The reason why periods end quickly may be the following factors:

How long do women’s periods last, what is normal, and when is doctor’s consultation and treatment required? To answer this question, we will be guided by the principles of hematologists who determine the risk of iron deficiency anemia with blood loss of more than 80 grams during critical days. With more or less moderate blood loss, such numbers can be achieved if the bleeding lasts more than 7 days. This is the answer to the question of how long menstruation should normally last - up to 7 days. And the minimum number of days is 3. In this case, a woman on average loses from 40 to 60 grams of blood. For greater or lesser blood loss, it makes sense to consult a doctor. If your period usually lasts longer than a week, they are abundant, and menstrual cycle short (less than 26 days), then you need to donate blood for iron. And most likely, if a deficiency is detected, a drug will be prescribed to treat iron deficiency. Take the drug for at least 3 months. Well, to remove the cause of excessive blood loss, an examination will be prescribed.

Ultrasound of the uterus and appendages is usually prescribed in the first phase of the menstrual cycle. This is necessary to determine possible endometrial hyperplasia or focal neoplasms in the uterus, for example, polyps or fibroids, which can provoke heavy discharge.

If there are neoplasms, they are removed, usually during hysteroscopy, under general anesthesia. If the reason remains unclear, the woman is referred for consultation to an endocrinologist and hematologist. She may have a thyroid disorder or a blood clotting problem.

If there is none of this, and the question is how many days do the first periods last in girls aged 12-13, then most likely the problem is the immaturity of the hormonal system. Girls do not ovulate, and therefore delay menstruation and breakthrough bleeding. Under treatment this disease prescribing hormonal contraceptives for several months. Girls learn what menstruation is two years before they develop a two-phase menstrual cycle.

Another important question- This is a change in the nature of menstruation after the birth of a child. The first bleeding may be quite scanty. Since after childbirth, menstruation often occurs without ovulation, that is, the cycles are anovulatory. This is not a deviation and is very common in women in the first six months after the birth of a child, provided they regularly breastfeed.

The beginning of a girl's period is very an important event, which, unfortunately, can be associated with some excitement and anxiety. But such emotions are most often caused by a lack of information about the features female body. One of the most common questions asked by young girls is: “How long does the first period last?” You can get a detailed answer to it on this page.

Features of the cycle immediately after the first menstruation

(menarche) in girls usually begins between the ages of 11 and 14 years. This rather large scatter is explained by the fact that the time of the onset of menstruation can be affected by physiological characteristics the structure of a teenager’s body, which is inherited, as well as some other factors. During your first period, bleeding is usually light and short-lived - only about 2-3 days. How long the first period lasts is influenced by the girl’s health status, body type, etc.

Afterwards there comes a period when the cycle is irregular (that is, menstruation comes either a few days earlier or later). This is because the production process female hormones in the body stabilizes within about a year. At this age, it is impossible to say exactly how many days a girl’s first period will last: in general, this value ranges from 3 to 5 days.

Usually it becomes stable at 14–15 years of age. From now on, every girl is advised to keep track of when her periods come and how long they last. If your periods are too short (less than 2 days) or too long (more than 7 days), you need to visit a gynecologist.

How many days does a normal cycle last?

Many people believe that the duration of the menstrual cycle (the time from the start of one bleeding to the start of another) should be exactly 28 days, but this is a misconception. Its duration is individual for each woman and can change throughout life. Normally, the duration of the menstrual cycle ranges from 21 days to no more than 35 days. If your cycles last less than 21 or more than 35 days, you should consult a gynecologist, because this situation may be a signal of ovarian dysfunction.

It is also necessary that the cycle be regular. Some girls face a problem when they cannot predict the start time of their next menstruation. This phenomenon is normal for young girls immediately after menarche and for women after childbirth, but in all other cases it may indicate disturbances in the functioning of the body. These may include, for example, the consequences of nervous tension, inflammatory diseases and etc.

Possible deviations

For girls. Teenage girls may experience minor bloody issues a few days before and after menstruation. They usually disappear on their own at the age of 15–16 years, after which they never appear again. However, if such “extraordinary” discharge is noticed later in life, this may be a sign that the cycle is seriously disrupted as a result physiological changes. The causes may be inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs, various neoplasms, etc. In addition, discharge may be a sign of so-called implantation bleeding - one of the signs of pregnancy.

Among women. Disturbances in the duration of menstruation and cycle length often occur after childbirth. The absence of bleeding in the first months and irregular periods throughout the year is quite normal for this period. Menstruation can be irregular not only in girls after menarche, as mentioned above, but also in women after 55 years during menopause. At this age, gradual attenuation occurs reproductive function and over time, menstruation stops completely.

From the early age Every girl should learn to take care of her health and observe the rules of personal hygiene, which will protect herself from diseases of the female reproductive system. It is important to know how the body works and what processes occur in it; this will allow you to detect minor health problems and prevent serious ones.

The length of your menstrual cycle can say a lot about women's sexual health. So, any changes in the flow can cause panic in many women. Menstruation can be abundant and long, or, conversely, scanty and short. How many days should menstruation last normally? What reasons can provoke deviations from the norm?

Considered normal

A woman should always monitor the duration of menstrual bleeding, due to the fact that the indicator allows you to determine how correctly the ovaries are working, as well as whether there are inflammatory processes and neoplasms in the reproductive organ. And in order not to forget, you need to keep a calendar critical days, where to mark their beginning and end.

How many days does menstruation last? You need to know that throughout life the amount of time changes. Normally, the first period occurs at the age of 12-14 years, its duration normalizes over the course of a year and is an average monthly period of 2-3 days. But these bleedings, as a rule, can pass very sparingly. Gradually, menstruation stabilizes. It is considered normal if menstruation lasts 3-7 days, but if this period lasts 7 days, you need to worry. Most intense menstrual bleeding on the second and third days of the cycle.

Of course, there may be deviations in the direction of increasing or decreasing the duration of the menstrual cycle, which is considered normal and depends on the individual characteristics of the female body. With age, menstruation again lasts 2-4 days.

A temporary change in the menstrual cycle, which is associated with postpartum period or termination of pregnancy through abortion. Over time, the cycle will return to normal.

What factors influence duration?

You need to know that not only age, but also other factors can influence how long your period lasts.

First of all, such a factor is heredity, when the duration and nature of a woman’s menstruation are the same as those of female relatives. This is due to the genetics of the structure of the female genital organs, hormonal levels and blood clotting.

How long should periods last? Their duration is also influenced by the work of the glands that produce hormones, as well as the central nervous system. This is precisely what explains the fact that women have periods in different ways, just like their different durations.

Why might the duration vary?

How many days does a normal period last? Each woman herself determines the normal duration of menstruation if she makes monthly marks on the calendar of critical days. If changes are noted, this may be the first bell signaling a problem in genitourinary system in a woman.

Inflammation of organs reproductive system in women and venereal diseases will affect the course of the menstrual cycle, the duration of menstruation often changes. If your period passes in two days, this may indicate a decrease in hormone production and ovarian activity. If your period lasts more than 10 days and you have pain in the lower abdomen you need to see a doctor and get tested.
Long and heavy periods may indicate the presence of neoplasms in the reproductive organ, and their nature can be either benign or malignant. Prolonged bleeding can also be one of the signs of anemia.
Changes in the duration of menstruation in women may be a consequence of lifestyle changes. So, at high physical activity the duration is reduced, and there may be no periods at all.
Stress and nervous tension, fasting and strict diets, which leads to insufficient intake by the body necessary vitamins and minerals, also changes the duration of menstruation. There may be heavy uterine bleeding, menstruation can last more than 10 days.
Bad habits (smoking, drinking alcohol, drugs) and poor environmental conditions can make menstruation prolonged.
Excessive weight is another reason for changes in the length of menstruation in women. So, if the weight significantly exceeds the norm by more than 20 kg, menstruation may be absent altogether or, on the contrary, become long and heavy (more than 10 days).
The duration of critical days may change as a result of taking hormonal drugs or contraceptives.

Be sure to see a doctor!

Women's health requires special attention. Any changes and the appearance of incomprehensible symptoms cannot be ignored. It is better to consult a doctor than to undergo long-term treatment.

If the duration of critical days is less than two days, or more than seven days, you need to go to the doctor. The problem itself will not go away. In some cases, in addition to a gynecologist, a consultation with a mammologist, endocrinologist, neurologist, or psychologist is necessary, which will make it possible to determine the cause that caused deviations in the menstrual cycle.

All problems that are caused by the duration of menstruation can be divided into primary and secondary. The first ones arise during the formation period hormonal levels for a girl when her period begins. It is necessary to undergo diagnostics to determine how the body works and identify or exclude pathogenic factors. Secondary problems include hormonal imbalance or malfunctions internal organs. Often women ignore changes in the functioning of various organs and systems, considering them to be features of their body. If left untreated, the ongoing process develops into chronic form, carries great danger not only health, but also life.

Once again, it must be emphasized that any deviations from how many days critical days usually last require a visit to the doctor. A woman must understand what it is serious problem with no less serious consequences, which cannot be ignored. A timely diagnosis and treatment will help restore women Health. Therefore, you should not delay your visit to the doctor.

A natural process for the female body, but many representatives of the fair sex are interested in how long menstruation lasts normally for girls and women, what their duration and intensity is pathological, and in what cases they should immediately seek help from a specialist.

The first question a gynecologist asks a woman is when her last menstrual period began and what her period was. By answering these questions, a specialist can determine the normal course of the cycle or the presence possible pathologies in the reproductive system. In this article we will look at what criteria should be used to evaluate the course of menstruation in girls and women in different periods their lives in order to detect diseases in time reproductive organs and begin their treatment in a timely manner.

Duration standards

After the reproductive function is fully formed, under the influence of estrogens and other sex hormones, eggs begin to cyclically mature. The process is controlled by the brain and ovaries. A woman’s body prepares for possible conception in the following ways:

eggs and the inner mucous layer of the uterus mature under the influence of estrogens and progestins;
if conception does not occur, the body should get rid of the mature endometrium and unfertilized egg, since defective processes begin to occur in old cells;
a hormonal surge occurs in the brain, which causes destruction blood vessels and endometrial rejection. Bloody discharge begins, which is called menstruation;
when hormonal levels normalize and discharge stops, restoration of the mucous membrane begins.

Now let’s look in more detail at how many days menstruation should normally last for representatives of the fair sex at different periods of their lives.

For the first time

Another reason for the onset of menstruation during pregnancy is the maturation of the egg simultaneously in 2 ovaries: the 1st egg is fertilized, the 2nd is released along with scanty discharge, similar to menstruation, but lasting no longer than 2 days.

If your period continues for another 3-4 months after conception, this may mean that the ovaries have not yet completely stopped producing hormones. With a short duration of menstruation and a small amount of discharge itself, experts usually attribute this to the physiological characteristics of the female body. But you should not take spotting during pregnancy lightly, because they may be a harbinger of spontaneous abortion or endocrine disorders in organism.

If any bleeding occurs, a pregnant woman should definitely consult a gynecologist; she may need hospitalization to maintain the pregnancy.

After childbirth

But already from the age of 40, a gradual decrease in the level of sex hormones produced by the ovaries begins, and the supply of eggs also depletes. Ovulation does not occur every cycle, and this leads to changes in the regularity and duration of menstruation. For example, prolonged critical days with heavy discharge, lasting more than a week, can be replaced by a couple of months of calm without menstruation, followed by weak discharge Brown. Over time, the discharge stops altogether.

It should be remembered that if menstruation was absent for a long time (more than a year), and then reappeared, this is bleeding, which during menopause indicates hormonal, endocrine or oncological diseases. If menstruation occurs after the complete cessation of menstruation, you should definitely consult a doctor.

Factors influencing duration

Many women are interested in what determines the duration of menstruation at different periods of their lives.

We list the main factors influencing the duration of menstruation:

genetic predisposition. The duration and nature of the cycle are influenced by the characteristics of menstruation in female relatives, both paternal and maternal. If their periods were too heavy and long, then the woman is not immune from this;
climatic zone in which the woman lives. Girls living in coastal, southern regions have a faster metabolism in their bodies, since they receive more solar heat and microelements. “Southern” women are characterized by increased activity of the gonads, which contributes to the onset of puberty earlier than in “northerner” women;
general condition of the body. In the presence of inflammatory processes or venereal diseases can change a lot. The color and nature of the discharge also changes. If you have heavy periods lasting more than 10 days with pain in the lower abdomen, you should definitely check for the presence of sexually transmitted diseases;
if or less, then this may be a sign insufficient production sex hormones by the ovaries;
benign and malignant formations in the uterus and its appendages can cause severe and prolonged periods, and with prolonged blood loss, anemia caused by iron deficiency can develop;
Excessive exercise and sports can reduce the length of your period. In rare cases, they cause complete;
stressful situations and nervous tension can increase the duration of critical days to 10 days;
strict diets and fasting rid the body of required quantity vitamins and microelements, and also cause hormonal imbalance. Alcohol and drug intoxication and poisoning with harmful chemicals have a similar effect;
ecology and change of place of residence can increase the duration of discharge;
a sharp jump in weight (weight loss or gain) necessarily affects the duration of menstruation, since adipose tissue participates in the production of hormones. If your body weight decreases by more than 20 kg from normal, menstruation may stop altogether. With obesity, amenorrhea can also occur, but more often protracted and heavy periods occur, lasting more than 10 days;
the use of hormonal drugs and contraceptives in most cases causes changes in the menstrual cycle. Hormonal agents prescribed to suppress the intensity of heavy menstruation. If symptoms occur when taking them, then such drugs should be abandoned. Intrauterine device may cause painful and heavy menstruation, but it does not affect the duration of critical days.

Any deviations from the norm at the onset of the next menstruation can warn of health problems, so it is imperative to seek help from a specialist at the first alarming symptoms.

When to see a doctor

When your periods are normal, their duration varies from 3 to 7 days; any deviation in one direction or another is a reason to consult a gynecologist. In some cases, additional consultations with a mammologist, endocrinologist, psychologist or neurologist may be necessary. There are primary and secondary causes, causing a change in the duration of menstruation:

The primary causes cause disruptions due to the formation of the girl’s hormonal levels. The doctor may order tests to rule out pathogenic factors and confirming normal work body;
secondary causes are hormonal imbalance and abnormal functioning of internal organs. Very often a woman simply does not pay attention to such changes and attributes them to individual characteristics of your body, although over time these pathologies can become chronic and even life-threatening.

You should not delay a visit to the doctor if your periods last less, and especially longer than usual, because long periods can cause significant blood loss.

Timely prescribed treatment will help restore lost health and prolong reproductive function women. A proper nutrition And healthy image lives will be secured normal duration cycle and duration of critical days.