What is Menstruation?

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Menstruation, better known as a Period, is the final proof that a girl is becoming a woman. You may have already started having your periods. If you have, you could be a great “buddy” for a friend who has not yet started, by discussing what happens to you each month during your period.

If your period has not started yet, you are probably anxious about the subject or concerned that your friends’ periods have started and you have no obvious signs. Remember that not everyone is the same. Our bodies develop at different rates and so menstruation can start anytime between the ages of 8 and 16. Your periods may be a bit irregular at first because your body needs time to fine-tune the menstrual cycle. The loss of menstrual blood and tissue can vary also. Everyone is different so learn about what is normal for you. Some girls get cramps in their abdomen just before and during the first few days of a period. This cramping is usually caused by your body’s response to a hormone called prostaglandin, which cause the muscles in the uterus to contract. The same hormone can also cause you to get a headache before your period. Over the counter pain relievers will help if the pain prevents you from doing your usual activities.

As your period gets closer, it is possible to feel very emotional, moody or even angry. You may even prefer to eat only certain foods, and most likely, crave chocolate. This is called Premenstrual Syndrome or PMS for short. The hormones changing during your cycle cause it, which affects you both physically and mentally. Feeling bloated is due to water retention, but when your period starts, all these symptoms will go away. Certain foods can make the PMS worse, so if you think you are suffering, keep a check on your calendar what foods you think make you feel worse. Supplements such as B6, essential fatty acids and Vitamin E can help to alleviate the symptoms of PMS. If you are badly affected, speak to your doctor about it.

Many girls get some spots before their period starts and for a few days into the cycle. It is normal and most girls get them, so don’t let them affect you.

Why do periods happen?

Each month during puberty, special chemicals inside of you, called hormones, cause the body to release an egg from one of the two egg sacks, called ovaries. This is where all of your eggs are stored and usually each month, about 10 to 20 tiny eggs called ova start to ripen but only one or two eggs are released. The egg then travels onwards to the womb via the Fallopian tubes. The womb, also called the Uterus, prepares for the egg by laying down extra tissue and blood vessels, ready to support and nourish the growing foetus. Only if the egg meets sperm released from a boy during sex will it be fertilised and slowly develop over 9 months into a baby.

If the egg is not fertilised or implanted, it passes right through and just dissolves. The spiral arteries of the lining created in the womb close off, stopping blood flow to the surface of the lining.  The blood pools into "venous lakes" which, once full, burst and with the endometrial lining, forms the menstrual flow, which escapes through the vagina. This is what you experience as your period.

How long do periods last for?

The Menstrual cycle will happen nearly every month except when being pregnant or until there are no more eggs to release, usually between the ages of 45 and 55. The cycle can be as short as every 21 days, or as long as every 35 days. It can last 2 to 3 days or as many as 6 to 7 days. Not all girls are the same, and neither are their periods. Some girls will have very light periods and some will have heavy periods and sometimes they will vary according to your hormones, your age, how much stress you are experiencing, and even how much training you do.

What different sanitary pads and tampons are there to use?

Sanitary pads fit inside your pants by means of a sticky strip, which keeps the pad in place. There are different types of pad and it is a matter of choice, which style you use. There are pads with and without wings. Some are for the earlier days of your period when the blood loss is heavier, and others for less heavy days towards the end of your period. You should read the packaging carefully to try to find out what the pads are made from because some materials used in many pads can be irritating to the skin. The pads should be changed regularly and disposed of in a bin.

Tampons are also available in different sizes to suit the amount of blood lost during a period. Some tampons you insert using only your index finger, and other tampons have a cardboard or plastic applicator to help you to insert it into the vagina. There is a cord that hangs outside of the body to help you to remove the tampon when you need to change it. It may not be easy to see when a tampon needs to be changed, but you should change the tampon at least every four hours. You need to make sure that you wash your hands before and after doing so. Always remember to remove the tampon before inserting a new one. At the end of a period when there will be only a very small amount of blood, it is better to use a pad rather than a tampon. Some practice is needed before you get used to putting in a tampon, but you should not use a tampon unless you are having a period. Using them when you do not have a period can cause dryness and irritation, and will absorb the protective mucous that your vagina produces to keep it clean.

It is important to make sure that you read the instructions and the safety information before using tampons. You should not use a tampon during the night when you are asleep because you are likely to then have a tampon inside of you for over eight hours without it being changed. It makes sense to only use tampons when you really need to, but choosing to use a mixture of pads and tampons is the most sensible thing to do.

Looking after your body?

You should read the packaging carefully to try to find out what the tampons and pads are made from because most are made from synthetic materials that are bleached with harsh and environment damaging chemicals called chlorines that produce toxic chemicals in the environment called Dioxin. Try to avoid tampons made from synthetic materials like rayon and viscose and pads that use lots of plastic, and synthetic materials that claim to be “cotton-like” as they are largely made from synthetic materials that are almost impossible to dispose of in the environment. If you would like to find out more information about the types of materials used to make feminine hygiene products like sanitary pads and tampons, take a look at the Citizenship projects. Organic cotton tampons and plastic and chemical-free pads are recommended by many gynaecologists in order to avoid the risk of allergic reaction caused by exposure to synthetic materials and chemicals.

When your periods start for the first time, it is important to start checking your breasts each month so that you learn what is normal for you so that if something unusual is noticed you can get it checked out straight away by a doctor. Look at the diagrams and the instructions on how to examine the breasts and start the routine of checking your breasts after your period has finished each month.