Menstruation: How Long Does Period Last in Girls?

Last updated on July 28th, 2018 at 04:50 am

Are you having your menstruation for the first time and want to know — how long does period last? Have you noticed your period for a while but its too short or long?

This guide from Medplux explains what a normal menstrual cycle length should be and several menstruation questions you wanted to ask.

What is period?

Period is the cyclical bleeding from the vaginal in women every menstrual cycle. It occurs due to changes in hormone in your body. The first time you notice your menstruation is called menarche. When you stop having periods its menopause.

Just after menache and before menopause, women experience irregular periods. During your period you may experience pain (Period pain). However, pain during period will not prevent your normal daily activities. In some women, period pain may be severe and may need medications to reduce cramps during periods (Dysmenorrhea).

Do you experience persistent heavy bleeding during periods? Then its abnormal. This is because blood loss during period can be heavy in the first few days of periods and get lighter as it ends.

Are you bleeding excessively with very large blood clots during period? Its abnormal too. Periods usually don’t have blood clots for long. If your period has big blood clots then its abnormal.

Though the volume of vaginal bleeding during period vary in women, bleeding more than 80mls is heavy menstrual bleeding.

Why do we have periods and what causes period in girls?

Period is due to shredding of the endometrium that covers your uterus. On the first day of period, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) which is produced by the pituitary gland stimulates multiple ovarian follicles to grow.

As these follicles increase in size, they produces estrogen. Estrogen level will continue to rise before ovulation stimulating the pituitary to cause a surge in LH production. LH surge occurs 24 to 36 hours before your ovulation. If you understand your discharge before and during ovulation you can easily know your fertile days.

Ovulation will occur 12 hours after LH surge reaches its peak. After ovulation, progesterone is produced from the ruptured follicle that released the egg. Both estrogen and progesterone continue to build the endometrium.

When fertilization occurs, your baby (zygote) is implanted into the endometrium. However, if the egg is not fertilized, the endometrium comes out as your period.

Between 2 periods is your menstrual cycle length. It could be regular or irregular.

How do i calculate my menstrual cycle?

The first day of your menstruation is your LMP (1st day of last menstrual period). It is important you monitor and chart your cycle every month. Between 2 of your LMP is the menstrual cycle or period cycle.

For example, the first day you saw your period last was 28th July, 2015. This implies that your LMP is 28th July. If your next period is 27th August, then your menstrual cycle is 30 days.

How long does period last in girls?

Normal period last 2 to 7 days. However, most women usually stop menstruating on the 5th day. If your period last for 3 days or 7 days, then you don’t have to worry about it.

When should i worry? Your period last more than 7 days or less than 2 days. Period lasting more than 7 days is prolonged and abnormal.

How long does your first period last?

If you are seeing your period for the first time, you may be worried about its length. Here are some tips to guide about your period

• Your first period may be light or heavy
• It takes time about 6 years for your body hormones and period to normalize. You may have a short period or very light period initially but this normalizes with time
• Period length may be irreabnormal
• If you continuously have frequent period or heavy period requiring you change you period every hour, then you may have a problem
• Do you feel severe pain that prevents your daily activity? It is dysmenorrhea or painful period. You should inform your doctor for available pain relief methods during menstruation.
• You may be asking yourself — why is my period late? However, because your period is not steady, it may be irregular initially.

How to get your first period faster

If you want to get your period faster, then these are some tips that could help

• Try having regular exercise
• Ask friends and people around you about any help you could get
• Use vitamin C. Vitamin C reduces progesterone level resulting in bleeding
• Have regular intercourse
• Take some exercise and reduce your stress level

What age do girls get their first period?

Mean age to get your first period is 14 to 16 years. However, some girls do start their period very early at 9 to 10 years.

If you are less than 10 years and have not started menstruating, then there is no need to worry. If you are more than 16 and still not menstruating, you should let your doctor know.

How long does period last in an 11, 12, 13, 14, years old?

If you are 11 to 14 years old, then period may be abnormal in the first yeast after menache. Period usually last between 2 and 7 days but could be lighter or irregular.

Should i worry if my period last for a few days? Not yet. It should normalize as you grow older.

My period is less than 2 days, what does it mean?

If you have a scanty period or a very light period, then it abnormal if its persistent years after menache. Period lasting less than 2 days is usually because your hormones are not well balanced.

This is common in young women who are just having period for the first time. In older women, it may be a sign of pregnancy or a sign of perimenopause.

My period is more than 7 days, what it means?

If you just started having periods then its okay if its long or short. However, older women with period more than 7 days should inform their doctor. It may be due to a fibroid tumor, miscarriage or cancer.

I do not have periods, Is it normal?

Yes and No. If you are yet to get period for the first time, then its okay. However, if you are older and your period stops abruptly, then there is a problem.

Absent period is amenorrhea and it is due to problem in the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, ovaries and your uterus. Sometimes, it may be caused by abnormally closed vagina (Imperforate hymen). You should inform your doctor immediately.

How many days in between periods or in a menstrual cycle?

The number of days between your period is your menstrual cycle. It varies among girls. It can be affected by stress, academic work, obesity, eating disorders or polycystic ovarian syndrome.

The number of days between period should be 21 to 35 days. If the number of days between your period is less than 21 or more than 35, you should let your doctor know

What is normal period?

Normal period is regular cyclical shredding of uterine endometrium with or without mild pain lasting for 2 to 7 days and occurring every 21 to 35 days.

How long is a normal menstrual cycle?

Normal menstrual cycle is 21 to 35 days long. You can learn more about menstrual cycle and know what is abnormal.

Still have a question about how long does period last in girls? Let us know if we can help.