Menstruation

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Disclaimer: I am not an OBGYN - if you have serious health concerns, please consult your local OBGYN. I have a graduate degree in public health and work with doctors at my local hospital. This blog post is meant solely to be educational. 

There have been entire books written about the infamous "monthly visitor" - so I will keep this as a basic overview.  Whenever a person has their "monthly visitor" (known as menstruation), there is bleeding (anywhere from mild to severe, it's completely individualistic) because of the uterus getting rid of its excessive tissue because the body did not become pregnant.

Some people have problems with anemia, which occurs when a large amount of blood has been lost. These people typically need to manage it via pills (prescription drugs, hormonal birth control, etc.). Some have it so bad that they have to go to the hospital whenever this happens for a blood transfusion. Please keep in mind that this is the exception, not the rule for periods to be this bad.

Hormonal based birth control can make the bleeding lighter (or heavier). It depends on the individual person. It is not really known why periods still occur while hormonal based birth control is being used because of how birth control affects the body's biochemistry. 

The onset age for when a person first experiences this typically ranges from age 7-14. Some start sooner, some start later. After a person experiences their first menstruation cycle, they can become pregnant (however it is not advised since people who get pregnant "too young" dramatically increase health problems for both the person carrying the fetus and the fetus themselves).

Duration for the bleeding can be anywhere from 3-8 days typically. Periods generally come once a month (about once every 2.5 to 4 weeks). Periods can become irregular for numerous reasons (including but not limited to: extreme stress, hormonal based birth control, pregnant or breastfeeding, and thyroid problems). Besides the bleeding, other changes can involve mood swings, fatigue, depression, bloating, and headaches. Everyone is different with how they experience menstruation.

It is important to remember that it is not physically possible to have a period while pregnant (however there is a very slight risk of becoming pregnant while having "period sex"), however, spotting can occur. For many, they can not tell the difference between "period blood" and "spotting blood". Spotting is different from "period blood" (spotting is a very common side effect of hormonal based birth control).

"PMS" (pre-menstruation syndrome) is what happens before the monthly cycle occurs. It normally happens about 2-4 days prior to menstruation actually occurring. Signs and symptoms typically involving: mood swings, food cravings, irritability, depression, and tender breasts. If symptoms are severe, it is recommended to go to your local doctor. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) can cause intense irritability, depression, and/or anxiety.

There are numerous hygiene products that can be used to help deal with the bleeding. These include, but are not limited to:

• Pads
• Tampons
• The Cup
• "Period undergarments"
• Sponges

Each type has its own pros and cons. It completely depends on what the person is wanting to do and their own preferences. Please keep in mind that any insertables (like the Cup or tampons) can become painful if any type of vaginal atrophy (aka vaginal dryness) is occurring (patients post-chemotherapy often have trouble for example).

Menstruation is a very natural process. The body didn't get pregnant so it's getting rid of the excess tissue. This comes out in the form of blood. It is just another type of vaginal secretion.