All teen girls and young women should have the right set of knowledge to recognize the normalities and abnormalities of their menstruation cycle. It is significant because only with this menstrual health awareness do you get equipped to better care for yourselves. But how do you know when your periods are normal or not? What are the different criteria which determine this?
Well honestly, there is no one criterion to determine this. As all women have different bodies, their menstruation cycles also differ. What may entail as normal for one person, may thus not be so for the other. However, there are still some key signs that you can look out for to gauge whether your cycle is normal or abnormal.
So, let us today introduce you to this chapter in menstrual education and help you understand your periods better.
What is Menstruation Cycle
Your menstruation cycle is a natural process that encapsulates the various changes that your body goes through to prepare for the likelihood of pregnancy. This monthly series begins on the first day of your last period and ends one day before your next period starts. It is typically 28 days long but can vary from 21 to 35 days.
Your periods are a part of your cycle when you experience bleeding. You can use different menstrual hygiene products like sanitary pads, tampons or menstrual cups to soak up period blood and prevent leakages.
Length and Timing of Menstrual Period
When you first start getting your periods, they are usually inconsistent and may last longer. But as you grow older, your periods tend to become more consistent, meaning you start getting them almost the same time each month and they also become shorter. Also, the amount of your menstrual fluid reduces with age. So, if you used to get your periods for 5-7 days every month and used about 4 to 5 period pads per day, this number may reduce to 2-3 days per cycle and 2-3 pads a day.
Apart from normal ageing, factors like birth control pills or other contraception methods are also responsible for this change.
Menstrual Flow
Your ovaries release an egg every month and prepare your uterus for its fertilization by lining its insides with blood vessels where the egg is supposed to get embedded and nourished. However, in the absence of sperm to fertilize it, the uterus sheds this lining which comes out of your vagina in the form of period blood. This bleeding can be light, medium or heavy. All of these are considered normal as long as they are consistent and can be managed using appropriate menstrual hygiene products designed specifically for your flow type.
Signs and Symptoms of Normal Menstruation
Apart from the obvious sign of bleeding, the right menstrual education helps you to ascertain symptoms that normally accompany your periods. These may be different for different women and may not even be the same every month for you. Some normal symptoms include:
● Mood Swings which are due to fluctuating hormones
● Muscle cramps usually in the lower back and abdomen but sometimes also in the thighs
● Food cravings
● Acne and breakouts may appear right when your periods are about to start
● Sleep issues
● Breast tenderness
Signs and Symptoms of Abnormal Menstrual Cycle
Once you understand ‘what is menstruation cycle’ and what are its normal symptoms, it is easier to point out any abnormalities in it. Here are some signs that indicate an abnormal cycle.
● If you missed three or more menstrual periods
● If you are soaking too many period pads, meaning your flow is much heavier than usual.
● If you are using too few pads, meaning your flow is much less than usual.
● If your periods last more than 7 days
● If there is a sudden change in the length of your cycle, being less than 21 days or more than 35 days.
● If you experience extreme pain, nausea, muscle cramping, headaches and vomiting on your periods.
● If you find spotting or bleeding occurring between two consecutive periods, after intercourse or after you have gone through menopause.
How to Regulate Abnormal Menstrual Cycle
If you notice any signs of abnormal periods, you must immediately consult your OBGYN. In addition to that, you must try to make some lifestyle changes too for regular periods and overall health. You can try
● practicing yoga,
● meditating,
● doing some kind of physical exercises like swimming,
● including herbs and spices like ginger, and cinnamon in your daily diet, sleeping, waking up and eating at fixed times
Takeaway
With proper menstrual health awareness, you can learn to notice the irregularities and abnormalities in your menstrual cycle and take steps to regulate them. This is crucial for your reproductive health and your overall well-being.
