“A period is the part of the menstrual cycle when a woman bleeds from her vagina for a few days”.1

Umbrella

What may the Periods Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • George
  • Girl’s Week
  • Menses
  • Menstrual Cycle
  • Menstrual Period
  • Menstruation
  • Monthly Bleeding
  • Normal Vaginal Bleeding
  • Period/s
  • “Monthly”

Definition

What is a woman’s menstrual period?

DotS the definition of a woman’s menstrual period may vary. The (United States) MedlinePlus’ definition is:

“Menstruation, or period, is a woman’s monthly bleeding”.2

The (United Kingdom) NHS’s (National Health Service) definition is:

“A period is the part of the menstrual cycle when a woman bleeds from her vagina for a few days. For most women this happens every 28 days or so, but it’s common for periods to be more or less frequent than this, ranging from day 21 to day 40 of their menstrual cycle. Your period can last between 3 and 8 days, but it will usually last for about 5 days. The bleeding tends to be heaviest in the first 2 days”.3

The (United States) Mayo Clinic’s definition is:

“Normal vaginal bleeding, or menstruation, occurs every 21 to 35 days when the uterus sheds its lining, marking the start of a new reproductive cycle. A menstrual period may last for just a few days or up to a week. Your flow may be heavy or light and still considered normal. Menstrual cycles tend to be longer for teens and for women nearing menopause, and menstrual flow may also be heavier at those ages”.4

Menstrual Cycle

What is a woman’s menstrual cycle?

DotS the definition of a woman’s menstrual cycle may vary. In What Happens During the Typical 28-Day Menstrual Cycle? What Is the Menstrual Cycle? the Office on Women’s Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Womenshealth.gov’s definition is:

“The menstrual cycle is the monthly hormonal cycle a female’s body goes through to prepare for pregnancy. Your menstrual cycle is counted from the first day of your period up to the first day of your next period. Your hormone levels (estrogen and progesterone) usually change throughout the menstrual cycle and can cause menstrual symptoms”.5

In About the Menstrual Cycle: What Is A Menstrual Cycle? the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health’s definition is:

“The menstrual cycle is a cycle of bodily changes controlled by female hormones that cause a regular bleed. This bleed, which usually occurs monthly, comes from the uterus (womb) and flows out from the vagina. ‘Period’, ‘menstruation’ or ‘menses’ are all words used to describe the blood loss women experience at this time”.6

Menopause

How can women tell if they are approaching menopause?

In Menopause What Are the Symptoms? Early Symptoms – Change In Menstrual Periods the Australasian Menopause Society note:

Periods
“Many women have a change in their menstrual cycle (period) before their periods stop”.7

Health Care Provider

What if there are changes in my periods?

If there are changes in your periods, it may be in you best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this. In Menstrual Calendar the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) explain:

“During the transition to menopause (called perimenopause), it is normal to skip periods, but very frequent or heavy bleeding episodes often requires an evaluation by your healthcare provider. Any bleeding after menopause requires an evaluation by your healthcare provider”.8

The JH note:

“When To See Your Doctor There are many reasons you might need to see your doctor about your periods including:

  • Changes in the pattern of your period
  • Increasingly heavy periods
  • Long periods of more than eight days
  • Periods that come fewer than three weeks apart
  • Periods coming more than two to three months apart
  • Painful periods that cause you to stay home
  • Bleeding between periods
  • Bleeding after intercourse
Your menstrual cycle is a normal process for your body. Each woman experiences her menstrual cycle differently, most without any difficulties. If there is any change in your cycle that worries you, see your doctor”.9

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics related to Periods?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Periods?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Links

This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.
  1. Abnormal Uterine Bleeding FAQ
  2. About Menopause
  3. About the Menstrual Cycle [+ Video]
  4. About the Menstrual Cycle: When To See Your Doctor
  5. Bleeding Disorders In Women
  6. Bleeding Disorders In Women: Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
  7. Bleeding Disorders In Women: Heavy Menstrual Bleeding – Signs: Chart
  8. Blood Clots During Menstruation: A Concern?
  9. Different Types of Period Pain and What They Might Mean
  10. Dysmenorrhea: Painful Periods – FAQ
  11. Endometriosis
  12. Endometriosis: FAQs
  13. Heavy Bleeding
  14. Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
  15. Heavy Menstrual Bleeding – Fact Sheet
  16. Heavy Periods
  17. Heavy Periods: How Much Is Heavy Bleeding? Heavy Periods Self-Assessment
  18. Help for Heavy Menstrual Bleeding
  19. Home Remedies: Managing Menstrual Cramps
  20. Hormonal Health – Clues Made Clear
  21. Is Your Period Regular?
  22. Menopause: Symptoms – Changes To Your Periods
  23. Menorrhagia (Heavy Menstrual Bleeding)
  24. Menstrual Calendar
  25. Menstrual Calendar: Calendario Menstrual [Spanish]
  26. Menstrual Calendar: Calendrier Menstruel [French]
  27. Menstrual Cycle
  28. Menstrual Cycle: What’s Normal, What’s Not
  29. Menstrual Cycle: What’s Normal, What’s Not – How Can I Track My Menstrual Cycle?
  30. Menstrual Hygiene Day [28 May 2020]
  31. Perimenopausal Bleeding and Bleeding After Menopause: FAQ
  32. Period Pain
  33. Period Pain
  34. Period Pain & Symptom Diary
  35. Period Problems
  36. Periods
  37. Periods
  38. Periods – Fact Sheet
  39. Periods – Menstrual Cycle Animation
  40. Periods: Period Problems
  41. Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
  42. Resources / Periods: Heavy Periods: What You Need To Know [Video]
  43. Stopped or Missed Periods
  44. Vaginal Bleeding
  45. Vaginal Bleeding
  46. Video Series-2017 – Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Bleeding
  47. What Causes Bleeding Between Periods?
  48. What Happens During the Typical 28-Day Menstrual Cycle?
  49. Women’s Wellness: Abnormal Menstruation Happens In A Variety of Ways
  50. Women’s Wellness: Are Asthma Symptoms Worse During Your Period?
  51. Women’s Wellness: Try These Remedies for Painful Periods [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic News Network]
  52. Yarning About Periods (Menstrual Cycle)
  53. Your Menstrual Cycle and Your Health

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. Periods. Page Last Reviewed: 05 August 2019. NHS (National Health Service) https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/periods/ Accessed: 25 May 2020
  2. Vaginal Bleeding: Summary. Page Last Updated: on 20 May 2020. Topic Last Reviewed: 01 July 2016. Medline Plus https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/vaginalbleeding.html Accessed: 25 May 2020
  3. Periods. Page Last Reviewed: 05 August 2019. NHS (National Health Service) https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/periods/ Accessed: 25 May 2020
  4. Vaginal Bleeding: Basics – Definition. 23 April 2019. Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/vaginal-bleeding/basics/definition/sym-20050756 Accessed: 25 May 2020
  5. What Happens During the Typical 28-Day Menstrual Cycle? What Is the Menstrual Cycle? Medical Review In: 2017. Page Last Updated: 16 March 2018. Office on Women’s Health, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Womenshealth.gov https://www.womenshealth.gov/menstrual-cycle/your-menstrual-cycle Accessed: 25 May 2020
  6. About the Menstrual Cycle: What Is A Menstrual Cycle? Last Updated: 03 March 2020 | Last Reviewed: 10 July 2018. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/periods/about-the-menstrual-cycle Accessed: 25 May 2020
  7. Menopause What Are the Symptoms? Early Symptoms – Change In Menstrual Periods. Content Updated: April 2017. Australasian Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org.au/health-info/fact-sheets/menopause-what-are-the-symptoms Accessed: 25 May 2020
  8. Menstrual Calendar. 2015. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/docs/default-source/2015/menonote-menstrual-calendar-english.pdf Accessed: 25 May 2020
  9. About the Menstrual Cycle: When To See Your Doctor. Last Updated: 03 March 2020 | Last Reviewed: 10 July 2018. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/periods/about-the-menstrual-cycle Accessed: 25 May 2020
Topic Last Updated: 25 May 2020 – Topic Last Reviewed: 25 May 2020
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