Almost all middle-aged and young women menstruate regularly every month, but most women don't know what constitutes a normal menstrual period.
Is your menstrual cycle regular?
1. Appearance of menstrual blood
Menstrual blood is characterized by its non-clotting nature and dark red color. In addition to blood, menstrual blood also contains fragments of shed endometrium, cervical mucus, and vaginal epithelial cells.
2. Menstrual flow
The normal menstrual flow is 20-120 ml, with most menstruating around 50 ml. The flow is heaviest on the second or third day of menstruation and then gradually decreases.
3. Menstrual symptoms
Most women experience no obvious symptoms during menstruation, while a few may experience breast tenderness, headaches, insomnia, palpitations, lower abdominal bloating and pain, and mood swings.
3. Menstrual period
The period of vaginal bleeding is called menstruation. Most women's menstrual periods last 3-5 days, but as little as 1-2 days and as long as 7-8 days is also within the normal range. If a woman in her thirties or forties experiences a shortened period to three or four days or even two or three days, and the amount of bleeding also decreases, she should be wary of entering premature pseudomenopause, and endocrine adjustments may be necessary.
4. Menstrual cycle
A menstrual cycle is defined as the period from the first day of menstruation to the first day of the next menstruation. For most women, this cycle is between 28 and 35 days, but some women have cycles as short as 20 days or as long as 45 days. Within this range, as long as menstruation is regular, it is considered normal. It is particularly important to note that if you experience non-menstrual bleeding three times within six months, you should have an ultrasound examination immediately. This could be a sign of early-stage uterine fibroids or even gynecological cancer, and should not be ignored.
Six types of medications women should absolutely avoid taking during their menstrual period.
1. Hemostatic drugs: such as Anluoxue and Vitamin K, can reduce capillary permeability and promote capillary contraction, which may cause irregular menstrual flow after use. In addition, traditional Chinese medicines or prepared Chinese medicines with strong hemostatic effects should be used with caution.
2. Anticoagulants : These can cause excessive menstrual bleeding or even hemorrhage. They should be avoided during menstruation, such as coumarin, heparin, and thrombolytics.
3. Sex hormone medications: The synthesis and metabolic balance of female sex hormones are closely related to the menstrual cycle. Therefore, sex hormone medications should not be used during menstruation to avoid menstrual disorders. For example, androgens can lead to decreased menstrual flow, amenorrhea, and irregular cycles, while progesterone (progestin) can cause breast tenderness or irregular vaginal bleeding.
4. Laxatives: Magnesium sulfate and sodium sulfate have a strong laxative effect and can cause reflex pelvic congestion, so they should be avoided during menstruation; other gastrointestinal motility drugs should also be used with caution or avoided altogether.
5. Weight loss drugs: These often contain appetite suppressants. If used during menstruation, they may cause menstrual disorders, frequent urination or difficulty urinating, or palpitations, anxiety, and in some cases, amenorrhea.
6. Topical vaginal medications for treating gynecological infections: The use of vaginal washes, suppositories, effervescent tablets, etc., for treating vaginal inflammation should be discontinued. During menstruation, the uterine lining is congested, the cervix is relaxed, and there is blood accumulation in the vagina, creating an ideal environment for bacterial growth and reproduction. If topical vaginal medications are used at this time, bacteria can easily ascend and invade the uterine cavity and endometrium.
