1. Menstrual cycle
A woman's menstrual cycle is typically 28-30 days, but some women menstruate every 30 days, and some even every 40 days. As long as the cycle is regular, meaning each menstrual period is roughly the same, it is considered normal. Furthermore, menstruation is easily affected by various factors, so it is also normal for it to be 3-5 days early or late.
If your menstrual cycle is 20 days this time and 40 days next time, with a large gap in the number of days, and this happens frequently, sometimes even with menstruation lasting only 1-2 days and then another 1-2 days after 10 days, losing its cyclical nature, this is considered abnormal and is called menstrual irregularity. It's important to note that during a girl's first menstruation, her ovaries are still developing and their function is not yet fully mature, so functional disorders and irregularities may occur. This is not a pathological phenomenon, and there is no need to fear or worry. After one or two years, once the ovaries have matured, menstruation will return to normal.
2. Menstrual period (also known as menstrual cycle)
A woman's menstrual period typically lasts 3-5 days, but 2-8 days is not uncommon. The general pattern is: light bleeding on the first day, heavier bleeding on the second and third days, gradually decreasing until the bleeding stops. This is because the uterine lining is just beginning to shed on the first day, and the shedding increases on the second and third days, leading to heavier bleeding. The uterus is stimulated, contracting more strongly to expel a large amount of menstrual blood. Some women experience a slight return of menstrual blood a day or two after their period has ended, commonly known as "menstrual spotting," which is not a disease but a normal phenomenon. However, some women have periods lasting 10 or even 20 days, with prolonged spotting; others have extremely short periods, lasting only a short time. Both of these phenomena are abnormal.
3. Menstrual flow
The amount of menstrual flow varies greatly from person to person, generally ranging from 20 to 100 ml, with an average of around 50 ml. Changing sanitary pads or menstrual tampons 3-5 times a day is considered normal. If the menstrual flow is excessive, quickly soaking through sanitary pads or tampons after each change, or if menstrual blood flows down the thighs, this is abnormal. Excessive menstrual flow may be caused by functional uterine bleeding due to factors such as excessive stress, changes in environment, malnutrition, and metabolic disorders. Prolonged excessive menstrual flow can lead to anemia, requiring prompt medical attention to determine the cause and receive treatment. Of course, insufficient menstrual flow may also be caused by abnormalities in the uterus or ovaries, or systemic diseases; this is also abnormal and requires immediate medical attention. Excessive menstrual flow is more common in adolescent girls. The main reason is that during puberty, ovarian function is fully mature, and some menstrual cycles at this time are anovulatory. Without ovulation, there is no corpus luteum, and without a corpus luteum, there is a lack of progesterone. Therefore, the endometrium can only remain in the proliferative phase and cannot reach the fully developed secretory phase, resulting in incomplete shedding of the endometrium and affecting uterine contractions, leading to excessive menstrual bleeding. If this condition is left untreated, over time, symptoms of anemia such as paleness, fatigue, and dizziness may appear, and medical treatment should be sought.
4. Menstrual blood color
Normal menstrual blood is dark red and contains small fragments of shed uterine lining, cervical mucus, and vaginal epithelial cells. The blood does not clot, so there are no clots. If the menstrual blood is thin and watery, only slightly pink, or blackish-purple, it is abnormal. If the menstrual blood is entirely composed of clots, it is also abnormal and may indicate bleeding from another location; in such cases, you should seek medical attention promptly to ensure your health.
The above content is exclusively authorized for use only and may not be reproduced without the copyright holder's authorization.
