How do periods actually happen?

Verified by Dr. Vaishali Sakpal Rane (MBBS, DGO Obstetrics and Gynaecology, DNB Obstetrics and Gynaecology)

Menstruation, or regular monthly bleeding, is a normal part of a woman with a uterus and ovaries. Your body prepares for pregnancy every month during the years between puberty (usually between the ages of 11 and 14) and menopause (often around the age of 51). Your uterine lining (endometrium) thickens, and an egg develops inside one of your ovaries before being expelled for fertilisation every month.

In the absence of fertilisation or pregnancy, oestrogen and progesterone levels decline until they ultimately reach a level that signals your body to start menstruating. The uterus sheds its innermost lining during your period, and it is expelled from the body through the vagina along with some blood.

Bleeding normally lasts 2 to 5 days, and the average interval between periods (from the final day to the first day) is 28 days. However, it is possible to have fully "regular" periods even if you have longer intervals between cycles and fewer or more days of bleeding. When you get your periods, your body lets go of tissue that is no longer needed. Your body prepares for a possible pregnancy each month and your uterus' lining thickens in anticipation of housing a fertilised egg. A fertilised egg that is ready to implant itself in the lining of your uterus is released. The thicker uterine lining begins to degrade if the egg is not fertilised since your body no longer requires it. Eventually, it is evacuated from your vagina along with some blood. This is called a period, and after it gets over, the cycle repeats itself. So, periods are a part of the menstrual cycle.

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During her period, the average woman sheds two to three teaspoons of blood. What is typical for you could not be typical for another person. Additionally, the flow may vary from month to month in strength. As you age, your menstrual cycles could also alter. During the transition to perimenopause, some women experience excessive bleeding.

Your period comes on naturally. It's a process by which your body gets ready for pregnancy. Your body eliminates tissue that is no longer required to support a fertilised egg. Consult your doctor or gynaecologist if you notice any irregularities, such as a change in your monthly regularity, frequency, duration, or volume.