Menstruation

Menstruation refers to the monthly bleeding or period women experience when they are in their child bearing years. Menstruation usually but doesn’t always coincide with ovulation the time when a woman’s ovaries are producing eggs.

Menstruation usually occurs about the same time each month although it can vary some women. It must be noted that menstrual cycles can vary in some women because the cycles can occur anywhere from 25 to 35 days apart.

Every woman between the ages of 13 and 50 should be experiencing menstruation on a regular basis. The only times a woman shouldn’t be experiencing menstruation is if she is pregnant or taking the so called no period pill. This is a birth control pill that is supposed to prevent menstruation.

When Menstruation Begins

Most girls start experiencing menstruation when they are between 12 and 13 years of age. Menstruation usually begins about the time a woman starts developing her breasts and getting pubic hair. It can occur later or earlier in some girls.

If a girl starts menstruating before age 12 her parents should definitely take her to a doctor. Although it is rare menstruation has been reported in girls as young as seven years of age. If menstruation doesn’t occur until a girl is 16 or older her parents should also take her to the doctor.

There are a wide variety of factors that can affect menstruation including diet, hormones, physical development and chemicals. Any of these factors could delay menstruation or start it prematurely.

Abnormal Bleeding

Some women will experience excessive or abnormal bleeding as part of menstruation. Generally, menstrual bleeding shouldn’t cause discomfort or require a woman to use more than a few tampons or other devices.

If a woman suffers quite a bit of bleeding during menstruation she should probably see her doctor. There are many physical problems and diseases that can lead to abnormal bleeding.

Other Menstrual Symptoms

There are other symptoms during menstruation that a woman should become concerned about. These include: missing periods, cramps, and anything else that seems weird or abnormal.

Having periods that are very close together or very far apart could also be a sign of menstrual problems. Unusually colored menstrual discharge can be a sign of serious menstrual problems such as infections.

The main thing women should do is to trust their instincts, if something does not feel right about their menstruation they should see their doctor. The more unusual it is the sooner the woman should try to get medical attention.

What Triggers Menstruation?

Menstruation is triggered by hormones, which is why birth control pills can affect it. Most birth control pills use hormones to prevent ovulation, these hormones can affect menstruation as well.

This is also why diet can affect menstruation certain foods can trigger certain kinds of hormones in the body. These hormones can affect menstruation and even bring it on. This is why some natural supplements can also affect menstruation. It is known that some supplements can increase or decrease the amount of hormones in body.

Therefore taking certain supplements could help a woman avoid abnormal menstruation.