1. A period lasts anywhere from three to seven days.
2. A woman will spend an average of 3,500 days of her life menstruating.
3. On average, a girl gets her first period when she’s 12.
4. We can bleed for five days without dying.
5. The menstrual cycle is a hormone-driven cycle; day 1 is the first day of our period (bleeding) while day 14 is the approximate day we ovulate, and if an egg is not fertilized, hormone levels eventually drop. At about day 25, the egg begins to dissolve and the cycle begins again with the period starting again at about day 30.
- Day 1 starts with the first day of period. This occurs after hormone levels drop at the end of the previous cycle, signaling blood and tissues lining the uterus (womb) to break down and shed from the body. Bleeding lasts about 5 days.
- Usually by Day 7, bleeding stops. Leading up to this time, hormones cause fluid-filled pockets called follicles to develop on the ovaries. Each follicle contains an egg.
- Between Day 7 and 14, one follicle will continue to develop and reach maturity. The lining of the uterus starts to thicken, waiting for a fertilized egg to implant there. The lining is rich in blood and nutrients.
- Around Day 14 (in a 28-day cycle), hormones cause the mature follicle to burst and release an egg from the ovary, a process called ovulation.
- Over the next few days, the egg travels down the fallopian tube towards the uterus. If a sperm unites with the egg here, the fertilized egg will continue down the fallopian tube, and attach to the lining of the uterus.
- If the egg is not fertilized, hormone levels will drop around Day 25. This signals the next menstrual cycle to begin. The egg will break apart and be shed with the next period.
6. Period blood is not impure.
7. This is what cramps are like: It feels like something is crushing the organs in your lower abdomen. Yes, they ducking hurt.
8. Period pain is not easy to endure. We don’t over react.
9. PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) is real, and it does make us a little insane.
10. We can give birth to YOUR children, thanks to the period.
11. Every time we sneeze while on our period, we feel like a tube of ketchup bottle.
12. We hate standing up every time from our chairs/ bed while we are on period, so don’t expect that.
13. We only need some extra care and help from you during periods.
14. You can touch us, hug us, and can shake your hands with us. Menstruation is not EBOLA.