Menstruation begins at the onset of puberty. The lining of the uterus breaks down and flows out of the body through the vagina. The discharge of blood and tissue from the lining of the uterus is the menstrual period (also called “your period”). Generally speaking, a normal menstrual cycle is anywhere from 21-35 days, with 28 being the average length. But when one first gets the period, this may not always be the case. In fact, for the first few years the menstrual cycles can be quite irregular. But the older one gets, the more predictable the cycle becomes.
Puberty is a time when your body begins to change to become more like an adult’s. Starting your menstrual period is one of these changes.
At the onset of puberty, girls usually have their first vaginal bleeding, which over time becomes a regular occurrence. The onset of this regular cycle is termed as menarche. Girls start menstruating somewhere between the ages of 9 and 16 and continue to do so till their early 50’s.
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