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Periods

Your menstrual cycle is a process that prepares your body for possible pregnancy. During your menstrual cycle, hormones cause your uterus lining to shed and flow out of your vagina. This is the start of your period.

Everyone’s menstrual cycle is different, and cycles can change at different stages in your life.

Learn more about the menstrual cycle, what to expect during your period, period products, conditions related to your period and when to see your doctor.

About the menstrual cycle

The men­stru­al cycle is a series of changes your body goes through each month to pre­pare for a pos­si­ble preg­nan­cy. Each cycle is mea­sured from the first day of your peri­od (day one of your cycle) to the day before your next peri­od. Your men­stru­al cycle begins when you have your first peri­od and fin­ish­es when you have your final peri­od (menopause). Learn more about the men­stru­al cycle, includ­ing the dif­fer­ent phas­es of your cycle.

Your period

A peri­od is when you bleed from your vagi­na every month. Peri­ods are part of your body’s men­stru­al cycle. Learn more about your peri­od, includ­ing what to expect dur­ing your peri­od, con­di­tions relat­ed to your peri­od and when to see your doctor.
Group of women exercising

Period products

There are many types of peri­od prod­ucts avail­able. You may need to try a few before you find prod­ucts you like. Learn more about peri­od prod­ucts, includ­ing how to use them, how often they need to be changed and how to dis­pose of them.
A woman picking pads from a shelf

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

Many peo­ple expe­ri­ence emo­tion­al and phys­i­cal symp­toms before they get their peri­od. This is known as ​‘PMS’. Com­mon symp­toms include cramps, irri­tabil­i­ty, bloat­ing, pim­ples and tired­ness. Learn more about PMS, includ­ing the symp­toms, caus­es, man­age­ment options and when to see your doctor.
A woman thinking

Period pain (dysmenorrhoea)

Peri­od pain hap­pens when your uterus mus­cles tight­en (con­tract). Pain might include cramp­ing and heav­i­ness in the pelvic area, and pain in the low­er back, stom­ach or legs. Learn more about peri­od pain, includ­ing what’s nor­mal, the caus­es, what you can do and when to see your doctor. 
Mature woman sitting end of bed alone

Heavy periods (menorrhagia)

A heavy peri­od (heavy men­stru­al bleed­ing) is when you lose lots of blood each peri­od. About one in four women have heavy peri­ods. Learn more about heavy peri­ods, includ­ing symp­toms, caus­es and treat­ment options.
Woman sitting on couch with pelvic pain

Irregular or absent periods

Everyone’s men­stru­al cycle is dif­fer­ent, and cycles can change over time. At dif­fer­ent life stages, some peo­ple have irreg­u­lar peri­ods or no peri­ods at all. Learn more about what caus­es irreg­u­lar or absent peri­ods, how to improve peri­od reg­u­lar­i­ty and when to see your doctor.
Womans hands looking at phone calendar

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)

PMDD is a seri­ous con­di­tion that caus­es severe emo­tion­al and psy­cho­log­i­cal dis­tress in the lead-up to your peri­od. PMDD is more than bad pre­men­stru­al syn­drome (PMS). Learn more about PMDD, includ­ing the symp­toms, caus­es, treat­ments and when to see your doctor.
Woman on couch holding her stomach

Periods information in community languages

Find fact sheets, videos and edu­ca­tion­al pre­sen­ta­tions about peri­ods trans­lat­ed into oth­er languages.

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This con­tent has been reviewed by a group of med­ical sub­ject mat­ter experts, in accor­dance with Jean Hailes pol­i­cy.

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