How Often Does a Girl Get Her Period

How Often Does a Girl Get Her Period?Just as some girls begin puberty earlier or later than others, the same applies to periods. Some girls may start menstruating as early as age 9 or 10, but others may not get their first period until later in their teens. The amount of time between a girl's periods is called her menstrual cycle (the cycle is counted from the start of one period to the start of the next). Some girls will find that their menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, whereas others might have a 24-day cycle, a 30-day cycle, or even a 35-day cycle.
Irregular periods are common in girls who are just beginning to menstruate. It may take the body a while to sort out all the changes going on, so a girl may have a 28-day cycle for 2 months, then miss a month or have two periods with hardly any time in between them, for example. Usually, after a number of months, the menstrual cycle will become more regular. Many women continue to have irregular periods into adulthood, though.
As a girl gets older and her periods settle down - or she gets more used to her own unique cycle - she will probably find that she can predict when her period will come.
How Long and How Much?The amount of time that a girl has her period also can vary. Some girls have periods that last just 2 or 3 days; other girls may have periods that last 7 days or longer. The menstrual flow - meaning how much blood comes out of the vagina - can vary widely from person to person, too. Some girls have such light blood flow that they wonder if they even have their period at all.
Other girls may be concerned that they're losing too much blood. It can be a shock to see all that blood, but it's highly unlikely that a girl will lose too much: For most girls an entire period consists of anywhere from a few spoonfuls to less than 1/2 cup (118 milliliters) of blood - it just looks like a lot! (It is possible for a girl to lose an excessive amount of blood during her period, but it's not at all common. In some cases, a female will bleed too much because she has a medical condition - such as von Willebrand disease.) The amount of blood a girl loses and how long her period lasts can differ from month to month.
If you're worried about your blood flow or whether your period is normal in other ways, talk to a doctor or nurse. Some changes in menstrual periods can be normal - but only a doctor can help determine the cause of irregular, heavy, painful periods, or no periods at all.