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Menstruation: A Milestone in Every Woman's Life

The average age for a woman's first period, or menarche, is between 12 and 13. This is a major milestone in a woman's life and symbolizes her reproductive potential. At the time of the first menstrual bleed, abnormal menstrual cycles are common and it can take up to two years for the cycle to normalize and take on a predictable pattern.

A delayed menstrual debut in teenagers can occur for a number of reasons. In some cases, there may be a hormone imbalance that can be treated medically, or, in other cases, menarche can be delayed as a result of heavy exercise in athletic girls, presumably due to the stress placed on the body, or a relative lack of body fat.

Even in women who have established a normal rhythm, it is not uncommon for a missed period to occur, or for other changes such as heavy or light bleeding to appear. It is important for sexually active women to rule out the possibility of pregnancy as the cause of a missed period. Home pregnancy tests are available without a prescription at local drug and grocery stores. Many times, a period is missed for unclear reasons and thought to be related to stress, heavy exercise, or a change in diet. Unusually heavy bleeding, or prolonged absence of bleeding, should be reported to your doctor.

Many women develop menstrual cramps, pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS), or pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) in association with their menstrual cycle. There are several different treatment options available to alleviate the problems related to menstruation.