Menstruation, also commonly known as a period, is blood that comes from the uterus and flows out through the vagina. The first period typically occurs sometime during puberty, usually when one is between the ages of 10 and 15 years old. Both the first menstruation and having a period can involve a lot of emotions. One might feel excited, a bit worried, or find it challenging. If one feels scared or uncomfortable about getting or having a period, having knowledge can be helpful in making it easier.​​

How does the menstrual cycle work?

Menstruation is a part of the reproductive system for people with a uterus, in other words with the ability to become pregnant. The menstrual cycle starts with a period that goes on for 3-6 days. After that, one of the many thousand eggs matures and comes off. The eggs exist inside the ovaries, which are located inside the lower parts of the stomach. When the egg comes off, it’s called ovulation. During this time a person can become pregnant if they for example have sex in a way where sperms enter the vagina. 

If the egg meets the sperm, it might become fertilized and get stuck in the mucous membrane that the body has created inside the uterus. Usually the egg doesn’t become fertilized and therefore doesn’t get stuck, instead it passes through and dissolves inside the vagina. After ovulation it takes about 14 days until the body realizes that there wasn’t any pregnancy and starts pushing out the mucous membrane that is no longer needed. This is what is called menstruation or the period. 

The entire menstrual cycle therefore contains a period, an ovulation and a few days in-between. Most people have menstrual cycles that last between 25 and 35 days, but it can also be longer or shorter than that. For some, the menstrual cycle is approximately the same length each time, which is what people mean when they say that their menstrual cycle is regular. For others it varies more. There is nothing dangerous or wrong with having a long, short or irregular menstrual cycle. However, if it bothers you, you can talk to a gynecologist or doctor through the healthcare system about pills that shortens, extends or makes the menstrual cycle more regular.

Period protection

There are many different menstrual protections. They all have the purpose to prevent the blood from getting onto clothes or furniture, however they work in slightly different ways. Some protections are worn outside the body, such as in underwear, and catches the blood after it has flowed out of the vagina. This can for example be pads or menstrual underwear. 

Other types of protection are placed inside the vagina and catch the blood before it flows out of the body. Tampons and menstrual cups are examples of this. These types of protection are good if one is going swimming for example, since protections outside of the body would suck up a lot of water if one goes into the water with them. 

There are mainly 3 different period protections that are common to use in Sweden, and then there are a few more that are not as common but that some people prefer. You will now receive more information about the 3 most common ones: pads, tampons and menstrual cups.

Pad

The pad is a protection that catches the blood outside the body. It is placed in the underwear and absorbs the blood. To absorb means to take in or soak up, and many pads soak up so well that they don’t even feel wet when they are bloody. 

The pad has a soft top side where the blood can be absorbed and a sticky down side which enables it to stick to the underwear. There are pads with wings and pads without. The wings are placed on the sides of the pad and are also sticky, which enables them to be placed around the edges of the underwear. The wings make it harder for the period blood to leak out on the sides. 

There are loads of different kinds of pads. Some are big and thick while others are smaller and thin. There are also night pads that are longer in the back, so that the period blood won’t leak as easily when lying down and sleeping. 

What kind of pad one uses depends on what one likes. It might be a good idea to try different kinds of brands and types to find what works best for you. Pads should be changed every 4-6 hours during the day, but can stay in from when one goes to bed until one wakes up.

Tampon

Tampon is a protection that catches the blood inside the body. It is made out of cotton and absorbs the blood. This means that it soaks it up, which makes the tampon grow a little bit. Tampons have a round top that makes them easier to push into the vagina. They also have a string that hangs out of the vagina and makes it easier to take it out. 

There are lots of different types of tampons. Some are big and others are smaller. Which size tampon one should use depends a lot on the amount of period blood one has. However, some find it easier to learn how to use a tampon with the smaller ones. Then one might have to change more often since it doesn’t hold as much blood as a larger one. 

Tampons should be changed every 4-6 hours and can stay in for 8 hours at most. It is fine to sleep with a tampon, but then it is important to put it in right before going to bed and setting an alarm so one doesn’t keep it in for longer than 8 hours. 

The reason it’s important to change tampons on time is because bacteria can develop in tampons if they are left in too long. This is very rare but can be dangerous if it happens. One such illness is called TSS and stands for Toxic Shock Syndrome. You can read more about TSS on 1177.se or call them and ask about it.

Menstrual cup

A menstrual cup gathers the blood inside the body. What is special about the menstrual cup is that it doesn’t absorb the blood, instead it just contains it in the cup. 

Menstrual cups are made out of medical grade silicone and come in different colors and shapes. They are flexible and have different levels of firmness. It is hard to know which shape and firmness suits you best, so therefore one might have to try different ones. 

The menstrual cup is reusable. Some can last up to 10 years if it’s washed and taken care of properly. This makes the menstrual cup a more environmentally friendly period protection than pads and tampons. 

The menstrual cup can stay inside the body for up to 12 hours. A lot of people who use it therefore only empty it in the morning and evening. When the menstrual cup is emptied, one takes it out of the vagina and pours away the blood. It can be poured in the toilet, the sink or the shower. Afterwards it’s good to rinse the cup before putting it back in again.

Menstrual discomfort

Period pain 

Period pain is the discomfort you feel in your body when you have your period. It can for example hurt in your stomach, lower back, buttocks, and even travel down your legs.

Period pain is very common, and almost everyone experiences it to some degree at some point. For some people the pain starts a few days before their period, while others feel it when their period actually begins. The pain is usually strongest during the first few days of the period and then gets better.

The reason why you experience pain during menstruation is that the uterus is a muscle that needs to contract in order to push out the menstrual blood. When the uterus contracts and cramps, it can experience muscle soreness, just like other muscles in the body, and that's what causes the pain.

What helps during period pain varies from person to person, but you can try: 

• Moving around and being active. 

• Applying something warm on your stomach. 

• Resting and doing activities you enjoy. 

• Taking a pain-relieving tablet that contains ibuprofen. 

If you’re unsure about how to take a pain-relieving tablet or which one to use, it’s a good idea to ask an adult for help. You can ask a parent, school nurse or teacher, for example. 

If you’re experiencing such severe pain that it’s difficult to do your usual activities, and neither rest, heat, nor pain-relieving tablets are effective, it’s important to seek help. If your period pain is interfering with your daily life, you may need stronger medication to be able to live normally during your period. You can talk about period pain with a parent, school nurse, or someone at the youth health center (ungdomsmottagningen) and they will assist you.

PMS

PMS stands for Premenstrual Syndrome and refers to issues that can be experienced right before menstruation. PMS symptoms can be both physical and psychological, meaning they can be noticed in both the body and mood. 

PMS is common. Most people experience some form of PMS before their period at times. Some people have PMS symptoms a week before their period, some only have them for a few days, and some may not notice anything at all. What’s unique about PMS is that it occurs just before the period, so the symptoms usually go away as soon as the period starts. 

We don't really know why PMS happens, but it's probably because of changes in hormones in your body during your menstrual cycle. Some people notice it a lot, while others don't feel it much at all. It's kind of like how some people have allergies and others don't. Our bodies are just different and special in their own ways!

During PMS, you might experience some discomforts like: 

• Feeling bloated and sensitive in your body, such as swollen hands or tender breasts. 

• Feeling a bit scattered and forgetful, like having a hard time focusing. 

• Getting sadder, angrier, or more easily irritated than usual. 

• Feeling down and lonely in general. 

There is also a more serious type of PMS called PMDD (PMDS in Swedish), which stands for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder. It’s not as common as regular PMS. 

If you have PMDD, it means you experience similar problems as with PMS, but they are stronger and last longer. People with PMDD can feel very angry and easily annoyed, leading to arguments with friends and family. They may also feel extremely sad, even experiencing symptoms of depression during PMDD episodes.

If your PMS or PMDD is making it hard for you to do things you normally enjoy, it's important to ask for help. There are medicines that can help reduce these problems, so you can have a more normal and enjoyable time throughout your menstrual cycle. You can talk to a parent, school nurse, or someone at the youth health center (ungdomsmottagningen) about your PMS concerns, and they will be there to support you and provide guidance.

A lot of blood 

It can be hard to know if you have a lot of period blood because it's difficult to measure how much comes out. One way to tell if you bleed a lot is if your period lasts more than seven days in a row or if you need to change your menstrual protection more often than every four hours.

Bleeding a lot can be both difficult and harmful for the body. If you bleed heavily, there is a greater risk of the menstrual protection leaking, which can cause worry. Losing a lot of blood can also make you feel sick and extra tired.

There are pills available that can help reduce heavy bleeding. If you feel that you have a lot of menstrual flow/blood and that it bothers you, you can talk to a parent, school nurse, or someone at the youth clinic (ungdomsmottagningen) and they will help you.

This text is written by our friends at the organisation MENSEN

Translated by Dylan Nordmark, Förenade jourer

Further reading

The body

Cunt knowledge

Dick dictionary