Forsyth Medical Center 
Adolescent Girls
Menstruation and Sexuality
| Here are some general facts for parents and young girls about puberty and the menstrual cycle. |
Most girls talk about it. Many girls learn about it in school. And more and more girls are preparing for it with their moms. Yet, starting their period is still a brand new experience for your daughter. Her period (or menstruation) signals the natural maturation of the female body. Her body is physically able to experience the menstrual cycle. This involves many physical and emotional changes that can be difficult for girls to understand. The more that she knows about the entire cycle, the easier it will be to handle all of the changes that occur in her body.
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Questions about puberty and
the menstrual cycle? Visit our Health Library for answers. |
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Here are some general points regarding that range of experiences that girls may have with their periods:
- A girls first period is known as menarche, and normally occurs between the ages of 10 and 17.
- From menarche, a girl gets her period each month until she reaches menopause, which generally occurs in the late 40s or early 50s.
- Its perfectly normal to have a period that lasts anywhere from 3 to 7 days.
- Most girls lose only about 4 to 6 tablespoons of menstrual fluid each month.
- To catch the flow of your period so that you do not soil your clothes, there are products available such as tampons or sanitary napkins (disposable pads).
- Most girls do not need to change their daily activities or exercise routines when they have their periods.
- Every step of the menstrual cycle is controlled by sex hormones such as estrogen and progesterone.
- As the production of sex hormones increases, girls may find themselves thinking about boys more often. This is part of the natural progression towards dating.
