At what age do you get your period?

Menstruation is a physiological phenomenon unique to women. Many people may be confused about what age is normal for girls to have their periods? The first menstruation of a girl is called menarche, which is a sign that the girl has matured and begun to have fertility. The average age of menarche is between 13 and 14 years old, but it may vary depending on factors such as region, climate, and nutrition. It can be as early as 11 to 12 years old or as late as 16 years old.

Introduction

When a woman reaches puberty, under the influence of the hypothalamus and pituitary hormones, the ovaries produce sex hormones, which can stimulate the development of organs and breasts, and begin to grow armpit hair and pubic hair; at the same time, the egg cells in the follicles in the ovaries gradually mature, and the mature follicles rupture and expel the egg cells out of the ovaries. At this time, the fallopian tube umbrella absorbs the expelled egg into the fallopian tube lumen. After ovulation, the remaining cells in the follicle grow and increase rapidly and become yellow, which is called the "corpus luteum". It secretes progesterone, which prompts the endometrial glands to secrete a nutrient-rich mucus in preparation for receiving the fertilized egg. If the egg is not fertilized, the corpus luteum will atrophy 9 to 10 days after ovulation, the secretion of estrogen and progesterone will decrease, and the endometrium will gradually atrophy, fall off, and bleed, which is the manifestation of menstruation.

Cause

The mechanism of menstruation

As we all know, before puberty, the reproductive organs develop slowly and are in a childish state, and then develop rapidly after entering puberty. The ovaries are very small before the age of 8, develop rapidly between 8 and 10 years old, and then grow rapidly. The uterus also develops rapidly during the age of 10, with the body of the uterus significantly increasing in size and doubling in length. Menstruation is related to cyclical changes in the ovaries and endometrium. Starting from puberty, the eggs in the ovaries gradually develop, mature and are released. At the same time, the ovaries secrete estrogen and progesterone, which promote the thickening of the endometrium and the proliferation of blood vessels, creating conditions for the fertilized egg to develop, mature and implant in the uterus. If the released egg is not fertilized, the secretion of estrogen and progesterone in the ovaries will decrease rapidly, causing necrosis and shedding of endometrial tissue and rupture and bleeding of blood vessels. The discharge of shed endometrial fragments along with blood from the vagina is called menstruation. At menarche, the ovaries weigh only 40% of their mature weight. The ovaries continue to develop and grow. Due to the instability of ovarian function and regulation, menstruation may not come regularly every month within half a year to a year after menarche. After menarche, some may have periods every few months, half a year or even a year.