Becoming a Woman - When Will I Get My Period?

No one can say exactly when you'll get your first menstrual period, but you will get it some time during puberty. Puberty is the time in your life when you begin to become an adult. This means a lot of growing and changing - both inside and out. Some girls start puberty at age 8, and others may start as late as age 14 or 15. Each person goes at her own pace. So don't think you're weird if you start puberty a little earlier or a little later than your friends.

At the beginning of puberty, you'll notice that your breasts are developing and you're starting to grow a little hair under your arms and on your genitals (this is called pubic hair).

For most girls, their first menstrual period, or menarche (say: meh-nar-kee), begins about 1 1/2 to 2 years after this breast development and pubic hair growth first happens. In some girls, the time from the beginning of puberty to getting the first menstrual period may take only 6 months; for other girls, it may take longer - up to 3 years. Every girl is different, and there is a wide range of normal development during puberty.

A good sign you're getting close to the time when your first period will arrive is if you notice a thick, white mucus discharge coming from your vagina. Usually, this happens for a number of months before you get your first period.

After you've gotten your period and you're menstruating, it means that your body is able to have a baby (even though you probably don't want one yet!). Every girl has two ovaries filled with thousands of tiny eggs and two fallopian tubes that connect the ovaries to a place called the uterus or womb, where babies grow. If you've already gotten your period, it means that special chemicals, or hormones, in your body are telling the eggs in your ovaries to mature.

So each month, one egg matures and begins its journey to the uterus. While it's traveling, the walls of your uterus get thicker with blood and tissue, which can act as a nice, soft cushion for a baby. Once the egg reaches the uterus, if it hasn't been fertilized by sperm, the uterus doesn't need this blood-and-tissue cushion and pushes it out through your vagina. Ta dah! Your period has arrived!

Once you get your period, you may once again worry about whether you're normal. Just like people, no two girls' periods are exactly alike. Some girls have periods that last for 2 days, and other girls have periods that last for more than a week. Some girls have very heavy periods with monthly cramps, and others have much lighter periods after the first couple of days.

It also takes a while (usually 12 to 18 months) for a girl's period to become regular after menarche. You may get your first period and then not have another for a few months. That's perfectly normal. The amount of blood you lose during your period can vary, too. You can bleed anywhere from a few spoonfuls to a cup of blood each time you have your period.

It's normal to be a little worried or anxious about getting your period. But it will come soon enough. Talking to someone you trust, like your mom or older sister, about how you're feeling can help. Remember, you're not alone - all girls eventually get their periods!

Updated and reviewed by: Jonathan Schneider, DO
Date reviewed: June 2002
Originally reviewed by: Kim Rutherford, MD

Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor.

© ©1995-2004 KidsHealth.