Author: Elisabeth Dewey

Menstruation is a natural, healthy and biological process that every girl/woman (and that’s 50% of the population!) experiences, so here is a list of the very basic basic period facts we should all know.

The Beginning... and the End!

1. Menarche is the name for a girl's first period. It usually happens somewhere between the ages of 11 and 15.

2. A woman goes through the menopause and stops menstruating (having periods) between the ages of 45 and 55.

The Menstrual Cycle

3. A period (the time you bleed) can last for anything between 3 and 7 days each cycle.

4. You will have approximately 450 periods in your lifetime.

5. Everyone's cycle is unique. A cycle is the number of days from the first day of one period to the first day of the next. A cycle can last anything between 21 and 40 days, the average being 28.

6. You bleed between 2 teaspoons and half a cup over the course of one period.

Period Products

7. On average a woman will use 11,000 single-use period products in her lifetime, that’s about 25 every month. So if you’re going to use single-use products (and the majority do), make sure they are good for you and for the planet!

8. There is a good selection of reusable period products on the market and many women choose to use these either on their own or in combination with single-use products. See the picture below for the most popular reusable period products and single-use products.

9. Remember - don't flush anything down the loo except toilet paper!

Which of these facts did you know already and which ones are new for you?

Now that you know the key points, try testing your friends, family and colleagues on their period knowledge and open the conversation ;)