Period: 5 truths that not everyone knows

You don't have to understand some things in life (the German tax system). However, you should be well informed about others (our period). For the second problem, we provide you with 5 menstrual facts that everyone should know.

1. After the first period, you are not yet sexually mature

If you get your period for the first time, you are not yet fertile. In fact, most girls have an anovulatory cycle for the first year and a half to two years. With this species there is no ovulation. However, you cannot recognize whether you are already fertile. Therefore, of course, it is important to always use contraception from the first sexual intercourse.

2. You can also get bleeding during pregnancy

Who does not know this situation? The period is delayed by a few days and you start to worry. In panic, you count back when the last ovulation occurred, and you feel like you count three times when comparing whether you had sex at the time. The beads of sweat roll from your forehead and suddenly you see pregnant women everywhere. Then salvation – you get your days. At last! However, you have to keep in mind that monthly bleeding also occurs during pregnancy. There is another reason, however. The reason can be hormone-related bleeding from pregnancy, which also occurs cyclically in the early stage of pregnancy and is caused by the hormone change in pregnancy. Therefore, if in doubt, prefer to take a pregnancy test.

3. Girls get their periods earlier than 200 years ago

In Germany, girls get their first bleeding on average at the age of 12.5 years. In the middle of the 19th century, however, people were spared a little longer. On average, the first menstruation occurred at 16.5 years. The reason for this is very simple. We are better fed today than we were then. Our brain determines when the first period occurs. Only when you have enough fat reserves to carry a baby, are enough sex hormones released, which in turn enable the period.

4. Heavy periods are not normal

Many women suffer from extremely heavy bleeding for years because this is often considered "normal". However, blood loss greater than 80 milliliters during the period or bleeding that lasts longer than eight days is not common. Before the measuring cup is taken out, here is a small comparison to estimate. The amount corresponds to 16 fully soaked normal tampons or eight super tampons. If you bleed so heavily or have severe pain during the days, you should rather see a doctor.

5. A week before the period, the body burns more calories

Finally, the best news: just before menstruation, we burn more calories. "Studies have shown that women only consume around 100 to 200 more calories in the last days of their cycle. And even this small amount is absorbed again – at the same time, there is an increase in metabolic activity of around five to ten percent . ", says the health magazine" PraxisVita “. Means: If we feel like eating a whole bar of chocolate again, we can do it without a guilty conscience.