For women and older girls, every month, the uterus builds up a lining of blood and other stuff that will provide food for a developing fetus or baby. No fetus? No need for the lining, so the blood comes out of the woman or girl’s body, through her vagina. Her body is made to do this, and it isn’t like having a cut.
This is called menstruation or having a period.
A woman uses special pads or tampons to catch the blood as it comes out of her body and she usually only bleeds for a few days. A tampon fits inside the vagina and absorbs the blood.
Most girls start their periods at around age 11, some sooner, some later. Every girl is on her own period schedule. Little girls usually don’t have periods because their bodies aren’t big enough. A girl’s period usually starts soon after she weighs 100 pounds.
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