The Number of Days of Menstruation
The amount of the growth and shedding of the lining tends to be so consistent that most women find they always menstruate the same number of days. The average is four to five days. It is very normal for some women to menstruate only two or three days; for others—equally normal—it may be a full week or more.
The number of days between one menstrual period and the next is generally far less consistent than the number of days of flow. The average length of the cycle from day one of menstruation to day one of the next cycle is between twenty-six and thirty-two days. This is only an average, however, and almost all women occasionally vary at least two to three days; many vary by several days from time to time, and some are always quite irregular. The important factor to remember is that, throughout the years, each woman establishes her own general menstrual pattern, which becomes normal for her, but which should be expected to have some unpredictable variations at times.
One of the early signs of cancer of the cervix may be bleeding after sexual intercourse. One of the signs of cancer of the uterus
may be spotting of small amounts of blood between menstrual periods. If any unusual bleeding occurs, you should report to your doctor for an examination as soon as the bleeding has been stopped for forty-eight hours.
It is important for you to wait the forty-eight hours so the cervix and vagina will not be obscured by blood and so a Pap smear or a uterine aspiration may be done. If there are fresh blood cells present, a Pap smear cannot be taken. Do not take a vaginal douche before the examination.
Posted in Understanding the Basics
To Ed Wheat Sr. and Gladys Gibson Wheat, whose commitment, devotion, warmth, generosity, and integrity stood for fifty years as a beautiful picture of genuine agape love.