period

Advice
  • Sarah M.

Bleeding for more than two weeks at a time is a good reason to see a doctor, at least to make sure you haven't become anemic (iron deficient) due to blood loss, and to rule out pregnancy as a cause of the bleeding if that is a possibility. It is most common for a period to last 4-6 days, but...

Advice
  • Susie Tang

Generally, people who get periods can expect the unexpected with their menstrual cycles for the first 5 years of having them. Even then, it's still common for young people to have erratic cycling into their early twenties. That means you're normal. Even if your period has been totally well-behaved...

Advice
  • Heather Corinna

I just want to start by debunking something first, okay? There really is no distinction to be made between "some" intercourse and "full" intercourse. In other words, an inch or so in, is as much of intercourse as a few more. Given how much penis sizes can vary, as well as the fact that the nerve...

Advice
  • Heather Corinna

Yes, she could. As well, the same -- and sometimes slightly higher -- STI risks are present during menstruation as any other time. For most people who can become pregnant, pregnancy is substantially less likely from intercourse that happens during menses than from intercourse at other times. However...

Advice
  • Heather Corinna

Hey, there, Anon: glad we've continued being of help to you! Honestly, I don't see any cause for concern here. Not only do I see no viable risks of pregnancy in this, just as you don't, I also don't see any reason to assume that you didn't have a period this time around. My guess is you just have...

Article
  • Sabrina Dent

We get a lot of questions at Scarleteen from folks who are worried about periods that are MIA (missing in action, for us civilians). Sometimes there's a pregnancy concern, and sometimes not; but even if you're not sexually active, a missing period can be worrying.

Article
  • Emira Mears

After a few years of being the postergirl for alternative approaches to menstruation – writing articles, being interviewed, doing workshops, selling washable pads to women and getting involved in too many party conversations on the topic to possibly count – something is starting to give. The truth is, I’m starting to get a little bit tired of being nice. I’ve lost my patience with trying to pussyfoot around the issue until women are willing to talk about their own blood. And so, as a form of cleansing for me and education for you – should you choose to engage in it – I have penned the following set of arguments dispelling the myths about washable menstrual pads and your period. So there.