Home > Health Guides by Topic > General Health & Development > Puberty & Menstruation > Why You Get Your PeriodWhy You Get Your Period, and What It Feels Like
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Why do I get my period?
You are born with two small, grape-shaped ovaries inside of your belly on either side of your uterus. Ovaries are filled with hundreds of thousands of eggs. When you reach puberty and you are becoming a woman, your ovaries make hormones (especially estrogen) that cause breast development and menstrual periods. The pituitary gland in your brain releases chemical messengers (FSH and LH) called gonadotropins, that "tell" your ovaries to release a mature egg once a month. The egg then travels towards the uterus. If the egg is not fertilized by a sperm, then two weeks later, the thick, bloody lining (called the endometrium) that builds up in your uterus between periods, passes out of your body through your vagina. This flow, which comes out as blood, is your menstrual period. The whole process is called menstruation, and it will begin when your body is ready.
What does my period feel like?
Your period feels like liquid flowing slowly, with starts and stops, out of your vagina. This is exactly what happens during your period. Although it may seem like a lot of blood, only a small amount is really released at a time. It is normal to see small clots of blood from your vagina on the toilet paper after you urinate.
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Updated: 4/21/2010
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