It is common for girls to have irregular periods in the year or two after their first period but most girls have at least 4 periods during their first year, at least 6 periods the second year and then at least 8 or 9 periods each year. Every person’s menstrual cycle (how often their period lasts and how often they get their period) is different, and that is why it’s a good idea to track your period (Apps such as Clue, My Cycles and Eve can be used). Your period can be irregular for a lot of different reasons such as stress, exercising, gaining or losing weight, being sick, taking certain medications, or having a hormone imbalance. Talk to your health provider about your periods and keep track of your cycles.
For more information regarding periods, see our health guide: https://youngwomenshealth.org/2010/04/21/menstrual-periods/
Our health guides are developed through a systematic, rigorous process to ensure accuracy, reliability, and trustworthiness. Written and reviewed by experienced healthcare clinicians from Boston Children's Hospital, a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital and consistently ranked as a top hospital by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Report, these guides combine clinical expertise, specialized knowledge, and evidence-based medicine. We also incorporate research and best practices from authoritative sources such as the CDC, NIH, PubMed, top medical journals, and UpToDate.com. Clinical specialists and subject matter experts review and edit each guide, reinforcing our commitment to high-quality, factual, scientifically accurate health information for young people.