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How Often Should I Get My Period?

How often should I expect my period?

Irregular Periods

Irregular periods on the pill?

Question: I've started my period at the end of 2012 and I have recently had sexual intercourse. How often should my period occur? Does cold or hot weather affect periods? My period still hasn't come and it has been 4 days, should I be worried? Also, how long does my period take before it comes each month? Like how many days does it take before I get my next period? They have usually been irregular but i'm quite curious and nervous

Dr. Farah Kroman: Start recording the starting date of your periods and look for a pattern - count the days between the starting dates of your periods. Either use your diary or try one of the free phone apps for period tracking. Periods are often irregular for the first year or so, then they settle into a predictable routine of arriving every 28 days or so. Every body is a little different so there can be some variation in this and for some girls, irregular is normal. Having sex in itself does not alter when you should expect your period, unless you became pregnant, then you would expect no period until after the pregnancy. To know one way or the other, buy a pregnancy test kit form the supermarket or pharmacy or see your GP. Always use protection during sex to protect from pregnancy and STIs.

Question: My first period only came a few months ago and its really infrequent is has not come for 2 months and i was wondering if that's normal or if that means i might have an infection? Thanks for your help Emily

Dr. Farah Kroman:The average gap between the start of each period is 28 days but this can vary a lot between girls and between months. Don't panic, periods are usually irregular for the first year or so. Make sure you note the start dates on your calendar. There are a couple of (free) phone apps to track periods you might like to try.

Question: I am on the pill and have been skipping my period of a long time now. Two weeks ago my period came a week early while I was on the active pills and then after that I skipped the white pills and I continued to bleed brown blood for two weeks after. Now I'm bleeding red blood again. What is happening to me!!!?

Dr. Farah Kroman: Although it is completely safe to skip your periods on the pill, sometimes if you skip too many in a row, you can have 'breakthrough bleeding'. See your GP for advice and to make sure there is no other cause of your bleeding. In the future, just skip 3 periods in a row then allow yourself to have one to 'clean you out.'