Menstruation

Women who have just finished ovulating are better at detecting snakes than at other times of their menstrual cycle, according to a study on in-built reflexes for survival.

Overview

Menstruation has many names - period, monthly cycle, the flow - but, whatever you call it, it is the term given to cyclical monthly bleeding from the uterus of adolescent girls and pre-menopausal women. This regular discharge of blood, tissue, fluid and mucous usually lasts 3 to 6 days. Menstruation has a typical pattern of duration, frequency and associated symptoms for each woman. When there is noticeable deviation from this pattern, a menstrual disorder may be present requiring medical attention. In this centre you will find all the information you need about menstruation (from menarche to menopause), dealing with PMS, related conditions, and more.