Everything you need to know about periods

What happens when I have my period? Is my period normal? What helps with menstrual problems? Are you looking for information and answers about your period or menstrual cycle? Then you’ve come to the right place! Welcome to the Vulvani guide for your period. Here you will find our collective knowledge and all the important facts related to menstruation. We cover health, biological and social issues related to your period and menstrual cycle. You don’t know where to start? Then maybe our overview with all our already published blog articles, sorted by topic, will help you. In our Magazine you will also find all the articles in chronological order. Enjoy reading and browsing the website!

Books & games

Cycle

Diversity

Endometriosis

Fertility & Family planning

First period

Free Bleeding

Menstruation Around the World (Interviews)

Menstrual art

Menstrual cup

Menstrual taboo

Online courses

Period glossary

Period pain

Period poverty

Period underwear

Periods at work

Research

Sexuality

Special days

Vulva

Yoga & Meditation

Zero waste menstruation

You want to read Vulvani’s guest articles and interviews in international media? You can find them here, on our press site!

Your 10 most important questions about periods answered

1. How do I know that I will get my period soon?

Puberty often begins with slight physical changes, such as the growth of breasts or vulva hair. The hormonal changes in the body indicate the your first period far in advance. A reliable sign is the vaginal discharge, which occurs about a year before. Shortly before the first period begins, physical symptoms such as abdominal pain or breast tenderness may occur.

2. What happens when I have my period?

During menstruation, the monthly build-up of the uterine lining is removed again. Periods are the monthly excretion of blood and mucous membrane tissue that has built up in the uterus during the menstrual cycle. The menstrual blood flows through the small opening in the cervix and out of the uterus through the vagina.

3. How long do periods usually last?

Periods last on average about five days. Everything between three and seven days is normal. The length of your periods is also influenced by various factors, such as hormones, stress or age. Sometimes before or after your periods there will be a little spotting, but this is not part of menstruation itself.

4. Can I loose too much blood during my period?

Periods that are too heavy are called hypermenorrhea. They are characterized by greater blood loss. This is the case when the bleeding per period is more than 80ml. If too much blood is lost during menstruation, this can lead to iron deficiency.

5. How much time is there between one period and the next?

Menstrual cycles that last less than 24 or more than 35 days are called irregular cycles. Everything in between is normal. It can normal for your bleeding to be irregular, especially if your periods have just started or before menopause.

6. What is the first day of the menstrual cycle?

The first day of your monthly bleeding is the beginning of a new menstrual cycle. The first phase of the cycle is called menstruation. It is, like winter, a rather quiet, slow time that invites you to reflect. This time of bleeding is ideal for resting, planning and making decisions.

7. What can I do to relieve menstrual pain?

Menstrual cramps often last only for a few days and should not hinder your everyday life. To relieve period problems, anti-inflammatory foods are especially important. Rest, warmth and light movement can also have a positive influence on your period pain.

8. How many tampons and pads will I use in my life?

Over the course of their lives, each menstruating person uses an average of about 14,000 disposable tampons and pads. In Germany, all menstruating people together produce more than 20,000 tons of waste with disposable products. In terms of quantity, this amounts to 170,000 bathtubs filled with waste.

9. How expensive are periods?

In order to cover the basic need for disposable menstrual products, a menstruating person spends on average about 70.00 € per year. With a total of 450 periods in one’s life, the cost of period products is at least €2,700. From a practical point of view, periods are therefore also a financial challenge. Since the beginning of 2020, period products are only taxed at the simplified tax rate of seven percent in Germany.

10. Do animals have periods as well?

Only few (mammals) animals have their period like we humans do, because the processes in the body are different. While many animals recycle the built-up endometrium after unsuccessful fertilization, with humans it is expelled in the form of periods. Dogs, for example, only have their menstruation once a year and rabbits do not bleed because their ovulation occurs only after mating.

Health

Health and illness are very close to each other. That is why we will talk to you about conditions, such as endometriosis or vaginismus. But we will also give you tips for when you are having menstrual cramps.

Society & News

There is a lot going on in the menstrual world and we are keeping you up to date about the latest period news and trends. This category looks at periods from a societal or political perspective and analyses the menstrual taboo.

Period Information

Here we will be answering all of your questions about periods. In our articles we cover everything from your first period to ‘Is my period normal?’ and the influence of your cycle on your mood. In this category absolutely everything is about menstruation.

Period Products

You have always wondered what kind of menstrual products are actually available? Let us introduce you to various sustainable period products and explain you everything about menstrual cups, period underwear or free bleeding.

Menstruation Around the World

Menstruation around the world’ is our series of insightful interviews that try to show the variety of menstrual experiences around the world. How do different people experience their period? How do different cultures deal with the topic? Which products are used during menstruation? These are all questions that we are asking ourselves and that we would like to ask many more people. We portray people from different countries with their personal stories.

Everything you need to know about periods