Normal menstruation can last from one to seven days.
Most women with regular menstrual cycles haveperiodsthat last an average of two to seven days.
Sometimes changes in periods can be a sign of an underlying health issue.
Verywell / Cindy Chung
And excessive bleeding can lead toanemia (low red blood cells).
It also explains what lengthy and/or heavy periods are and why you should be alert to them.
Verywell / Cindy Chung
Normal Menstruation
Your period triggers when the lining of your uterus sheds.
Periods are triggered by ovulation, or when an egg is released from an ovary.
Many women “compare notes” about their periods.
But every person is different, and so is their menstrual cycle.
Irregularities
A woman’s period can vary from cycle to cycle.
You may not be ovulating regularly yet.
Ovulation requires a complex interaction between your brain, ovaries, and hormones.
It can take some time for your body to get the balance right.
It’s also possible to skip a few periods in a row.
Menstruation usually normalizes in about three years.
This is known as perimenopause, or the menopausal transition.
Lighter,shorter, and maybe even irregular periods result.
Birth Control
Most women report having lighter andshorter periodswhen they use birth control.
And this goes for both combined hormonal contraceptivesthose that deliver both estrogen and progesteroneand progesterone-only contraception.
Lighter, shorter periods happen because the synthetic hormones in birth control override the hormones produced by your ovaries.
So focus on any changes in your own cycle.
Medical conditions, age, and birth control can affect the length and intensity of your period.
Heavy or lengthy periods could be a sign of an underlying issue.
Take note and call your healthcare provider if you have several heavy or lengthy periods in a row.
National Health Service UK.Periods and fertility in the menstrual cycle.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About heavy menstrual bleeding.
American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists.Frequently asked questions: heavy menstrual bleeding.
2015 Feb;70(2):115-30. doi:10.1097/OGX.0000000000000155.
