One of the most important topics in women's health is "Young Women's Health". In this period when women stop being girls
and start to become women, young women experience both spiritual and physical changes
. The period of young womanhood begins with adolescence.
Adolescence is a period when changes occur in the body. The body is becoming the adult body. There can be many problems with these
changes. In this section of our website, we will try to inform you about both
changes during adolescence and the health of young women. In this
information, the recommendations of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and UptoDate were used.
Adolescence is a period in which healthy living can be learned. It sends signals to its parts. These signals are called “hormones”.
These are chemicals that regulate what the body will do. During adolescence; height increases, weight gain occurs,
the hip bone widens, breast tissue grows, thick hair grows in the armpit and genital area, body odor
changes, acne or black spots occur and the first menstrual bleeding occurs. These changes all come together
and do not happen all at once. Changes in the body begin at the age of 8 at the earliest and at the age of 13 at the latest.
Changes that will occur during adolescence
Changes in the breast
The first of the changes in the body begins in the breast. At first, the dark areas become slightly swollen. The breast
becomes rounder and fuller over time. It is normal for one breast to be slightly smaller than the other
. Sometimes there may be pain in the breast. All of these changes are very normal.
Menstrual period
Another change that will occur in the body is the start of menstrual bleeding. Every month, the female body prepares itself for possible
pregnancy. One egg is released from the ovary every month with signals called hormones. This
egg advances to the tube called the fallopian tube. At the same time, the skin lining the uterus thickens. If
pregnancy does not occur, this piece of skin will crack and become thinner again. As a result, bleeding occurs.
This is called menstrual bleeding. Having menstrual bleeding means giving birth to a baby. It shows
that she has gained breastfeeding capacity.
Having menstrual bleeding is a normal and healthy indicator of growth
It is not possible to know when a young girl's menstrual bleeding will start. Bleeding begins 2 - 3 years after changes in the breast
begin. It is normal for bleeding to start between the ages of 11 and 14.
It is important to follow the menstrual period.
Menstrual bleeding lasts between 2 and 7 days. It occurs every 21 - 45 days.
It is normal for menstrual bleeding to be irregular in the first year. In the first 6 years, it is normal to have 2 menstrual periods in 1 month or to have menstrual bleeding every 2 - 3 months.
Using a calendar is a good way to keep track of menstrual periods. There are apps such as “period tracking or cycle
tracking” for this. Every young girl should be prepared for this situation that she experiences regularly. Pads should be ready at home and in her bag for menstrual bleeding, even if it has not started yet.
How to use pads?
Pads stick to the underwear. When bleeding occurs, this pad absorbs the bleeding. Pads should be changed every 4 - 8 hours. In the first few days of menstrual bleeding, your bleeding amount may be slightly higher. For this
reason, it may be necessary to change pads more frequently.
In the first days of menstrual bleeding, there may be groin pain and cramps. For these, you can use painkillers
and also do exercises. Exercising reduces cramps during this period. A hot water bottle can be placed on the groin or waist to reduce cramps
.
In what cases should a doctor be consulted?
If you are 15 years old and have not had your period yet
If bleeding is regular but starts to become irregular
If menstrual bleeding occurs before 21 days or more frequently than 45 days
If menstrual bleeding starts to occur every 90 days
If menstrual bleeding lasts more than 7 days
If menstrual bleeding is heavy enough to change pads every hour
br /> If painkillers are taken for cramps during the menstrual period but the pain does not go away and the cramps prevent daily activities
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