Hear from women living with endometriosis

Learn something new, and see how you can share your own story

Back to Articles

What exactly is a “normal” period?

Most women understand the menstrual cramps that come along with periods. They’re caused by an excess of a chemical called prostaglandin [PRAHST-uh-GLAND-in]. But, if debilitating menstrual pain is interfering with your daily activities, like work or school, it’s time to talk to a gynecologist.

Here’s a rundown of what’s considered normal, and when you should talk to your doctor.

Periods usually last between 3 and 5 days, but anything between 2 and 7 days is okay. If you are bleeding for more than 7 days, you should talk to your gynecologist

For most women, periods are between 21 and 35 days apart. If your period occurs more often than this, you should talk to your gynecologist

If you are bleeding more heavily than usual or using more than 1 pad or tampon every 1 to 2 hours, you should talk to your gynecologist

There are a lot of possible reasons why your periods might fall outside of this “normal” range. Talk it over with your gynecologist, and bring up any other symptoms you might have.

Looking for videos from other women with endometriosis?

Watch their stories

We’ve noticed that you’re interested in stories related to “Speak up.”

Check out some of these:

Prioritizing the pain

Discover how one woman empowered herself by asking as many questions as she needed until she felt comfortable.

It's always okay to get a second opinion

Want to find out how one woman spoke up for herself and demanded answers?

Staying silent solves nothing

Discover how one woman’s life was affected by the silence surrounding endometriosis and how now she's calling on women to speak out about endo.