If I asked you what a period is, would you reply, “The punctuation at the end of a statement”? When people first hear the term, that’s probably what they think, but the period that I’m talking about has an entirely different meaning. It’s actually a common term for menstruation.

Menstruation? Uh, what? Yeah, that was my initial reaction when I first heard that word in my fourth grade health class. I knew it had something to do with becoming a woman, which I was excited about. But despite the many lectures and talks with my mom, I was still a little confused about the menstrual cycle and what it really meant and entailed.

Everyone Should Understand the Menstrual Cycle

Most of us think we understand the menstrual cycle, but in reality many of us—guys and girls—don’t have a clue. Some people may believe that menstruation should only be discussed among women or between a mother and daughter or that it’s a “women’s issue” because only girls and women menstruate. But these misconceptions about menstruation don’t do any of us any favors because the menstrual cycle is something that everybody, guys included, should learn about. Guys should understand the menstrual cycle: they could be fathers to daughters someday, their partners could be female or they may have sisters or friends who will menstruate at some point.

Whether you’re a guy or a girl, I can hopefully clear up any confusion you have about the menstrual cycle.

The Menstrual Cycle

A girl’s menstrual cycle is counted from the first day of one period to the first day of the next period. The average cycle lasts about 28 days. If a girl has a 28-day cycle, her ovary will release an egg the 14th day after her last period. (The egg is roughly about the size of the period at the end of this sentence.) This is called ovulation. But keep in mind that the length of the menstrual cycle can vary from girl to girl, so when ovulation happens can vary from girl to girl too.

Once the egg has left the ovary, it will travel through the fallopian tube. This sends a signal to the body to develop a lining of blood and tissue in the uterus. If there is sperm present during ovulation then the egg could be fertilized, travel to the uterus and implant. Pregnancy begins at implantation. If there isn’t any sperm present, the egg reaches the uterus and is shed through the vagina along with the blood and tissue lining a girl’s uterus. This is menstruation or a girl’s period. Then the cycle begins all over again.

Having a Period

Some girls find it easier to wear pads rather than tampons during their period, while some like to use tampons but not pads. Girls can try both and decide which they prefer. There’s no right or wrong choice. Some girls will use both.

Pads and tampons come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some pads come with wings, which wrap around the sides of the crotch of underwear to protect them from menstrual blood. Pads also come in different absorbencies—regular, heavy and overnight. Tampon absorbency ranges from junior to ultra-absorbent. A girl can choose what absorbency she needs based on how heavy her menstrual flow is. On average, a girl will lose six to nine tablespoons of fluid, including about three tablespoons of blood and three to six tablespoons of tissue and cervical mucus.

There are people who think having your period is gross because it involves blood and tissue coming from the uterus and flowing out from the vaginal opening. But it’s a natural and normal part of life. And without the menstrual cycle, women who want to have children wouldn’t be able to have them.

Hopefully, you know a little bit more about the menstrual cycle than when you started reading. If you’ve got more questions, talk to a trusted adult in your life.