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Scientists Have Found A Way To Put An End To Heavy Periods

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So, How Long Is Your Period Really Supposed To Last?

*Stocks up on tampons* - by Lucy Bode
  • 01 Oct 2019
So, How Long Is Your Period Really Supposed To Last?
Getty

Just like picking lotto numbers and tipping who wins The Bachelor, periods can be a bit of a guessing game at times. As anyone who has tried – and failed - to predict the end date of their flow will attest. It begs the question… how long is *actually* normal for a period to last?

In a new study published in the journal Nature Digital Medicine, contraceptive app Natural Cycles analysed data from over 600,000 menstrual cycles and 124,648 women across Sweden, the USA and the UK. From this, it was established that the shorter a woman’s overall cycle, the shorter her period is likely to be.

RELATED: Viral Twitter Thread Proves Men Are Completely Clueless When It Comes To Periods

tampon
Getty

The research found 'very short cycles' (21 days or less) had shorter bleed lengths by 0.5 days or 12 per cent. 'Very long cycles' (35 days or more) had longer bleed lengths by 0.2 days or 6 per cent.

Worth noting: 65 per cent of all participants’ cycles fell between the 25-30 day range, but only 13 per cent had a 28-day cycle. Instead, the average was more like 29.3 days.

 "Women are totally individual," Professor Joyce Harper, Head of Research Department of Reproductive Health at UCL tells Cosmopolitan UK. "Our studies confirm the huge variability women have with their menstrual cycles – from the overall length, the days they bled, and the day they ovulate."

RELATED: FYI, The Average Menstrual Cycle Isn’t Actually 28 Days Long

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Lucy Bode
Lucy Bode
Lucy is Women Health’s digital editor, social media specialist and the go-to girl for all things holistic wellness. Her background as a journalist and passion for food, fitness and integrative medicine has led her to write for some of Australia’s leading publications over the course of her career.

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