Your 20s is a time of getting to grips with your cycle and all of it’s quirks. But don’t get too comfortable; things are going to get unpredictable again real soon. Although nothing is totally by-the-book when it comes to each woman’s unique period, there are some things you can be relatively sure to expect.

Here is what you have to look forward to in terms of your cycle in the years to come:

What to expect in your 20s
Getting your period as a teenager was probably unpredictable, always coming at the worst of times and never consistent. In your 20s you don’t spend as much time stressing that your period is going to catch you by surprise and embarrass you by leaking onto your school uniform. Mainly because you’re not in school any more but also because your cycle starts to become more regular. This also means that you’re more likely to experience the common symptoms of menstruation that you might have managed to avoid as a teen: cramps, PMS and sore breasts.

This is the age that women generally start to go on birth control, which will change your cycle. The effect it has is usually positive though: a lighter flow or no period at all. Your 20s is also one of the most stressful times of your life. Learning to be an adult while studying and holding down a job for the first time takes a toll on your mind. And stress is one of the main reasons why your period is thrown out of sync in your 20s.

Women in their 20s report as having worse period cramps than older women, which sucks if you’re young but at least gives you something to look forward to as you grow older, right?

When should you go to a doctor?
If your cramps are debilitating (this could be endometriosis or fibroids), if you don’t get your period for three months or more (this could be polycystic ovary syndrome) or if your period is so heavy you need to change your tampon/pad every hour (this could indicate something more serious).

What to expect in your 30s
The good news is you can expect pretty regular cycles during this phase. The bad news is that you’re probably going to mess it all up by getting pregnant. Presuming that you’re trying to get pregnant at this age, know that this can be a stressful process and stress can disrupt your cycle too.

Obviously one of the benefits of being pregnant is you don’t get your period every month. Then, besides a big bleeding session you have after birth (yay), you probably won’t get your period for a while until you stop breastfeeding. Sounds like a good reason to breastfeed your kid for as long as possible. You not getting your period for 7 years seems worth turning them into that weird kid who gets teased for still being breastfed TBH.

A lot of women say that after giving birth their period cramps are much less painful. This could be due to your cervical opening being a bit bigger now, meaning your uterus doesn’t have to contract so hard to get that lining out every month.

It’s also normal for your cycle to get shorter in your 30s, so you might find your period coming every 25 days instead of the usual 28.

When should you go to a doctor?
Your 30s is also usually the time when your health starts to worsen, which can play out through your period. Issues like endometriosis (symptoms include pain so bad that you can barely function) or fibroids (growths that result in heavy bleeding) come to the forefront at this age. Big gaps between your periods could indicate premature menopause, which should be checked out by a professional.

What to expect in your 40s
You’ve heard of menopause, but did you know that perimenopause is a thing too? Women just can’t catch a break. You can expect to get your period for the very last time somewhere around the age of 51. This is something of a light at the end of the tunnel, however the ten whole years that your body spends freaking out in anticipation (i.e. perimenopause) is not such an exciting prospect.

You only have a few eggs left by this stage. The ones you do have are like little old ladies in that they’ve been around for years but still get really confused and don’t really know what’s going on. Expect things to be irregular. You could have no bleeding for months then suddenly a super heavy period the next month.

You’re also producing fluctuating levels of the hormones progesterone and estrogen. These play a big role in your mood so don’t be alarmed when your PMS makes you feel like an angst-y teenager all over again.

When should you go to a doctor?
It’s common to experience hair loss, dry skin and a slower metabolism along with heavy bleeding, which could indicate a thyroid issue. Also, remember that even though your period seems to be disappearing you can still get pregnant at this stage of life!

Girl's life is so complicated. Love complicated, hair complicated. Period complicated. Chai. All the baggage na una carry am. Weh done. Thank God for men

[quote author=InfernoNig post=65158623]Girl's life is so complicated. Love complicated, hair complicated. Period complicated. Chai. All the baggage na una carry am. Weh done. Thank God for men[quoted]
Everything about them is complicated. So hard to understand their every every