Menstruation, or a menstrual period, is the vaginal bleeding that occurs as part of a monthly cycle in women. Periods start typically between the ages of 11 and 15 (once a girl has reached puberty) and continue until around the age of 51 when a woman reaches menopause. Through menstruation, the body sheds the lining of the uterus, which passes through the vagina.
Menstrual suppression is a treatment that stops, or at least, reduces menstrual periods through medication. Under a doctor’s care, this is a safe option for every young woman, teen, and girl once they have already had at least one menstrual period.