How does my wife or daughter(s) keep track of their periods?
Cramps are a common complaint. More than half of menstruating women have cramp-like pain during their periods. For most they are mild and can be helped by exercise, a heating pad or aspirin. The medical term for menstrual pain is dysmenorrhea. Cramps are usually felt in the pelvic area and lower abdomen, but can radiate to the lower back or down the legs. Many girls have cramps severe enough to keep them home from school. In fact, according to Danforth’s Obstetrics and Gynecology, dysmenorrhea is the most frequent cause of absenteeism from school among younger women. Women seem to go through phases when cramps are severe, then get better for several years, and then maybe worsen again. Most women find they have less menstrual pain after having children. Cramps are like labor pains. Just as the uterus contracts to open up the cervix (neck of the uterus) and push out a baby, it contracts to expel menstrual blood. Often, after several years of menstruating or after childbirth, the cervical
