The Cycella blog
Well-researched answers to the questions women ask about periods, cycles and health, each one citing sources like WHO, ACOG, NHS or NICHD.
-
Antenatal check-ups in Nepal: the 8 visits and when they are
Nepal's antenatal care guideline now suggests 8 pregnancy check-ups, from the first 12 weeks to 40 weeks. The timing of each visit, the Td vaccine doses, and the Aama programme.
-
How many weeks pregnant am I? How pregnancy weeks are counted
Pregnancy weeks are counted from the first day of your last period, not from conception. How to count your weeks, why 40 weeks is a little over 9 months, and how an early scan can change the date.
-
Am I pregnant or is my period coming? How to tell the signs apart
Sore breasts, tiredness, mood changes and cramps can mean either a period or early pregnancy. What overlaps, what is different, and when a pregnancy test gives a clear answer.
-
When to take a pregnancy test for an accurate result
Most home pregnancy tests work from the first day of a missed period, or 21 days after unprotected sex. How the test works, when a negative result can be wrong, and what to do next.
-
What age do periods start? Your first period explained
The usual age for a first period, the order puberty happens in, how to tell yours is coming, and the ages when a doctor or health worker should check: bleeding before 8 or no period by 15.
-
How long do period cramps last, and how bad can they get?
Period cramps usually last 1 to 3 days and are worst in the first 24 hours. What's typical, why some people get cramps before bleeding starts, what helps, and when pain is a sign of something else.
-
How long does a first period last, and what does it look like?
First periods often last 2 to 7 days and can be light, brown or spotty. What's normal for flow and colour, how to tell if it really was your period, and when the next one comes.
-
How to count your cycle and work out your next period
Which day counts as cycle day 1, how to count cycle length, a worked example, and the simple formula for calculating your next period, with links to our free calculators.
-
How often do periods come? Why the date moves each month
Periods follow your cycle length, not the calendar month, so the start date shifts. How often periods should come at different ages, how to predict your next one, and when a change is worth checking.
-
Irregular periods in teens: is it normal?
Irregular periods are common in the first years after a first period. What teen cycles look like, when they usually settle, and the signs that mean it is time to see a doctor or health worker.
-
Is a 40-day menstrual cycle normal?
A 40-day cycle is longer than the usual 21 to 35 days for adults, but can be normal in the first years after a first period. Common causes of long cycles and when to see a doctor.
-
Moody before your period: PMS mood swings and what helps
Why you can feel moody, tearful or irritable in the days before a period, when PMS starts and stops, what can help, and when severe mood symptoms may be PMDD and need medical help.
-
Period 15 days early: is it normal?
A period that starts 15 days early, or a 22 or 23 day cycle, can be a one-off or a new pattern. Causes like ovulation spotting, breakthrough bleeding and stress, and when to see a doctor.
-
Period symptoms before bleeding: what to expect and when
How soon period symptoms start, what happens in your body before you get your period, what the first day can feel like, and how to know when you are about to start.
-
Signs your first period is coming, and what age it usually starts
The body changes that come before a first period, the usual age range, why nobody can predict the exact day, and when a late or very early start is worth a doctor's visit.
-
What counts as day 1 of your period? (And if it starts at night)
Day 1 is the first day of real bleeding, not spotting. How to handle a period that starts in the evening, why it matters for counting your cycle, and what to log.
-
What does a period feel like? Do periods hurt?
What a period actually feels like day by day, how much it hurts for most people, what the bleeding is like, and the signs that pain or bleeding is more than normal.
-
Signs your period is coming: how soon symptoms start
The usual signs a period is about to start, how many days before they begin, how to tell them apart from early pregnancy, and how to predict the date instead of guessing.
-
Is a 21-day menstrual cycle normal?
Yes, a steady 21-day cycle is within the normal range. How cycle length is counted, why short cycles happen, and when a short cycle is worth a doctor's visit.
-
PCOS and Nepali food: a practical guide to dal-bhat and beyond
You don't need quinoa or keto to manage PCOS (now called PMOS). How to build Nepali meals with dal, roti, vegetables and smaller rice portions, with real glycaemic index numbers.
-
PCOS, PCOD and PMOS: what's the difference?
PCOS was renamed PMOS in 2026. What the new name means, how PCOD fits in, how the condition is diagnosed, and what to track before seeing a doctor.
-
How to track your period with the Nepali calendar (Bikram Sambat)
Why counting your period by BS month dates goes wrong, how to calculate your next period in days instead, and how to track it using Nepali (BS) dates.
-
Why is my period late? Common causes besides pregnancy
A late or missed period with a negative test is common. The usual causes (stress, weight change, exercise, PCOS/PMOS, thyroid) and when to see a doctor.
-
The fertile window: what it is, and why it isn't a contraception method
How the fertile window is calculated, why it's only an estimate, and why it shouldn't be relied on alone to avoid pregnancy.
-
First periods: what to expect, and what's normal
What to expect from a first period and the irregular years that follow, plus signs it's worth seeing a doctor.
-
Irregular cycles: what's normal, and when to see a doctor
How to tell an ordinary irregular cycle from one that's worth a doctor's visit, and what to track before your appointment.
-
Pads, cups and period hygiene: a practical guide
How pads, tampons and menstrual cups work, and the hygiene habits that apply no matter which you choose.
-
PCOS basics: what polycystic ovary syndrome is, and isn't
A plain-English introduction to PCOS: what it is, common signs, how it's diagnosed, and why cycle tracking helps.
-
Period pain: what's normal, and when it isn't
How to tell ordinary period cramps from pain that's worth a doctor's attention, and what to track in between.
-
Does Your Period Tracker Sell Your Data? What to Check Before You Download One
Period and cycle data is sensitive health information. Here's what US regulators and independent privacy researchers have found about popular period tracker apps, and what to look for before you trust one.
-
PMS, PMDD and your mood: what's happening, and what helps
The difference between ordinary premenstrual mood changes and PMDD, and why tracking mood against your cycle helps either way.
-
Tracking your cycle in three taps, and why it helps at the doctor
Why lightweight, consistent cycle tracking beats memory, and how it pays off in a real doctor's appointment.