My First Menstrual Flow Was Late- Kiki 20

I had all the information I needed…

When I was in primary school, we had speakers from different organizations coming to our school to teach us about menstrual health. This included how to wear a pad, how to track and monitor your periods, how to keep the genital areas clean, and how to ensure safe disposal of sanitary napkins in an environmental friendly manner. I had all the information I needed incase my menstrual flow started.

I joined high school having not received my periods

Every girl in our class had already started their periods and I was the only one who was yet to start. I always felt like I couldn’t relate with them. The stories they talked about made me feel like I was a small child. I finished my primary education and I joined high school still not have gotten my periods. My mum would tell me not to worry since I was still young but I never understood that.

Tension started building up

I finished form one and form two but still nothing changed. I started getting tensed and told my mum that I deeply felt that something was wrong with me. The fact that all my friends were having their periods and I had not even seen any signs was unbearable for me. I started thinking that maybe I will never be able to bear children in the future. These thoughts disturbed my mind.

My periods eventually show up

My mum took me to the hospital to see a doctor. After consulting, I was examined and tests were done. The doctor ascertained that nothing was wrong with me and the periods would come. After joining form three, I started feeling some pain on my lower stomach but it never triggered in my mind that it could be cramps. I actually thought my stomach was bloated, so I rushed to the washroom. To my surprise, I saw blood. Although I felt a bit of cramps, it was the happiest moment of my life.

We are all different

I came to the realization that we all have different body structures and thus experience different body changes. Your first menses could be late but will eventually come. You do not have to compare yourself with others. However, if you feel like the first periods are super late, it is good to consult a doctor just for clarity and peace of mind, there’s nothing wrong with that.