Don’t worry!! Masturbation should not have anything to do with whether or not your period has started. You are not alone – a lot of girls (and guys) your age masturbate. The average age of getting your period in the U.S. is about 12.5 years. As far as your period goes, the usual sequence of pubertal development is starting to notice breast buds; about one year after that you’ll get some hair in the pubic area; then you may have a large growth spurt; and about a year after that your period starts. These are some reasons to see your healthcare provider: 1) if you are over 13 and do not have any breast development; 2) if it has been more than 2.5 years since your breasts started to develop and your period has not yet started; or 3) if you are over the age of 15 and your period has not yet started.
I hope you haven’t been worrying about this, because masturbation has absolutely no effect on your period. The only time sexual activity has any significant effect on your menstrual cycle is when it causes pregnancy. And just in case I inadvertently gave you something else to worry about, masturbation does not cause pregnancy.
Everyone starts to develop at different times, so the same goes for your period. Some girls start their period at 10, while some might not get it until 15. Every girl has their own schedule. I’m pretty sure masturbation has nothing to do with your period, though. Check out what our health expert, Sandy, has to say on this one, too!
