I haven't had my period yet, but I'm feeling a lot of pain in my belly, like cramps. What's happening?

Cramp-like pain can come in the days just before a first period, but very strong pain is not something you have to put up with.

The uterus is a muscle, and it tightens to push out the lining when your period actually comes, and it's the stronger tightenings that hurt. However, before menstruating for the first time, belly pain can also be a lot of common daily things, like gas, constipation, or even your stomach complaining about some food.

What can help now

• A heating pad, or a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel that an adult fills, can also help. In some small studies of period cramps, heat helped as much as medicine.
• There are medications that help with cramps, and an adult decides if you take them, which ones, and how much, based on your age and weight.
• Resting can help too, and lying curled up on your side with a pillow between your knees is something to try if it feels comfier.

When to call an adult

Belly pain that returns every month without your period having arrived should be reported to an adult. Also, tell an adult if the pain prevents you from doing normal activities, like going to school, if it doesn't improve with the medication an adult gives you, or if it gets worse.

Tell an adult right away if the pain is very strong or came on suddenly, if you vomit, can't eat or have a fever, if the pain is only on one side (especially low down, on the right) or keeps getting worse, or if you have belly pain and nausea without being on your period.

Oh, and if you want to know if your body is already showing the first signs that your period is coming, there's a quiz here on the site: how close is my first period?. It takes about a minute.