My period hasn't arrived yet

There's no exact age for your first period to start, and it's completely okay if it hasn't arrived yet! Most girls get their first period between the ages of 9 and 15, with the average being around 12, but every body follows its own rhythm.

Your body usually gives some signs before it shows up, but none of them work like a precise timer:

• Breasts start to grow (the so-called breast bud), which is usually the first visible sign of puberty, and your period usually starts about 2 years later, but this varies a lot.
• Pubic and underarm hair starts to appear, which usually happens shortly after breast growth, although growing hair first is also super normal.
• The growth spurt, which is that phase where you grow super fast all of a sudden, and your period usually starts about a year after this accelerated phase, and this also varies a lot.
• Clear, white, or whitish discharge in your underwear, which can start a few months before. If it changes color, develops a bad smell, or causes itching, tell an adult.

There are some important limits to know when it's worth seeking help: periods before age 9 (or any bleeding or pink/brown spotting before age 9), no period by age 15, or no breast development or other signs of puberty by age 13 are reasons to tell an adult and see a doctor to make sure everything is okay. Breasts or hair that started appearing before age 8 also warrant a doctor's visit, and it's usually nothing serious.

Oh, and if you want to see what signs your body is already showing, there's a really cool quiz here on the site: how close is my first period?.