Let’s Talk About Your Menstrual Cycle
First and Foremost…What is Menstruation?
Menstruation, aka “a period” is the time of the month where the woman’s endometrial lining of her uterus begins to shed. Menstrual blood and tissue flow from the uterus, through the cervix, and pass out of the body through the vagina. During a monthly menstrual cycle, the uterus lining builds up and prepares itself to carry a baby. But if a woman does not become pregnant during that month, estrogen and progesterone hormone levels fall, indicating to the body that the extra lining is not necessary this month, and so it begins to shed.
A menstrual cycle is measured from the day a period begins to the day the next period begins, the following month. Hormone levels usually fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle, which is what causes mood swings, changing hunger patterns, acne, and other symptoms that are typically referred to as “PMS.” Estrogen and progesterone levels are lowest on the day a period first begins, which is the reason many women feel depressed and irritable at this time.
A typical menstrual cycle is 28 days long, although this can vary from woman to woman, and month to month. A menstrual cycle is considered to be regular if it falls anywhere from 24-38 days. If a woman receives her period more frequently than that, say every 20 days, it is referred to as polymenorrhea, and similarly, if a woman receives her period every 42 days, that is referred to as oligomenorrhea. These are irregular menstrual cycles and although they can be common, it’s still important to talk to a physician to find what’s causing this to happen.
So What Happens During A Typical 28 Day Cycle?
Days 1-13 are the Follicular Phase
Days 1-5 “menstruation”: Remember that this is the first day your period begins. The woman is not pregnant, the uterus does not need to keep it’s lining, and so it sheds the blood out through the vagina. Bleeding is usually Also during this time, little follicles develop on the ovaries. Each follicle contains an egg.
Days 5-7: Only one follicle continues to grow while the other ones are absorbed back into the ovary. Estrogen levels from the ovaries continue to rise.
Days 8-13: Usually by this time, menstruation has stopped. The follicle continues releasing even more estrogen, causing the lining of the uterus to once again grow and thicken. Increased estrogen during this period helps boost endorphins, which are the chemicals produced by the body to help relieve stress and pain, so this time of the month may be more relaxing than usual.
Day 14 is the Ovulation Phase
Day 14 “ovulation”: Estrogen levels peak at the midpoint of the menstrual cycle, causing a sharp increase in luteinizing hormone (LH). This causes the mature follicle to burst and release an egg from the ovary. A woman is most likely to get pregnant if she has sex around this time. A man’s sperm is viable 3-5 days inside a woman’s reproductive organs, while the egg can live 12-24 hours.
Days 15-28 are the Luteal Phase
Days 15-24: The fallopian tubes help carry the newly released egg from the ovary to the uterus. The ruptured follicle increases the production of progesterone, which helps the uterine lining thicken even more. If a sperm happens to reach the fallopian tube, it will attach to the egg in the ampulla of the fallopian tube, and fertilization will occur. The fertilized egg will now continue down the fallopian tube and attach to the lining of the uterus and pregnancy begins.
Days 25-28: If the egg is not fertilized, its breaks apart, and estrogen and progesterone levels drop significantly, which can cause mood changes and irritability, or PMS. The unfertilized egg leaves the body, along with the blood and tissue of the uterus, bringing us back to Day 1 of the menstrual cycle.
Source: BBC/Yoko Miyagawa
Now Let’s Talk About the Actual Period
Women receive their period, aka “menarche,” at the age that they reach puberty, which varies from 10 to 15 years old. It typically occurs 2 years after the development of the breasts, aka “thelarche.”
A normal period lasts about 3-8 days, and over the course of the period, only 2-3 tablespoons of blood are lost.
While menstruation is occurring, the uterus is contracting in order to expel its lining. Hormone-like substances, called prostaglandins, which are involved in pain and inflammation, trigger the uterus to contract. A higher amount of prostaglandins is associated with more severe menstrual cramps.
A woman can get pregnant at any point during her cycle, even while she is on her period, although it is most likely to occur at the time of ovulation.
There are many things a woman can do to avoid getting pregnant: abstain from having sex altogether, use contraception, make sure you are using your birth control correctly, track your menstrual cycle, and refrain from having sex during your ovulatory period.
Although missed periods can indicate pregnancy, they can also be a sign of stress, excessive physical activity, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), hypothyroidism, weight changes, and so much more!
Most women hit menopause and stop having a period around the ages of 45 to 55. After this, she is no longer able to conceive.
Check out these additional resources to reference about menstrual cycles and periods:
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/health-and-wellness/menstruation
https://www.womenshealth.gov/menstrual-cycle/your-menstrual-cycle
https://www.yourperiod.ca/normal-periods/menstrual-cycle-basics/