{"id":153,"date":"2018-10-15T19:04:57","date_gmt":"2018-10-15T19:04:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/?post_type=kb&p=153"},"modified":"2018-10-15T19:04:57","modified_gmt":"2018-10-15T19:04:57","slug":"menstrual-cycle","status":"publish","type":"kb","link":"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/kb\/menstrual-cycle\/","title":{"rendered":"Menstrual Cycle"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n

Every month between puberty and menopause, a woman\u2019s body goes through a number of changes to get it ready for a possible pregnancy. This series of hormone-driven events is called the menstrual cycle<\/strong>. During each menstrual cycle, an egg develops and is released from the ovaries. The lining of the uterus builds up. If a pregnancy doesn\u2019t happen, the uterine lining sheds during a menstrual period. Then the cycle starts again.<\/p>\n

Phases of a woman’s cycle?<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are four phases in a woman’s cycle and the length of each phase can differ from woman to woman. It is also a subject to change over time.<\/p>\n

Menstrual phase<\/em><\/p>\n

The menstrual phase is the first stage of the menstrual cycle. It\u2019s also when you get your period.\u00a0This phase starts when an egg from the previous cycle isn\u2019t fertilized. Because pregnancy hasn\u2019t taken place, levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone drop.\u00a0The thickened lining of your uterus, which would support a pregnancy, is no longer needed, so it sheds through your vagina. During your period, you release a combination of blood, mucus, and tissue from your uterus. On average, women are in the menstrual phase of their cycle for 3 to 7 days. Some women have longer periods than others. You may have period symptoms like;<\/p>\n

cramps
\ntender breasts
\nbloating
\nmood swings
\nirritability
\nheadaches
\ntiredness
\nlow back pain<\/p>\n

Follicular phase<\/em><\/p>\n

The follicular phase starts on the first day of your period (so there is some overlap with the menstrual phase) and ends when you ovulate.\u00a0It starts when the hypothalamus sends a signal to your pituitary gland to release follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). This hormone stimulates your ovaries to produce around 5 to 20 small sacs called follicles. Each follicle contains an immature egg. Only the healthiest egg will eventually mature. (On rare occasions, a woman may have two eggs mature.) The rest of the follicles will be reabsorbed into your body.\u00a0\u00a0The maturing follicle sets off a surge in estrogen that thickens the lining of your uterus. This creates a nutrient-rich environment for an embryo to grow.\u00a0The average follicular phase lasts for about 16 days. It can range from 11 to 27 days, depending on your cycle.<\/p>\n

Ovulation phase<\/em><\/p>\n

Rising estrogen levels during the follicular phase trigger your pituitary gland to release luteinizing hormone (LH). This is what starts the process of ovulation.\u00a0Ovulation is when your ovary releases a mature egg. The egg travels down the fallopian tube toward the uterus to be fertilized by sperm.\u00a0The ovulation phase is the only time during your menstrual cycle when you can get pregnant. You can tell that you\u2019re ovulating by symptoms like;<\/p>\n

a slight rise in basal body temperature
\nthicker discharge that has the texture of egg whites
\nOvulation happens at around day 14 if you have a 28-day cycle \u2014 right in the middle of your menstrual cycle. It lasts about 24 hours. After a day, the egg will die or dissolve if it isn\u2019t fertilized.<\/p>\n

Luteal phase<\/em><\/p>\n

After the follicle releases its egg, it changes into the corpus luteum. This structure releases hormones, mainly progesterone and some estrogen. The rise in hormones keeps your uterine lining thick and ready for a fertilized egg to implant.\u00a0If you do get pregnant, your body will produce human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). This is the hormone pregnancy tests detect. It helps maintain the corpus luteum and keeps the uterine lining thick.\u00a0If you don\u2019t get pregnant, the corpus luteum will shrink away and be resorbed. This leads to decreased levels of estrogen and progesterone, which causes the onset of your period. The uterine lining will shed during your period. During this phase, if you don\u2019t get pregnant, you may experience symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) like;<\/p>\n

bloating
\nbreast swelling, pain, or tenderness
\nmood changes
\na headache
\nweight gain
\nchanges in sexual desire
\nfood cravings
\ntrouble sleeping
\nThe luteal phase lasts for 11 to 17 days. The average length is 14 days.<\/p>\n

Every woman\u2019s menstrual cycle is different. Some women get their period at the same time each month. Others are more irregular. Some women bleed more heavily or for a longer number of days than others.\u00a0Your menstrual cycle can also change during certain times of your life. For example, it can get more irregular as you get close to menopause.<\/p>\n

How do I know if I am having any issues with my period?<\/strong><\/p>\n

One way to find out if you\u2019re having any issues with your menstrual cycle is to track your periods. Write down when they start and end. Also, record any changes to the amount or number of days you bleed, and whether you have spotting between periods.<\/p>\n

What alters menstrual cycle?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Birth control pills
\nPregnancy
\nPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
\nUterine fibroids
\nEating disorders<\/p>\n

How do I know if there is a problem with my Menstrual cycle?<\/strong><\/p>\n

skipped periods or your periods have stopped entirely.
\nIrregular periods
\nBleeding for more than 7 days
\nYour periods are less than 21 days or more than 35 days apart.
\nYou bleed between periods (heavier than spotting).<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to get familiar with your cycle \u2014 including when you get your periods and how long they last. Be alert for any changes, and report them to your healthcare provider.<\/p>\n

References<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Healthline.\u00a0 Menstrual Cycle<\/a>.\u00a0 Accessed on 12th October 2018<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Introduction Every month between puberty and menopause, a woman\u2019s body goes through a number of changes to get it ready for a possible pregnancy. This series of hormone-driven events is called the menstrual cycle. During each menstrual cycle, an egg develops and is released from the ovaries. The lining of the uterus builds up. If … Continue reading “Menstrual Cycle”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"kbtopic":[8],"kbtag":[],"yoast_head":"\nMenstrual Cycle - Babymigo<\/title>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/kb\/menstrual-cycle\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Menstrual Cycle - Babymigo\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Introduction Every month between puberty and menopause, a woman\u2019s body goes through a number of changes to get it ready for a possible pregnancy. This series of hormone-driven events is called the menstrual cycle. During each menstrual cycle, an egg develops and is released from the ovaries. The lining of the uterus builds up. If … Continue reading "Menstrual Cycle"\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/kb\/menstrual-cycle\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Babymigo\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\">\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\">\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/\",\"name\":\"Babymigo\",\"description\":\"Knowledge Base\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":\"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/?s={search_term_string}\",\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/kb\/menstrual-cycle\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/kb\/menstrual-cycle\/\",\"name\":\"Menstrual Cycle - Babymigo\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2018-10-15T19:04:57+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2018-10-15T19:04:57+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/kb\/menstrual-cycle\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/kb\/menstrual-cycle\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/kb\/menstrual-cycle\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"item\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/\",\"name\":\"Home\"}},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"item\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/kb\/menstrual-cycle\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/kb\/menstrual-cycle\/\",\"name\":\"Menstrual Cycle\"}}]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kb\/153"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kb"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/kb"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=153"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kb\/153\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":155,"href":"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kb\/153\/revisions\/155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=153"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"kbtopic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kbtopic?post=153"},{"taxonomy":"kbtag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/babymigo.com\/knowledge\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/kbtag?post=153"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}