Sometimes it is shocking how little we actually know about our bodies. Despite some education during biology classes at school, we rarely seem to engage with what is happening inside us every month. This is why we'd like to start our blog on Beavida with the basics. Understanding your menstrual cycle will help you understand yourself, any symptoms you might experience, as well as possible mood changes throughout the month.
The four phases of a normal menstrual cycle
The menstrual cycle begins not when ovulation occurs, but when menstrual bleeding starts. The first day of your period marks the first day of your menstrual cycle. This is not God-given but simply a definition that has been agreed upon.
Menses phase
If you are not pregnant, the lining of the uterus sheds. This causes menstrual bleeding, which on average lasts 3 to 5 days. If the period starts for the first time in a woman's life, it is called menarche.
This is the moment during the menstrual cycle when period-related symptoms such as pain and blood clots can occur. However, neither severe pain nor heavy bleeding are normal and should always be investigated.
Follicular phase
This phase also begins with the first day of your period but ends with ovulation. During your period, your hormone levels are relatively low. Shortly before ovulation, the hormone oestrogen starts to rise so that the uterine lining can thicken. It builds a nest for the egg.
At the same time, the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) activates the follicles in your ovaries, which start to grow. Between day 10 and 14 of your menstrual cycle a fully mature egg will have formed. Many women now experience an increase in their sex drive but may also be affected by mood changes and bloating.
Ovulatory phase
At what point ovulation occurs can only be determined retrospectively. While most women do not experience symptoms during the fertile time, some can actually feel ovulation happening as mid-cycle pain (also known as mittelschmerz). Many women can also tell by the consistency of the cervical mucus that the moment is getting closer. The vaginal discharge becomes a lot more watery and copious. The basal body temperature is also a good indication of when ovulation happens; it rises slightly.
Suddenly the luteinising hormone (LH) comes into play so that the egg is released from the ovary. There is now a window of 12 to 24 hours in which it can become a fertilised egg.
Luteal phase
The egg now leaves the ovary and travels through the fallopian tubes to your uterus. If you do get pregnant, it will attach itself to the uterine wall and the now thickened lining, which will provide nutrition during this early stage of pregnancy.
During the luteal phase, LH and FSH drop while progesterone levels start to rise. This is the hormone that prepares the uterine lining for implantation.
Should no pregnancy occur, oestrogen and progesterone also drop, and these hormonal changes are the reason behind the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome. The next menstrual period is soon about to begin.
Irregular periods and women's health
The average menstrual cycle is between 21 and 35 days. Shorter or longer cycles could be an indication that something isn't quite right with your reproductive health. Hormonal imbalances can be caused by a variety of factors. From excessive exercise to environmental influences and stress, you may very well need to become a detective (alongside your doctor) to figure out what could be going on.
An irregular menstrual cycle, or one that is accompanied by symptoms that impact your life, should always be investigated. A woman's reproductive life has an average length of around 37 years. That is a lot of time to feel unwell. Regular periods are also beneficial when you want to become pregnant.
We will take a closer look at what you can do to support your reproductive health in other blog posts. For now, we just wanted to provide you with a rough overview of what is happening in your body each month.
