Understanding the Normal Menstrual Cycle?

Menstrual cycle is the female reproductive cycle that women have from their early teen years until menopause, around age 50. It is the series of changes a woman's body goes through to prepare for a pregnancy.  About once a month, the uterus grows a new lining (endometrium) to get ready for a fertilized egg. When there is no fertilized egg to start a pregnancy, the uterus sheds its lining. This is the monthly menstrual bleeding (also called menstrual period) during which a woman bleeds from her uterus (womb) via the vagina. This lasts anything from three to seven days.

The menstrual cycle is from first day of bleeding to first day of the next time of bleeding. Although the average cycle is 28 days, it is perfectly normal to have a cycle that is as short as 21 days or as long as 35 days. Girls usually start having menstrual periods between the ages of 10 and 14. The average age is approximately 12. The first menstrual period is known as menarche. Women will continue to menstruate until the age of 45 to 55, when menopause begins and monthly menstrual cycles end. Menstruation also temporarily stops during pregnancy.

Talk to your doctor if you notice any big change in your cycle. Bleeding which occurs between periods should also be reported to your doctor along with any pelvic pain that is not from your period.

What are the phases of the Menstrual Cycle?

The menstrual cycle is divided into several phases:

1. Menstruation: Menstruation is also called menstrual bleeding, menses or a period. Starting with a menstrual period, the follicular phase begins the menstrual cycle. Bleeding happens because following the last cycle the egg wasn't fertilised and the lining of the uterus needs to be shed ready for the new cycle. This usually lasts between 3 and 5 days, but anywhere from 2 to 7 days is considered normal. The average blood loss during menstruation is 35 ml with 10-80 ml considered normal (because of this blood loss, women are more susceptible to iron deficiency than men are).
2. Follicular Phase: This phase is also called the proliferative phase because a hormone causes the lining of the uterus to grow, or proliferate, during this time. Through the influence of a rise in follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) during the first days of the cycle, an ovarian follicle is stimulated to grow and an egg to mature. As they mature, the follicles secrete increasing amounts of estrogen which initiate the formation of a new layer of endometrium in the uterus (preparing the uterus for conception). This phase generally starts on 5th day and ends on 13th day.
3. Ovulation: During the ovulatory phase, the pituitary gland releases LH (Luteinising Hormone) which causes the release of that dominant egg, causing a woman to ovulate. In the average cycle this LH surge starts around cycle day 12 and may last 48 hours. The release of LH matures the egg and weakens the wall of the follicle in the ovary, causing the fully developed follicle to release the dominant egg. After being released from the ovary, the egg is swept into the fallopian tube. To conceive, it is favorable to have sex before the release of the egg, since sperm can survive for a while before and after ovulation occurs. After about a day, an unfertilized egg will disintegrate or dissolve in the fallopian tube. This phase generally starts on 12th day and ends on 16th day.
4. Luteal Phase: The luteal phase (also called the secretory phase) is the period of time following ovulation. The ruptured follicle that released the egg turns into a solid body structure called the corpus luteum. This body continues to grow for some time after ovulation and produces significant amounts of hormones, particularly progesterone. Progesterone and estrogen cause the endometrium to thicken to prepare for a fertilized egg. After around 11-14 days in the luteal phase, levels of progesterone fall and the corpus luteum will degenerate unless fertilization occurs. The thickened endometrial lining will be shed as a menstrual period, starting the whole cycle again.
   The loss of the corpus luteum can be prevented by fertilization of the egg; the resulting embryo produces human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is very similar to LH and which can preserve the corpus luteum. Because the hormone is unique to the embryo, most pregnancy tests look for the presence of hCG.

What influences menstruation?

A change in hormone levels can affect a woman's cycle or fertility. For example, teens tend to have low or changing progesterone levels. This is also true for women close to menopause. That is why teens and women in their 40s may have heavy menstrual bleeding and cycles that change in length.

Other things can change your cycle. They include birth control pills, low body fat, losing a lot of weight, or being overweight. Exercising too much and overstressing the body can also have a negative effect on the hormones. Pregnancy is the most common cause of a missed period. Regular exercise and keeping fit and healthy can help regulate the menstrual cycle.

What common symptoms are linked to the menstrual cycle?

The fluctuation of hormone levels during the menstrual cycle can cause numerous emotional and physical symptoms. The degree of discomfort experienced during menstruation varies from woman to woman. Some women have no pain or other problems. But other women have symptoms before and during their period.

For about a week before a period, many women have some premenstrual symptoms. They may feel more tense or angry, feel tired, gain water weight and feel bloated. Their breasts may feel tender. A day or two before the period, woman may start having pain (cramps) in their belly, back, or legs. These symptoms go away during the first days of a period.

How can women take care of bleeding and symptoms?

You can use pads or tampons to manage bleeding. Whichever you use, be sure to change the pad or tampon at least every 4 to 6 hours during the day. Pads may be best at night.

There are several things that will help relieve discomfort:

• Regular exercise and eating a healthy can help prevent painful periods.
• Refrain from drinking caffeinated drinks such as coffee, tea, cola or cocoa.
• Try to reduce stress.
• A heating pad, hot water bottle, or warm bath also can help with cramps.
• Use pain-relieving medicines (like ibuprofen or naproxen) if necessary.

source:: lifemojo.com

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