What is a Menstruation Cycle? definition

Menstruation Cycle is a natural process that involves a series of changes to prepare a woman's body for pregnancy each month. 

It is the time from one period to another. 

The process involves:

It is typically 28 days long. But a normal cycle can be between 21 days to 35 days long.

If shorter than 21 days it is called a short cycle. If longer than 35 days it is called a longer cycle.

Menstrual Cycle and Hormones

The cycle is controlled by hormones. Each month your brain communicates with your ovaries using two glands called: hypothalamus and pituitary glands.

Hormonal signals are sent from the brain to the ovaries and also from the ovaries to the brain.

​The pituitary gland tells the ovaries to produce sex hormones: oestrogen and progesterone.

Oestrogen

The oestrogen hormone is produces first in the cycle and is produced when an egg ripens in the ovary.

The function of the estrogen is start the thickening of the uterus(womb) and also to help with the release of an egg from the ovary when it reaches a certain level.

Progesterone

The progesterone hormone is produced in the second half after ovulation. And its function is to continue to thicken the lining of the uterus to prepare for pregnancy (fertilised egg).

Phases of The Menstrual Cycle

The menstrual Cycle is mainly divided into 4 phases namely:

• The menstruation Phase

• The Follicular Phase

• Ovulation Phase

• Luteal Phase

Menstruation or Period Phase

The period phase is considered the first stage in the menstrual cycle. Mensuration is the shedding of the lining of the uterus (womb) if no egg is fertilised. It consist of blood and other tissues.

A period is usually 3 to 7 days long. The first day of your period is known as the first day of the menstrual cycle.

During your period the uterus contracts (tightens and relaxes) to shed its lining.

When your period is over, the uterus prepares again to release a fertilised egg.

This takes us to the next phase: 

The Follicular Phase

A woman has two ovaries. One on the left hand side of her lower abdomen and one on the right hand side.

The ovaries consist of follicles and inside the follicles are immature eggs. Do you know when a girl is born her ovaries already contains all the immature eggs that will later mature throughout her life time?

These eggs mature one at a time. 

The job of the follicular stimulating hormones is to ripen an egg. While the egg is growing the follicle also stimulates an hormone called estrogen to help thicken the uterus lining in preparation for pregnancy.

The estrogen hormone level continues to rise and it reaches its peak at the middle of the cycle.

This then triggers the ovulation.​

The Ovulatory Phase

Ovulation occurs when the matured egg is released from the ovary into the fallopian tube.

The rise to the peak of the estrogen hormone during the follicular phase causes the brain to produce an increasing level of the luteinising hormone.

An LH surge is what actually triggers ovulation. An this is why most ovulation tests detects ovulation by measuring the LH surge in a woman's urine.​

Ovulation usually occurs at mid cycle between days 12- Day 16 depending on how long your cycle is.

The Luteal Phase

A new phase begins after ovulation until the end of the cycle. This is called the luteal phase. The left over of the follicle produces another hormone called progesterone. The released egg also stays in the fallopian tube for 24 hours waiting to be fertilised.

The progesterone hormone further thickens up the uterine lining picking up from where the estrogen hormone left off.

The purpose of the thickening is to prepare the womb for a fertilised egg so as to support a growing baby.

If no fertilisation occurs, the egg moves into the uterus and disintegrates 

Also the level of the progesterone hormone starts to decrease because it is no longer needed to thicken the lining of the uterus.

Because of the decreased level of both the two most important sex hormone : estrogen and progesterone. The uterus lining is then shed when this two hormones are at their lowest.

This then causes mensuration and the beginning of another menstrual cycle.

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