PERIOD PREACHER| HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT YOUR #MCYCLE
Menstruation is when blood and tissue from a female uterus come out of the vagina. The process usually happens every month and is completely normal.
Menstrual Cycle
The menstrual cycle is the monthly hormonal cycle a female’s body goes through to prepare for pregnancy. This series of hormone-driven events is what we call the menstrual cycle. The menstrual cycle is from Day 1 of bleeding to Day 1 of the next time of bleeding. Although the average cycle is 28 days, it is normal to have a cycle that is shorter or longer.
During each menstrual cycle, an egg develops and is released from the ovaries. The lining of the uterus builds up. If a pregnancy doesn’t happen, the uterine lining sheds during a menstrual period, and then the cycle starts again.
A woman’s menstrual cycle is divided into four phases:
- menstrual phase
- follicular phase
- ovulation phase
- luteal phase
The length of each phase can differ from woman to woman, and it can change over time. Some women’s periods are so regular that they can predict the day and time that their periods will start. Others are regular but can only predict the start of their period within a few days. Although the typical menstrual cycle is 28 days long.
Regular and Irregular Periods
If one’s periods are regular, tracking them will help you know when you ovulate, when you are most likely to get pregnant, and when to expect your next period to start. And if their periods are not regular, tracking them can help you share any problems with your doctor or nurse.
One can keep track of their menstrual cycle by marking the day their periods start on a calendar. After a few months, they will begin to notice if their periods are regular or if their cycles are different each month.
Menstrual Stage From Day 1- 5
The menstrual phase is the first stage of the menstrual cycle. This is normally when one's periods start. The phase starts when an egg from the previous cycle isn’t fertilized because pregnancy has not taken place. During your period, you release a combination of blood, mucus, and tissue from your uterus. Some of the symptoms experienced are:
- Cramps
- Tender breasts
- Bloating
- Mood swings
- tiredness
Follicular phase From Day 1-13
This phase starts when periods start on the first day and ends when one is ovulating that is on the 13th day of your periods. When the hypothalamus (a gland in your brain that controls your hormone system) 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 that each contain 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. The 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. The average follicular phase lasts for about 16 days. It can range from 11 to 27 days, depending on your cycle.
Ovulation Stage Day 14
Ovulation is when your ovary releases a mature egg. The egg travels down the fallopian tube toward the uterus to be fertilized by sperm.
The ovulation phase is the only time during your menstrual cycle when you can get pregnant. This happens at around day 14 if you have a 28-day cycle 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’t fertilized.
Luteal Phase From Day 15-28
This phase begins on the 15th day and lasts till the end of the cycle. The following events occur during this phase:
- The egg cell released during the ovulation phase stays in the fallopian tube for 24 hours.
- If a sperm cell does not impregnate the egg cell within that time, the egg cell disintegrates.
- The hormone that causes the uterus to retain its endometrium gets used up by the end of the menstrual cycle. This causes the menstrual phase of the next cycle to begin.
A Take away Menstrual Quote
By honoring the demands of our bleeding, our blood gives us something in return. The crazed bitch from irritation hell recedes. In her place arises a side of ourselves with whom we may not at first- be comfortable.
She is a vulnerable, highly perceptive genius who can ponder a given issue and take her world by storm. When we’re quiet and bleeding, we stumble upon solutions to dilemmas that’ve been bugging us all month.
Inspiration hits and moments of epiphany rumba ‘cross de tundra of our senses. In this mode of existence, one does not feel antipathy towards a bodily ritual that so profoundly reinforces our cuntpower. ”
― Inga Muscio
