What is menstruation?
What is a menstrual cycle:
The menstrual cycle is a natural and biological process that occurs in females every month. It is a complex, yet perfectly orchestrated sequence of events that sets the body up to sustain a desired pregnancy. Since society and school teaches us so little about the menstrual cycle, let’s talk about it here! I have broken it down to just the basics. Understanding even these simple terms will be crucial for your reproductive health, and will give you the power to navigate your own beautiful body.
The Phases:
**Remember it is the menstrual cycle. A cycle occurs every month and the same events are repeated in the same order each month.
There are technically four phases for the menstrual cycle:
· Menstrual Phase (days 1-5): this phase begins the cycle; the first day we bleed is the known as the first day of our cycle. When we say the term “period,” we are strictly referring to the menstrual phase. During this phase, the inner-most lining of our uterus, known as the endometrium, sheds, and exits via our vaginal canal in the form of blood and tissue.
· Follicular Phase (days 1-13): The follicular phase and the menstrual phase begin at the same time. It lasts from days 1-13 and is responsible for the growth of our ovarian follicles. Our key players during this phase include the hormones FSH, LH, and estrogen. Our hormone levels rise and build up our uterine lining to help our body prepare for a possible pregnancy. In the simplest terms, over the course of the first 13 days, these hormones allow our ovarian follicles to grow, and produce one healthy egg for ovulation.
· Ovulation (day 14): Ovulation occurs when one mature egg gets released from the ovarian follicle. This occurs due to a rise in estrogen levels, and is ultimately triggered by a quick surge of luteinizing hormone (LH). Ovulation should occur around the middle of a healthy menstrual cycle, and is arguably the most important indication of a healthy menstrual cycle.
· Luteal Phase: (days 15-28): Once ovulation has occurred, the ruptured follicle that released that egg, will form into a structure known as the corpus luteum. This structure will start to produce the hormone progesterone which helps to maintain a pregnancy (if the egg meets sperm). If there is no sperm to interact with, fertilization does not occur, and the corpus luteum degenerates. This corpus luteum stops producing progesterone leading to a sudden drop in both estrogen and progesterone, and we being a new menstrual cycle as our lining sheds.
What is normal?
· Period length: 2-7 days
· Cycle length: 21-35 days
· Average volume lost during menstruation: 25-40ml=3-4 tbsps—> roughly 4 tampons worth a day
What is abnormal?
· If your cycle is less than 21 days
· If your cycle is more than 35 days
· If you are bleeding for more than 7 days
· If your blood loss is more than 60-80mL, or less than 25mL
· If you are changing your pad or tampon every 1-3 hours
· If you have blood clots larger than a quarter
· If you experience significant pain while on your period
· If you experience severe PMS symptoms
If you read the above bullet points and thought “wait I think this is me,” you’ve come to the right place! Let’s figure out what’s going on together.
Remember, there are hundreds of things that can affect your period. From travel, to stress, to the foods you eat, your period is very sensitive. If there are underlying conditions that are affecting your period, lets treat them! Working on uncovering the root cause will provide so much valuable insight to your own body. There’s a reason our cycle is often known as the 5th vital sign; healthy menses=overall healthy well-being