Menstrual cycle is determined by counting the first day of your menstruation to the first day of the next one.
The menstrual cycle is a process that occurs in every woman’s body that prepares her body for pregnancy because the lining of the uterus becomes thicker and richer in blood vessels but when pregnancy doesn’t occur, the lining sheds as menstrual flow and this lasts for 2-7 days.
Menstrual flow begins in a girl child during puberty.
It begins two years after her breast has developed, and it can begin as early as 8 years or 12 years because the girl’s body differs,
The first menstrual flow a girl experiences is called menarche.
The average length of a menstrual cycle is 28 – 35 days
Every woman’s body differs, we have some less than 28 days and some longer than 28 days.
Four phases of the menstrual cycle
The menses phases: this is the period when the lining of the uterus sheds through the vagina when pregnancy doesn’t occur.
This usually last for three to seven days, while some women experience heavy flow, other women experience light flow.
The follicular phase: this is the phase when an egg matures in your ovaries.
It occurs between day 6 to day 14 in a 28-day menstrual cycle, and it’s the longest phase in the menstrual cycle,
The odds of getting pregnant increase at this phase because the ovaries house a developing egg that will be released during ovulation.
The ovulation phase: this occurs on day 14 in a menstrual cycle.
It marks the end of the follicular phase, in this phase, the ovary releases the eggs that matured during the follicular phase.
The luteal phase: it’s the number of days after your ovulation to the day before your next menstruation.
This phase starts from day 15 to day 28, that’s 14 days,
A woman with a luteal phase of less than 10 days will strive hard to get pregnant.
Safe period
A safe period is when a woman has the least chance of getting pregnant and it’s usually 3-4 days before and after your period,
Ovulation
This is the period where a mature egg is released from the ovary and it starts 24 days before the start of the next menstrual period.
This varies according to the woman’s body
Here are signs to know that you are ovulating, cervical mucus changes, breast tenderness.
CONCLUSION
Menstrual cycle is part of every woman’s life
most women find it difficult to calculate their menstrual cycle but this article will guide you
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