Understanding Your Menstrual Cycle

Hormones are the body's chemical messengers, which relay important information between cells and body systems in order to function properly. Hormone levels influence the way we look and feel physically and mentally. This is just one reason why a healthy menstrual cycle is vital.

The menstrual cycle is broken up into 4 phases; menstrual, follicular, ovulatory & luteal.

The Menstrual Phase

The length of this phase varies from woman to woman but a healthy phase generally lasts between 3 to 7 days. The uterine lining, also known as the endometrium, sheds due to the drop in progesterone and oestrogen. This is the mechanism that causes bleeding.

While it’s commonly believed that menstrual fluid is pure blood, it’s actually composed of blood, mucous and endometrial cells.

The Follicular Phase

This phase generally lasts between 7 and 10 days. It begins from day 1 of menstruation and lasts until ovulation. In this phase, ovarian follicles containing an immature egg start to mature and develop. By the end of this phase, only one dominant follicle continues to develop, producing oestrogen.

The Ovulatory Phase

This phase lasts 3 to 4 days and is characterised by increasing levels of oestrogen that produce a hormone called luteinising hormone. This causes the dominant follicle to release the mature egg from the ovary, leading to ovulation.

The Luteal Phase

This phase begins after ovulation and ends the day before menstruation and typically lasts 10-14 days. The now-empty follicle from the ovulatory phase becomes a gland called the corpus luteum, which functions to fertilise the egg if pregnancy occurs. In the absence of pregnancy, the menstrual phase begins again.

A normal cycle varies from woman to woman but as a general rule, the bleed should occur every 21 to 35 days. Some discomfort is normal, however, a normal cycle is relatively symptom-free.

If you experience a heavy bleed, abdominal pain, debilitating back and leg pain, cramping, anxiety, depression, insomnia, fluid retention, acne flare-ups, tender breasts, etc - it would be wise to contact a health practitioner to help relieve these symptoms.

If you’re interested in seeing a Naturopath, you can book an appointment with me here.