Monthly cycle: norm and deviation

A woman's body is fraught with many mysteries. And to deal with all of them an ordinary person is sometimes very difficult. Therefore, in this article I want to talk in detail about what a monthly cycle is. The norm and deviations will also be described below.

Understand in terms

First of all, I want to define the concepts themselves, in order to fully understand what is at stake. So, the monthly (or more correctly - menstrual) cycle is a special physiological process that is characteristic exclusively for the female body (sexually mature person). It has a regular nature, it affects mainly the reproductive system. All these processes are guided by hormones that produce the ovaries, as well as the brain.

When does a woman start to form a monthly cycle? Norm - the time of puberty girls. This happens on average 11-14 years. Disappears menstrual cycle in women with the onset of menopause (most often it comes in 45-55-year-old age). This is a normal physiological process, as a result of which a woman is already unable to conceive and endure a baby. The external manifestation of the menstrual cycle are spotting, or menstruation.

How to count?

Not all women know how to properly calculate their female cycle. So, first of all it is necessary to say that it is necessary to begin the account from the first day of bloody discharge, to finish - last day before a new menstruation. Ideally, the monthly cycle is 28 days. But this is not the case for all women. Norm is also considered a deviation from this figure in one week. That is, if a woman's cycle lasts for 21-35 days, there's nothing to worry about. If not - be sure to consult a doctor for a qualified consultation. It is also important to remember that the cycle should be regular. If one month it totals 25 days, and the second - 32 - this is abnormal. Variations are possible within 1-3 days. Otherwise, again, you need to contact a gynecologist for advice and a search for reasons.

Nuances

We further consider the monthly cycle in women. What other terms do you need to know?

1. Ovulation (from Latin translates as "egg"). This is one of the processes of the menstrual cycle. At this time, the follicle bursts, and from it comes an egg, completely ready for fertilization.
2. Menstruation. It occurs approximately 12-15 days after ovulation. These are bloody discharge, with which, as superfluous (if pregnancy has not come), the exfoliated endometrium leaves.

Phases

The phases of the monthly cycle - that's what more should be told in this article. So, this question can be approached in different ways. According to one version, there are only two phases of the menstrual cycle:

1. Follicular.
2. Luteal (secretory, or yellow body phase).

Why is this division going on? All the blame for hormones, which in a certain period are predominant in the reproductive organs of the female body. It is often possible to see information that there are two more phases of the monthly cycle:

1. The phase of menstruation.
2. The phase of ovulation.

However, most scientists believe that it is not entirely appropriate to distinguish them from the point of view of the hormonal background. However, it is believed that they more clearly show the processes taking place in the ovaries and uterus. In addition, these phases are very important during pregnancy planning, so you can not completely exclude them. All four phases will be considered below.

The first phase: menstruation

The normal cycle of menstruation begins with the first phase, which is calculated from the first day of bloody discharge. This is the so-called monthly. At this time, an exit with the blood of the previously torn endometrium occurs. This process can still be called a preparation for the reception of a new egg. As for duration, this phase only lasts from 3 to 6 days. It ends before the end of the bloody discharge in the ladies. What else is important to say while studying the cycle of menstruation? How much blood should normally be allocated to a girl? Not more than 80 ml for the entire period of menstruation. If a woman changes pads or tampons more than 10 times a day - this is an occasion to consult a doctor. Also, you need to seek help if the spotting goes on for a week or more.

Possible problems

What problems can arise in this phase?

1. Amenorrhea (prefix "a" means absence). This is the complete absence of bloody discharge. However, this diagnosis can be made only in the event that a similar phenomenon is observed for six months.
2. Algodismenorea (the prefix "algo" means pain). It is painful menstruation when a woman feels very ill. At this time, sharply reduced the capacity of the lady.
3. Menorrhagia. This is too abundant spotting. This diagnosis can be made if the woman's menstruation lasts more than 7 days or the amount of secretions is more than 80 ml.

The second phase: follicular

We study further the monthly cycle. Norm - this is when the second phase of a woman lasts about two weeks after the completion of bloody discharge. At this time, the woman's brain begins to send certain impulses, under the influence of which the follicle-stimulating hormone is actively produced, and in the ovaries follicles grow. Gradually, a dominant follicle is formed, which will be the haven for the maturation of the egg in the future. At the same time in the body of the lady, a hormone such as estrogen is actively produced. He is working on updating the lining of the uterus. Also, this hormone so affects the cervical mucus that it becomes immune to sperm.

Problems

Disruption of the menstrual cycle in the second phase can cause various stresses and diseases. In this case, the third phase of the female cycle will come a little later than usual.

Phase three: ovulation

This is the middle of the monthly cycle. At this point, there is a restructuring of hormones in the female body. The level of FSH, i.e. follicle-stimulating hormone, is significantly reduced, but immediately there is an outgrowth of LH, i.e., a luteinizing hormone. Time frame of the period: three days. What happens at this time with the female body?

1. LH makes the cervix very susceptible to sperm.
2. Ends the maturation of the egg.
3. The release of the egg from the follicle occurs, after which it enters the fallopian tubes and awaits conception (the period is about two days).

Phase Four: Luteal

It can also be called the "phase of the yellow body." After the release of the follicle, it begins to actively produce the hormone progesterone, the main task of which is to prepare the uterine mucosa for implantation. At the same time, the cervical mucus dries out, the production of LH stops. If a normal monthly cycle in women is traced, then this phase lasts no more than 16 days (for a maximum of 12 days a fertilized egg should attach to the uterus).

1. If fertilization has occurred: in this case the egg enters the uterus cavity, is implanted, and the development of the so-called pregnancy hormone begins, which will be active throughout the period of gestation of the baby.
2. If fertilization does not occur: in this case, the yellow body and egg die off, progesterone production stops. This causes the destruction of the endometrium, which entails its rejection and the onset of the first phase of the new menstrual cycle - bloody discharge.

Cycle and conception

Every lady should know her right monthly cycle. After all, it is very important in this situation if you want to prepare for the conception of the baby or, conversely, to avoid unwanted pregnancy. After all, as everyone knows, there are favorable and dangerous days of the women's cycle. About this in more detail:

1. The maximum probability of conception is a couple of days before ovulation or at the time of the second phase of the menstrual cycle.
2. It is worth remembering that male spermatozoa live up to seven days in female ways, so fertilization is possible even if unprotected sexual intercourse occurred a week before ovulation.
3. Favorable days for those who do not yet want to have children: a couple of days after ovulation. At this time the ovum has already died, fertilization will not occur.

However, it should be said that it is very difficult to accurately predict ovulation. After all, the female body is not an ideal machine. If you do not want to get pregnant, it's best not to rely on your calculations, but additionally to be protected by modern means, say, condoms.

Basal temperature

We study further the monthly cycle. The norm and deviations must necessarily be known to every woman. I also want to talk about how you can independently identify with the phases. To do this, it is sufficient to trace the basal temperature graph (as is known, this is a measurement of the temperature in the vagina of the lady or in the rectum). In the first days after the bloody discharge, the temperature should be kept within 37 ° C. Further, it is usually slightly reduced, and then "jumps" at 0.5 ° C and is normally more than 37 ° C. At this rate, the temperature keeps almost all the time, but a few days before the onset of menstruation again decreases. If this did not happen, we can say that the girl became pregnant. If the temperature does not change at all during the whole cycle, it means that the third phase - ovulation - has not occurred.

About crashes

Modern women very often suffer from such a problem as a violation of the menstrual cycle. What symptoms can be signaled about this:

1. Increase in the gap between menstruation, a significant fluctuation.
2. Change of days in a cycle (deviation more than three days in any direction).
3. Abundant or poor spotting.
4. Complete absence of menstruation for at least two months (if this, of course, is not a sign of pregnancy).
5. The appearance of bleeding in different phases of the menstrual cycle (not only in the first).
6. Duration of bleeding is greater than a week or less than three days.

These are the main problems that a lady needs to alert. In this case, you should always seek advice from a gynecologist and find out the causes of these phenomena.

Causes

If a woman has lost the monthly cycle, the reasons for this may be as follows:

1. Weight changes - obesity or a sharp loss of it. Fasting, as well as consumption of food harmful to the body and overeating, affects the whole body, and especially the genital function of the lady. Accordingly, and the menstrual cycle.
2. Stress. In this condition, the lady is actively developing a prolactin hormone, which can inhibit ovulation and cause a delay in menstruation.
3. Physical exercise.
4. Acclimatization. If a woman changes the belt of stay - from heat gets into the cold or vice versa, the body turns on protective forces, which can affect the female cycle.
5. If the woman has lost the monthly cycle, the cause of this can be a hormonal failure (a violation of the production of certain hormones).
6. Female diseases. The cycle can get stuck if the lady has the following problems: inflammation of the uterus, pathology of her cervix, cysts, polyps of the uterus, her appendages.
7. Reception of oral contraceptives. If a woman is just starting to take birth control pills, at first, while adaptation of the body is going on, there may be certain failures. However, a maximum of three months later, if the medications are selected correctly, a clear and normal cycle of menstrual cycles will be established.
8. Adolescence and menopause. During these periods, the female cycle may be irregular, which is not an indicator of special problems with the body. In a young girl, the first cycle of menstruation will never be an indicator to the fact that in the same regime, and further, there will be monthly ones.
9. The lady will completely stop menstruating if she becomes pregnant.
10. Huge problems with the cycle will be in case of involuntary or planned abortions.

Diagnostics

If a woman has started her period in the middle of the cycle or if she has any other problem, she must immediately seek medical advice. After all, this can be the reason for quite serious problems with the body. What indicators will the gynecologist diagnose?

1. Polling (getting full information about possible causes of violations).
2. Gynecological examination of the patient.
3. Taking all the smears needed for the tests.
4. Blood and urine tests.

If these procedures do not give full answers to the questions of interest to the doctor, the woman may be assigned additional studies:

1. Ultrasound of the pelvic organs or abdominal cavity.
2. Analyzes for hormones.
3. MRI - magnetic resonance imaging (determination of pathological changes in tissues, as well as the search for possible neoplasms).
4. Hysteroscopy (examination of the walls of the patient's uterus using a special instrument).

Only a combination of these methods of examining the patient's condition can give a complete picture of the causes of her illness, which will lead to the establishment of the correct diagnosis and the appointment of competent treatment.

Diseases

Above a little it was said about what problems can arise with the female menstrual cycle and what diseases develop against this background. However, this is not a complete list.

1. Hypomenorrhoea. This is a very meager spotting.
2. Opmomenorea. Significant shortening of the duration of bloody discharge in the lady.
3. Oligomenorrhoea. This is an increase in the interval between the spotting of the lady.

All these problems should cause concern. Every woman should remember that timely diagnosis and treatment of the disease is very important.

Complications

If a woman has lost the cycle (between monthly periods, for example, there are different periods of time) or if there are other problems with women's health, you should immediately contact the doctor for qualified counseling. After all, if the disease is not diagnosed and treated in time, it can lead to serious complications, it will be extremely difficult to cope with. It is worth remembering that later revealing pathologies that cause malfunctions of the menstrual cycle can lead not only to the inability to become pregnant, but even to the death of a young lady.

Treatment: simple tips

If a woman has minor malfunctions of the menstrual cycle, you can try to remedy the situation without the intervention of doctors. To do this, it is sufficient to correctly correct your daily routine and nutrition. That is, you need to exclude from the food all harmful products, pay more attention to the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as porridge. In sufficient quantity, the lady should also have a rest: at least a seven-hour night's sleep, breaks in work, physical activity and stay in the fresh air - only these nuances can correct the female cycle with minor disruptions.

Doctor's treatment

If the girl still needs to seek medical help, the treatment will be appointed based on the reasons that led to hormonal failure.

1. If the cause is stress, the patient will be prescribed sedatives.
2. If there are problems with spotting, a woman can be attributed to hemostatic drugs, aminocaproic acid (to eliminate bleeding if the menstrual period occurs in the middle of the cycle).
3. With heavy bleeding, a lady can be infused with donor blood, plasma.
4. Possible surgical intervention (including hysterectomy, i.e., removal of the uterus).
5. In some cases, a girl may be prescribed antibiotics (if the cause of the malfunction is infectious diseases).
6. The most common methods of treatment - the appointment of hormonal drugs to regulate the hormonal background.