Normal cycle days. Treatment of menstrual irregularities. How many no periods after childbirth

Every woman of reproductive age should know about what menstruation, phase, ovulation and conception is, how to count the menstrual cycle, what changes occur during it. This information will help control the body, prevent various diseases and avoid unplanned conception.

What is the menstrual cycle

This is a certain period during which a woman's body undergoes processes that prepare her for a possible pregnancy. The first day of the cycle is the beginning of menstruation, the end is the day before the next. How many days should ideally be between periods? How to count the cycle of menstruation? The duration is different, the norm is from 21 to 35 days, the ideal is 28 days. It is curious that even for one woman, menstrual periods can vary - be longer or shorter.

Cycle phases

How to correctly calculate the cycle of menstruation? To understand what day after menstruation ovulation occurs, you should learn more about the phases. There are two of them: follicular and luteal. Both are characterized by different processes occurring in time in the endometrium and ovaries. Since women have an individual cycle length, the number of days of the phases is also different. For example, if the cycle is 28 days, the first (follicular) lasts an average of 14 days.

Follicular

It starts from the day of menstruation. All processes that occur before the release of the egg from the ovary are due to the action of follicle-stimulating hormone. Thanks to him, the follicles begin to mature, from which the egg comes out. The process takes about half the cycle. Initially, several follicles may form, but one becomes dominant, having increased to 14 mm before the others.

Another process that occurs during this period is the removal of dead endometrium (it comes out with the blood). When the uterus is cleared of everything, a new endometrium begins to develop and thicken. This is how the body prepares itself to receive a fertilized egg. During the described phase in women, the basal temperature does not exceed 37 degrees. It is worth following it to determine the day of ovulation - during it there is a sharp decrease. The calendar of critical days is not so reliable, so those who are not planning a pregnancy should monitor their temperature.

luteal

The phase begins after the ovulatory (after ovulation) and lasts approximately 14 days. An important role is given to luteinizing hormone. Processes taking place at this time:

the main follicle is torn;
the corpus luteum is formed, which produces progesterone;
the endometrium loosens, swells, preparing for the implantation of a fertilized egg;
breasts swell under the influence of progesterone and estrogen;
basal temperature rises above 37 degrees;
the amount of secretions increases (mucus contributes to the survival and movement of spermatozoa).

Not fertilized, after 10-12 days, the corpus luteum resolves, the level of hormones drops. If the egg is fertilized, further changes occur, and the placenta begins to form. In the body, everything is interchangeable - any failure affects menstruation, the onset of pregnancy. It will not be possible to correctly draw up a personal schedule (table) of conception, calculate menstruation or calculate safe days if the cycle is irregular.

What is ovulation in women

Establishing the time of ovulation is often of interest to girls who want to get pregnant. During the estrous period, a mature egg leaves the follicle and begins to move towards the uterus. She is actively helped in this by the cilia of the fleecy epithelium. Ultimately, she either fertilizes or dies after a while. The ovulatory stage (the state of fertility) lasts approximately 48 days. Note: sometimes there are anovulatory periods, a feature of which is the absence of ovulation. This phenomenon is not accompanied by individual signs.

How to calculate the cycle of menstruation

It is not difficult to calculate the calendar of the menstrual cycle, especially if they flow without problems, with the same frequency. You need to start counting from the first day of your period. Regular menstruation is not as common. The physiology of women is such that the “biological clock” is lost not only due to pathologies, diseases, but even due to stress.

Some are interested in how to correctly calculate the cycle of menstruation using programs. If you do not want to keep a paper calendar, you can calculate the timing of menstruation in special electronic programs or use an ovulation calculator. Just keep in mind that such information is not always reliable, for example, if the ovulation period is shifted under the influence of external factors.

How many days is a normal cycle

The ideal cycle length is 28 days. If it is stable, it is not difficult to calculate the beginning of menstruation, ovulation, end. When taking hormonal pills, menstruation goes like clockwork, strictly after 28 days. If the cycle goes astray, this is not considered a pathology - as already noted, the body often reacts to stress, illness, and so on. Irregular interval, delays can be observed in girls, older women.

When does ovulation occur

It is impossible to determine exactly when a woman will ovulate. As a rule, it falls in the middle of the menstrual period. Subjective sign - mild pain in the lower abdomen. In addition, there is an increase in mucous secretions. To accurately calculate ovulation over several months, you can plot your basal body temperature.

The duration of menstruation

Video about the women's calendar of menstruation

Each representative of the fair sex has her own cycle of menstruation, the norm of which for each woman, respectively, is also her own. Therefore, there is no single answer to the question of how many days the menstrual cycle lasts. It all depends on the physiological characteristics and many other factors.

The female body is a big mystery. Certain processes take place in it every month, as a result of which the body and body of a woman change.

Features of the female body

For example, it has long been no secret that magnetic storms, affecting the body during the menstrual cycle, can not only bring a lot of trouble, but also deprive a woman of the opportunity to become a mother, which for many is simply the meaning of life.

A few thousand centuries ago, nature created a certain program for a woman so that humanity could continue its race. In this program, a special place is occupied by menstruation - a part of the life cycle, the main purpose of which is to prepare conditions suitable for the development of the egg.

In order for everything to work without failures, menstruation must be regular, without delay. At the same time, the duration of the menstrual cycle is not the same value for all women. Each has his own.

Why is the stability and regularity of the monthly cycle so important? Because without it it is impossible to get pregnant, bear and give birth to a child.

appears at the age of 10 to 14 years, depending on the individual characteristics of the girl and her physiology. The same reasons may affect the fact that the first menstruation may go earlier or later than the specified age. One of the reasons for this deviation may be genetic predisposition and heredity.

As a rule, regularity is not typical for the very first menstrual cycles. The number of days of the menstrual cycle is unstable: every month is different. In time, everything should settle down. The norm of days in almost every case, if there are no problems, including pathologies, should stabilize.

In the future, throughout the life of a girl, the menstrual cycle should be regular. Until the onset of menopause, which most often occurs by the age of 50. The most is the first and last 2 years of the menstrual cycle.

There is another exception when the menstrual cycle does not make itself felt for a while. This is the period of pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. There are no periods during this time.

Causes of cycle failure

For every woman, the main indicators of her health are the duration of the menstrual cycle and its regularity.

If there are no failures in this regard, it is considered that this is a stable cycle, the norm is observed in it, and this, in turn, means that the woman’s reproductive system is all right and she may well become a mother.

It is important to understand here that how long the cycle lasts and how many days the menstruation lasts is far from the same thing. The menstrual cycle is the period from the first day of menstruation in this month to the first day of menstruation in the next. And menstruation, or menstruation itself, is a period while spotting occurs.

Unfortunately, only 15% of women have a perfectly regular menstrual cycle, and they do not even need to think for a second - every month it happens exactly up to one day. In this case, the monthly cycle can last from 21 to 35 days. This is considered the norm. If its duration differs even by one day, perhaps we are talking about some kind of pathology. Be sure to contact your gynecologist for diagnosis and consultation. After all, one of the functions of the menstrual cycle is reproductive, and therefore you should not start your condition.

There are a large number of reasons for the failure of the menstrual cycle, here are the main ones:

gynecological and oncological diseases;
problems with the endocrine system, kidneys;
hormonal disbalance;
stress;
too active physical activity;
oral contraceptives;
some medicines;
climate change;
bad ecology;
too fast weight loss;
excessive alcohol consumption;
smoking;
the use of narcotic substances.

If before this failure of the menstrual cycle was not observed, it was stable and regular, at the first deviation from the norm, you should not immediately sound the alarm. Try to analyze whether any external factors could affect the monthly period: stress, fatigue, medications. Perhaps you just need to eliminate them, and the menstrual cycle will return to normal.

If the cycle of menstruation does not recover for a long time, while you exclude the possibility of pregnancy, it's time to seek advice and conduct a full course of examination, which includes:

examination by an obstetrician-gynecologist;
delivery of smears for infections and cytology;
blood analysis;
ultrasound diagnostics of female internal genital organs;
hormone testing.

In this case, it is very important not to self-medicate, it can be dangerous not only for health, as inflammatory processes and infertility can develop, but also for life.

Each woman should keep a personal calendar for herself, in which it will be recorded when the first day of the month has come (the beginning of the menstruation cycle), how many days there are spotting, their number, nature and general condition of the woman these days. At the moment, there are very convenient mobile and computer applications where all this is thought out and developed, you just need to enter your data.

Feelings on critical days

During menstruation, no matter how many days it lasts, various complex processes take place in a woman's body, and therefore it is not surprising that during this period she may experience not only a feeling of discomfort and pain. These sensations can occur (and usually appear) a few days before the start of a new menstrual cycle, and this is the norm. In general, it is believed that the most painful days are just before menstruation. During this period, there may be pain in the lower abdomen, in the lower back, muscles, headaches, chills caused by a slight decrease in temperature, fatigue and excessive irritability, and aggression may appear.

All these signs are not a pathology and do not indicate it. Such feelings are considered normal.

For every woman, such symptoms of the onset of the menstrual cycle can be pronounced or, conversely, weak. Some do not feel them at all, others require special attention during this period. But there are still others: those for whom the menstrual cycle and the symptoms accompanying it become simply torture, and one cannot do without medical intervention.

The question of how many days menstruation lasts is also important here. The ideal option is considered to be 3-5 days, but from 2 to 7 is considered the norm.

First alarms

There are a number of rules that are considered the norm for the menstrual cycle. And it's not just about how many days menstruation goes or how often. If you or your daughter have noticed at least one of the following signs, it makes sense to immediately seek the advice of a specialist. Reasons for seeking medical help:

If the girl has reached the age of 15, but her monthly cycle has not begun.
If the menstrual cycle has been going on for more than two years, but it is still irregular.
If for a long time it is impossible to calculate how many days menstruation will go, and the menstrual cycle is either shortened or, on the contrary, lengthened.
If the period of ovulation is accompanied by excessive pain (this is very important, since there is a threat of rupture of the ovaries).
If the discharge is too copious.

It is considered normal when a girl loses 100 ml of blood during menstruation, or 150 ml, if you count with the endometrium. If you notice that there is much more discharge, this may indicate a hormonal failure. There is nothing particularly terrible in it, if you turn to a specialist in time. It will be enough to take oral contraceptives prescribed by a gynecologist. If the hormonal failure is left to chance, everything can end in infertility, not counting other, less serious consequences that will negatively affect the entire body.

If a woman has regular sexual relations, she knows exactly how many days her menstruation lasts, since they go regularly, there are no failures and there is no particular discomfort, it will be enough for her to be examined by a gynecologist every six months. This may seem too common at first glance. But the thing is that in the life of every person, and women in particular, there are a large number of infections that live in the body completely asymptomatically, without showing themselves at first, but at the same time harm the entire body.

When all processes are normal

In order to make it more convenient to decipher the processes occurring in the female body, the menstrual cycle, which lasts 28 days, is taken as an indicative guideline. Regardless of how many days it lasts for you, this example allows you to see and understand the full picture of what is happening in the female body. Although this does not mean that for every girl, woman, it should be exactly the same in duration.

The first phase is menstruation. We call this phase menstruation, when a woman, along with blood, releases particles of the previously rejected endometrium. The duration of the phase is from 3 to 6 days, in some cases it may take more or less time, which may indicate a pathology.

The second phase is follicular. During this period, the hormone that directly affects the development of the egg, estrogen, is actively working. The duration of the follicular phase averages 15 days.

Third phase (period of ovulation). It comes on the 15th day of the monthly cycle, that is, in its middle, and lasts, as a rule, in the region of three days. At this time, a woman's body is undergoing hormonal changes. This period is characterized by the fact that the egg leaves the ovary and moves into the fallopian tube. The egg retains the ability to fertilize for two days.

The fourth phase is the luteal, or corpus luteum phase. It occurs immediately after ovulation and lasts until the end of the menstrual cycle. The corpus luteum, which released the egg, matures. In the case when a woman managed to become pregnant during the period of ovulation, the follicle turns into a yellow body of pregnancy.

The follicle also has the last influence on how many days the monthly cycle lasts. If it does not have time to mature during the first phase and, accordingly, burst during the ovulation period, then the onset of the second phase is automatically delayed, and this, in turn, increases the duration of one menstrual cycle.

If this is periodic, that is, it happens from time to time, then you can safely diagnose an irregular menstrual cycle. In this case, it is recommended to contact your gynecologist for a consultation.

Measurement of basal temperature

Each woman can independently trace all these phases in herself. Moreover, this must be done without fail in order to notice possible deviations in time. Tracking each of the phases is quite simple. All that is required is to follow a graph of basal temperature, that is, the temperature in the vagina or rectum. With the appearance of spotting, it should be around 37 ° C. After that, there should be a slight decrease, after which again an increase of at least half a degree. As a result, the basal temperature slightly exceeds 37 ° C - this is the norm. This indicator lasts until the end of the menstrual cycle, and only just before its completion, the temperature drops again a little, so that everything repeats itself with the onset of a new cycle.

The nature of menstruation and their regularity are important indicators of women's reproductive health. The body is sensitive to any stress, so accidental deviations from the norm are possible, which are not considered pathology. However, if the violations are persistent, this may indicate a disease. It is convenient to mark the days of the beginning and end of menstruation in the calendar. This will allow you to find out the duration of the next cycle and not miss unusual changes. It is important to understand what processes occur between menstruation, when conception is possible, why critical days come more often or less often than usual.

Content:

Why is cycle time calculated?

The processes in the female reproductive organs are repeated every month, on average after 28 days. Due to the individual characteristics of the organism, the cycle can be shorter (up to 21 days) or extended (up to 35 days). The main indicator of health is not so much the number of days in it, but the constancy of this indicator. If a woman gets her period regularly after 5 weeks or after 3 weeks, this is normal. But if they come after 35-40 days, then after 20-21, and this happens repeatedly, this is already a pathology.

Prepare for the onset of menstruation, take measures to alleviate premenstrual syndrome (plan, for example, load during critical days).
Provide for the possibility of pregnancy in the middle of the cycle, increase attention to contraception.
Consider which days will be most favorable for conception and the onset of a planned pregnancy.
To notice the onset of pregnancy and roughly calculate the day of delivery.
Plan preventive visits to specialist doctors (gynecologist, mammologist).

Having noticed persistent violations in the frequency of the onset of menstruation, it is necessary to consult a doctor in time to prevent early menopause or the occurrence of diseases of the uterus and ovaries.

What processes occur during the cycle of menstruation

The processes taking place in the female reproductive system are directly related to the ratio of sex hormones that are produced in the ovaries. The cycle is conditionally divided into phases: follicular, in which the maturation of the egg occurs, ovulatory and luteal - the phase of the onset and maintenance of pregnancy.

Follicular phase

The beginning is considered the first day of menstruation. Its duration in different women ranges from 7 to 22 days (it depends on the duration of this particular phase whether a woman’s cycle is short or long). The phase begins with menstruation - the cleansing of the uterus from the layer of endometrium that formed earlier. Menstruation occurs when the egg is not fertilized.

By the end of menstruation, the pituitary gland begins to produce follicle-stimulating hormone, under the influence of which several follicles (vesicles with eggs) develop in the ovaries. Of these, one stands out, the largest (dominant), which grows to about 20 mm in diameter. The rest stops growing.

During the development of the follicles, estrogens are intensively secreted, due to which a new layer of the mucous membrane (endometrium) begins to grow in the uterus.

Ovulation

The follicle that has matured with the egg (the so-called Graafian vesicle) bursts on the 7-22 (on average 14) day of the cycle. At the same time, the hormone lutein is released from the pituitary gland, which contributes to the formation of the corpus luteum from the ruptured membrane. Its purpose is to produce progesterone, which prevents the development of new follicles. Ovulation and progesterone production usually continue for 16-48 hours.

luteal phase

It is called the corpus luteum phase. This temporary gland functions for about 12 days, producing progesterone. If fertilization of the egg occurs, then the corpus luteum continues to function until the placenta is formed in the endometrium. If pregnancy does not occur, then the gland dies, menstruation begins.

Conception is most likely on those few days when ovulation occurs and a mature egg is released. By carefully observing the changes taking place in the body for six months, a woman can roughly predict when the “dangerous” days will come. The total duration of the luteal phase is 13-14 days and is practically unchanged.

Video: How to calculate the duration of menstruation, determine ovulation. Cycle phases

Causes of menstrual irregularities

In addition to fluctuations in the timing of the onset of menstruation, menstrual disorders also include the duration of menstruation less than 3 or more than 7 days, a change in the intensity of blood secretions (less than 40 ml or more than 80 ml for all days), and the absence of ovulation.

Reasons for violations can be:

Diseases of the reproductive and endocrine organs. You need to know how to count the cycle of menstruation so as not to miss the onset of the disease.
Hormonal changes in the course of natural age-related changes (maturing, menopause). In the pubertal period, the maturation of the ovaries is just beginning, therefore, in the first 2 years, menstruation in girls can be delayed by 2-6 months. Often the maturation of the ovaries is completed only during the first pregnancy. For many women, the cycle stabilizes after childbirth.
Physiological processes during the recovery of the body after pregnancy and childbirth, during lactation.
Hormonal disorders after an abortion.
Hormone imbalances caused by stress, medication, sudden weight loss or weight gain.

The older the woman, the greater the likelihood of violations, as possible causes accumulate (number of births, abortions, consequences of gynecological and other diseases), the body ages.

Why is the cycle lengthening?

The reason for the increase in the duration of the cycle may be the lack of ovulation due to the inferior development of the follicles. In this case, the corpus luteum does not form and the level of progesterone does not rise. Under such conditions, under the influence of estrogens, the growth of the endometrium continues until it begins to break down mechanically. In this case, the onset of menstruation is significantly delayed.

Another reason for the lengthening of the cycle may be too long the existence of the corpus luteum after the pregnancy has not occurred. This anomaly is determined by ultrasound.

Addition: The reverse situation is also possible. A woman has a delay in menstruation due to the onset of pregnancy, but when she comes to the gynecologist for a checkup, it turns out that there is no corpus luteum in the ovaries, although it should be there and provide nutrition to the fetus. This indicates a threat of miscarriage. Requires special hormonal treatment.

Reasons for shortening the cycle

The cycle is shortened due to the fact that the corpus luteum dies earlier than usual, or the maturation of the follicle and ovulation occur faster.

Often, deviations in the duration of the cycle are a response of the body to the occurrence of extreme living conditions, when, for health reasons or because of a difficult life situation, bearing healthy offspring is impossible. For example, during the war, women's periods disappeared altogether.

Video: The duration of the menstrual cycle. Reasons for deviations

How is cycle time calculated?

The countdown starts from the first day of menstruation. And it ends on the last day before the next menstruation. How to correctly calculate the cycle of menstruation, taking into account the different number of days in each month, can be seen in the examples.

Example 1 The previous menstruation was on March 5, and the next one came on April 2. The duration of the cycle is 27 (the number of days from March 5 to March 31) + 1 day (April 1) = 28 days.

Example 2 The previous period was on September 16, the next on October 14. The duration of the cycle is: 15 (from September 16 to 30) + 13 (in October) = 28 days.

Example 3 The previous period was on February 10 (a leap year), and the next one came on March 6. The cycle is: 20 (from February 10 to February 29) + 5 (in March) = 25 days.

Single deviations should not cause alarm, they can be considered the norm. But with prolonged violations, it is necessary to undergo an examination to find out the cause.

For the entire period of critical days, girls normally release up to fifty milliliters of fluid. Often, even fully formed women cannot answer the question of how long menstruation lasts, while the younger generation is well versed in this. Quite often, such questions are heard at a reception in the office of a gynecologist. The nature, as well as the amount of discharge, is determined by the individual characteristics of each girl. But still, there are several criteria that help determine whether the cycle is going well or not.

Puberty in girls, as you know, begins a few years earlier than in boys. The day of the onset of the first menstruation is called "menarche". This is evidence that the ovaries are healthy and fully functionally mature. But, despite the formed hormonal background, the girl is not yet ready to become pregnant and bear a child, because her uterus and genital tract will finally mature only by the age of eighteen.

The first menstruation for all girls begins at different ages, but there is an average time frame for the onset of critical days - this is from about ten to sixteen years. Precocious puberty is the presence of menstruation as early as eight or nine years of age. The first discharge, which occurs after the age of fifteen, may indicate that the hormonal background is disturbed in the body.

The answer to how many days menstruation comes in can be easily found on the Internet, or you can consult a gynecologist. Usually, at the very beginning, menstruation is unstable and can occur even after a few months. Don't worry about this. The full cycle is established only after one or two years. The duration is from twenty-one to thirty-five days, including the days of the critical days themselves. That is, for some they come earlier, and for others - later.

Mom will help answer how many menstruation the girls have, and better, of course, a specialist. There are a huge number of factors that affect when the first period begins. In particular, this is determined by the level of hormones, which is individual for each girl. It is under its influence that the reproductive system begins to develop. And also a big are important:

If most of the factors match, then menstruation will begin on time. After a certain period of time, menstruation becomes regular in nature, as well as in duration.

Changes taking place in the body

About one or two years before "menarche" occurs, hormone levels begin to rise. The onset of ovarian maturation occurs after the brain gives a signal to release specific substances. Slightly swollen labia and breasts suggest that Critical days are coming soon

Mom during this period should reassure her daughter, explain everything to her in detail and teach her how to use special hygiene products intended for menstruation (pads or tampons). And most importantly - the girl must observe the rules of personal hygiene (wash herself several times a day - after each change of pads or tampons).

Mom's actions

As it has already become clear, the mother at this time should become a kind of child psychologist, because she is the closest person to the child who can explain everything clearly and reassure. And also she should control the nature of the discharge (normally, they have a dark red tint). And if any strange symptoms appear, then you need to consult a pediatric gynecologist.

For some girls, only three pads are enough for a day, while someone can use almost the entire pack (about eight pieces). This phenomenon does not always indicate the presence of some kind of disease, usually these are just individual characteristics. Therefore, there is no exact answer to the question of how many pads per day are the norm for menstruation.

To end the conversation is how to correctly determine the beginning of the cycle. Some mistakenly believe that you need to start counting from the end of menstruation, which is fundamentally wrong and should be done exactly the opposite. The second menstruation can come only after a few months. After about a year, the cycle will return to normal.

The duration and nature of menstruation becomes normal by the age of eighteen, this indicates that the body is already ready for bearing and giving birth to a child. The cycle can be disrupted if a woman has recently experienced a strong shock or has been ill with something.

Sometimes the duration of menstruation is reduced to two days, or, conversely, the periods are too long. And it often happens that menstruation does not come for six months. If they do not occur longer than usual, then this may indicate the presence of infertility.

From year to year, the activity of the ovaries fades. This contributes to the general aging of the whole organism as a whole. Every year a woman's ability to have a child decreases, as a result of which menstruation gradually changes and eventually disappears.

Changes in the body

Fully formed sexual functions contribute to the cyclic development of eggs in the ovaries. All these processes are under the control of the ovaries themselves and, of course, the brain. This prepares the body for pregnancy. Due to some changes in the immune and blood systems, the body heals wounds on the mucous membrane faster:

Due to the fact that menstrual blood is poorly clotting, critical days in most cases last four or seven days. Some have two days. If this blood did not have this property, then small clots would begin to form inside the vagina and uterus, making it difficult for the outflow of discharge. The nature of menstruation is normal if:

The volume of blood released does not exceed sixty milliliters. By the way, most of this indicator falls on the beginning of the cycle.
There are no clots in it, the consistency is homogeneous, the presence of veins is possible.
Color brown or dark red.
Menstruation is often accompanied by symptoms such as weakness, dizziness, nausea, but most often - pain in the lower abdomen.

Only a gynecologist can answer how many days menstruation should go normally. Therefore, it is worth visiting from time to time.

Proper hygiene

After the first "menarche" it is necessary to teach the girl how to properly carry out hygiene procedures. Mom will help with this, and at an older age - a gynecologist. It is necessary to wash after each change of the pad for all menstruation, even when there is very little discharge. After all, it is at this time that there is a risk of catching an infection.

Water procedures (washing) are carried out using intimate soap and plain warm water. The total number of such events should not be less than two. During critical days, it is not recommended to visit saunas and baths, as they increase bleeding. Bathing in a regular bath is also better to postpone.

Pads or tampons are used only after washing. Their choice depends on the volume of secretions. They vary in absorbency and size. You can not wear one pad for more than four hours, since the blood that is released during menstruation is an ideal breeding ground for microorganisms. And no matter how many years menstruation lasts, it is worth carrying out frequent and thorough hygiene procedures.

Menstruation during pregnancy

When pregnancy occurs, a large number of women experience the disappearance of menstruation, but often they reappear, right on time, as a result of which a woman may not even understand that she is pregnant. Menstruation, which came during the first month of pregnancy, is explained by the fact that the fertilization of the egg occurred at the end of the cycle, that is, at a time when the inner layer of the uterus had already exfoliated a little. The nature of such secretions is scarce.

It very rarely happens that one egg begins to develop in each ovary. One was successfully fertilized, and the other was removed by the body. Minor bleeding lasts only a day or two.

When a woman periodically releases a small amount of blood during the first few months of pregnancy, this may indicate that hormone production has not stopped in the ovaries. But you can't ignore it. It is necessary to visit a gynecologist, because such symptoms may be harbingers of a miscarriage or manifest themselves due to disorders in the endocrine system.

Absence of menstruation after childbirth

If a woman immediately after giving birth began to breastfeed her baby, then during this entire period she will not have menstruation. However, if for some reason the child had to be transferred to artificial feeding, then the critical days will come about three months after the birth of the child.

If there are no complications, then the cycle returns to normal and even becomes more stable than before. The indicators change and approach the norm, the pain disappears. This is attributed to the fact that there are changes in the position of the uterus, the outflow of secretions improves.

End of menstruation

Complete cessation of menstruation occurs around the age of fifty, when menopause occurs. Having crossed the threshold of forty years, the body reduces the production of hormones in the ovaries and gradually ceases to create new eggs. Ovulation periodically disappears, and this affects the nature of menstruation: they become irregular and their duration is reduced.

It holds many mysteries. And it is sometimes very difficult for an ordinary person to deal with all of them. Therefore, in this article I want to talk in detail about the cycle. The norm and deviations will also be described later.

Understanding concepts

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 - the menstrual) cycle is a special physiological process that is characteristic exclusively for the female body (sexually mature person). It has a regular nature, affects mainly the reproductive system. All these processes are controlled by hormones that produce the ovaries, as well as the brain.

When does a woman's menstrual cycle begin to form? The norm is the time of puberty for a girl. This happens on average at 11-14 years. The menstrual cycle disappears in women with the onset of menopause (most often it comes at the age of 45-55). This is a normal physiological process, as a result of which a woman already becomes unable to conceive and bear a baby. The external manifestation of the menstrual cycle is spotting, or menstruation.

How to count?

Not all women know how to correctly calculate their female cycle. So, first of all, it is worth saying that it is necessary to start counting from the first day of spotting, to finish - the last day before a new menstruation. Ideally, the monthly cycle is 28 days. But this is not the case for all women. The norm is also considered a deviation from this figure in one week. That is, if a lady's cycle lasts within 21-35 days, there is nothing to worry about. If not, you should definitely consult a doctor for qualified advice. It is also important to remember that the cycle should be regular. If one month it has 25 days, and the second - 32 - this is not normal. Variations are possible within 1-3 days. Otherwise, again, you need to contact a gynecologist for advice and search for reasons.

Nuances

Ovulation (translated from Latin as "egg"). This is one of the processes of the menstrual cycle. At this time, the follicle ruptures, and the egg comes out of it, completely ready for fertilization.
Menstruation. Occurs approximately 12-15 days after ovulation. This is spotting, with which, as unnecessary (if pregnancy has not occurred), exfoliated endometrium comes out.

Phases

The phases of the menstrual cycle - that's what else needs to be said in this article. So, this issue can be approached in different ways. According to one version, there are only two phases of the menstrual cycle:

Folliculin.
Luteal (secretory, or phase of the corpus luteum).

Why is there such a division? It's all the fault of hormones, which in a certain period are dominant in the reproductive organs of the female body. You can often see information that there are two more phases of the monthly cycle:

phase of menstruation.
ovulation phase.

However, most scientists believe that it is not entirely correct to single them out in terms of hormonal levels. However, it is believed that they more clearly show the processes occurring in the ovaries and uterus. In addition, these phases are very important during pregnancy planning, so they cannot be completely excluded. All four phases will be discussed below.

First phase: menstruation

The normal cycle of menstruation begins with the first phase, which is calculated from the first day of spotting. These are the so-called menses. At this time, the previously rejected endometrium is released along with the blood. This process can also be called preparation for receiving a new egg. As for the duration, this phase has only 3 to 6 days. It ends even before the end of bleeding in women. What else is important to say when studying the cycle of menstruation? How much blood should a girl normally produce? No 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 a reason to see a doctor. You should also seek help if spotting has been going on for a week or more.

Possible problems

What problems can arise in this phase?

Amenorrhea (the prefix "a" means no). This is the complete absence of bleeding. However, this diagnosis can only be made if a similar phenomenon has been observed for six months.
Algodysmenorrhea (the prefix "algo" means pain). These are painful periods when a woman feels very ill. At this time, the work capacity of the lady is sharply reduced.
Menorrhagia. It's too much bleeding. This diagnosis can be made if a woman's menstruation lasts more than 7 days or the amount of discharge is more than 80 ml.

Second phase: follicular

We study further the monthly cycle. The norm is when the second phase in a woman lasts about two weeks after the completion of spotting. 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 follicles grow in the ovaries. Gradually, a dominant follicle is formed, which will be a haven in the future. At the same time, a woman's body is actively producing a hormone such as estrogen. He's working on updating the lining of the uterus. Also, this hormone affects the cervical mucus so much that it becomes immune to sperm.

Problems

Violation of the cycle of menstruation 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., decreases significantly, but immediately there is a release of LH, i.e. Time frame of the period: three days. What happens to the female body at this time?

LH makes the cervix very receptive to sperm.
The maturation of the egg is completed.
The egg is released from the follicle, after which it enters the fallopian tubes and awaits conception (term - about two days).

Phase Four: Luteal

It can also be called the “yellow body phase”. After the follicle is released, 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 up, and the production of LH stops. If there is a normal monthly cycle in women, then this phase lasts no more than 16 days (for a maximum of 12 days, the fertilized egg must attach to the uterus).

If fertilization has occurred: in this case, the egg enters the uterine cavity, is implanted, and the production of the so-called pregnancy hormone begins, which will be active throughout the entire period of bearing the baby.
If fertilization does not occur: in this case, the egg also dies, the production of progesterone stops. This causes the destruction of the endometrium, which entails its rejection and the onset of the first phase of a new menstrual cycle - spotting.

Cycle and conception

Every lady should know her correct menstrual cycle. After all, this is very important in that situation, if you want to prepare for the conception of a baby, or, conversely, to avoid an unwanted pregnancy. After all, as everyone knows, there are favorable and dangerous days of the female cycle. About this in more detail:

The maximum probability of conception is a couple of days before ovulation or at the time of the second phase of the menstrual cycle.
It is worth remembering that male sperm live up to seven days in the female tract, so fertilization is possible even if unprotected intercourse occurred a week before ovulation.
Favorable days for those who do not yet want to have children: a couple of days after ovulation. The egg has already died at this time, 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 don’t want to get pregnant, it’s best not to rely on your own calculations, but to additionally protect yourself with modern means, say, condoms.

Basal temperature

We study further the monthly cycle. The norm and deviations must be known to every woman. Here I also want to talk about how you can independently identify with the phases. To do this, it is enough to trace the graph of basal temperature (as you know, this is a measurement of temperature indicators in the lady's vagina or in the rectum). In the first days after bleeding, the temperature should be kept within 37 ° C. Further, it usually decreases slightly, and then "jumps" by 0.5 ° C and is normally more than 37 ° C. At this indicator, the temperature is kept almost all the time, but a few days before the onset of menstruation, it decreases again. If this did not happen, we can say that the girl became pregnant. If the temperature has not changed at all throughout the cycle, this 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 cycle of menstruation. What symptoms can signal this:

An increase in the interval between menstruation, its significant fluctuation.
Change of days in the cycle (deviation of more than three days in any direction).
Profuse or scanty bleeding.
The complete absence of menstruation for at least two months (unless, of course, this is a sign of pregnancy).
The appearance of bleeding in different phases of the menstrual cycle (not only in the first).
The duration of spotting is more than a week or less than three days.

These are the main problems that should alert the lady. In this case, you should definitely consult a gynecologist and find out the causes of these phenomena.

The reasons

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

Weight change - obesity or its sharp loss. Starvation, as well as the consumption of foods harmful to the body and overeating, affects the entire body as a whole, and especially the reproductive function of a lady. Accordingly, for the menstrual cycle.
Stress. In this state, the woman actively begins to produce the hormone prolactin, which is able to inhibit ovulation and cause a delay in menstruation.
Physical exercise.
Acclimatization. If a woman changes her stay belt - from heat to cold or vice versa, the body turns on defenses, which can affect the female cycle.
If a lady has lost her monthly cycle, the reason for this may be a hormonal failure (a violation of the production of certain hormones).
Women's diseases. The cycle can go astray if a lady has the following problems: inflammation of the uterus, pathologies of her cervix, cysts, polyps of the uterus, her appendages.
Taking oral contraceptives. If a woman is just starting to take birth control pills, at first, while the body is adapting, there may be certain failures. However, after a maximum of three months, if the medications are chosen correctly, a clear and normal menstruation cycle will be established.
Adolescence and menopause. During these periods, the female cycle may be irregular, which is not an indicator of special problems with the body. For a young girl, the first cycle of menstruation will never be an indicator that menstruation will continue in the same mode.
A woman will completely stop menstruating if she becomes pregnant.
Huge problems with the cycle will be in case of involuntary or planned abortions.

Diagnostics

If a lady started her period in the middle of the cycle or had any other problem, she should definitely seek medical advice. After all, this can be the cause of quite serious problems with the body. By what indicators will the gynecologist diagnose?

Questioning (obtaining complete information about the possible causes of violations).
Gynecological examination of the patient.
Taking all smears necessary for analysis.
Blood and urine tests.

If these procedures did not give complete answers to the questions of interest to the doctor, the lady may be assigned additional studies:

Ultrasound of the pelvic organs or abdominal cavity.
Hormone tests.
MRI - magnetic resonance imaging (determination of pathological changes in tissues, as well as the search for possible neoplasms).
Hysteroscopy (examination of the walls of the patient's uterus with a special instrument).

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

Diseases

Above, it was said a little about what problems can arise with the female menstrual cycle and what diseases develop against this background. However, this is far from a complete list.

Hypomenorrhea. This is very scanty spotting.
Opsomenorrhea. A significant shortening of the duration of spotting in a lady.
Oligomenorrhea. This is an increase in the interval between the spotting of a lady.

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

Complications

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

If a woman has minor menstrual irregularities, you can try to correct the situation without the intervention of doctors. To do this, it is enough to correctly adjust your daily routine and nutrition. That is, you need to exclude all harmful foods from food, pay more attention to the consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as cereals. In sufficient quantities, the lady should also rest: at least seven hours of sleep at night, work breaks, physical activity and being 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, treatment will be prescribed based on the reasons that led to the hormonal failure.

If the cause is stress, the patient will be prescribed sedatives.
If there are problems with spotting, a woman may be prescribed hemostatic drugs (to eliminate bleeding if menstruation occurs in the middle of the cycle).
With heavy bleeding, a lady can be infused with donor blood, plasma.
Surgery is possible (including hysterectomy, i.e. removal of the uterus).
In some cases, the girl may be prescribed antibiotics (if the cause of the failure is infectious diseases).
The most common methods of treatment - the appointment of hormonal drugs to regulate hormonal levels.