Question

What is menstrual cycle? When does it begins? What happens during this period?

Answer 1

• Menstrual cycle is a regular naturally occurring changes within the body of females which prepares for pregnancy each month.
• Girls start to have a menstrual cycle with the onset of puberty.
• The four phases of the menstrual cycle are:-

1) Menstruation is the removal of the thickened lining of the uterus from the body through the vagina.

• Menstrual fluid contains blood, cells from the lining of the uterus and mucus.
• The average length of a period is three days to 7 days.
  

2) Follicular phase starts with the first day of menstruation and ends with ovulation.

• The follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) released by pituitary gland stimulates the ovary to produce around five to 20 follicles.
• Only one follicle will mature into an egg, while the others die.
• This can occur around day 10 of a 28-day cycle.
• During this period the growth of the follicles stimulates the lining of the uterus to thicken in preparation for possible pregnancy.

3) Ovulation is the release of a mature egg from the ovary.

• This usually occurs mid-cycle, around 14th day of the cycle.
  
• The lifespan of the typical egg is only around 24 hours.
  

4) Leutal phase in which the ruptured follicle transforms into a structure known as the corpus luteum.

• This releases progesterone, along with small amounts of oestrogen.
• This helps to maintain the thickened lining of the uterus for implantation of the embryo.
  
• If implantation does not occur the corpus luteum dies around 22th- 28th day of the cycle.
• The progesterone levels decreases which cause the lining of the uterus to fall away.
• This is known as menstruation and the cycle repeats.