Question

Why does menstruation occur? Describe the menstrual cycle in human females (or women).

Answer 1

Menstruation occurs due to the rupture or removal of the inner, thick, and soft lining of the uterus when fertilization does not take place.

The menstrual cycle of a female is as follows:

• After a female attains puberty, every month one of the ova of the ovary matures and gets released once every 28 days (on an average) by the process of ovulation.
• The lining of the uterus becomes thick and spongy before ovulation in order to implant the fertilized egg. If the egg is not fertilized, this lining of the uterus breaks and comes out of the vagina along with the unfertilized egg which is known as menstrual flow.
• This occurs on the 14^thday of ovulation and lasts for 3-5 days.
• After this flow stops, the uterus starts preparing itself again to receive fertilized egg. If it does not receive the fertilized egg, the same set of events is repeated.