About Menstrual Cycles
Between adolescence and menopause, women will experience between 400 and 500 menstrual cycles. While most of us associate this cycle with the 3 to 7 days of menstruation each month, the cycle actually lasts for approximately 29 days and covers a wider range of reproductive activities in preparation for pregnancy. To understand what is occurring, it's helpful to divide the cycle into two parts that are going on simultaneously in the ovaries and in the uterus.
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The Cycle
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The typical menstrual cycle lasts 29 days. The cycle is actually measured from the first day of menstruation (bleeding) for one cycle until the first day of the second cycle. All of the activities in your body going on during the cycle are regulated by hormones. Changes in these hormone levels are responsible for the premenstrual symptoms experienced by approximately 85 percent of adult women.
First 14 Days
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During the first 14 days of your menstrual cycle, one of the millions of eggs you are born with already in your ovaries is preparing for release. The egg must first mature for several days so that it will be ready in case fertilization occurs. Usually, the egg is released on or about the fourteenth day of the cycle. Meanwhile, the uterus prepares for possible fertilization as well. Starting on Day 5 (or as soon as your menstruation ends), a new uterine lining begins to build up. This lining will nourish the fertilized egg as it begins its development.
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Second 14 Days
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After the egg is released from the ovaries, it travels through the fallopian tubes into the uterus. This occurs during the second half of your menstrual cycle. Once the egg is released, only a small window exists for fertilization because the egg rarely survives longer than 24 hours after release. If the egg is not fertilized during that time, it is absorbed into the uterine lining. As the levels of female hormones drop, the lining is released from your body. This release is menstruation.
Facts
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A woman begins having her period (menstruating) at the onset of puberty. The average age is between 8 and 15. For women of any age, the typical period lasts from 3 to 7 days. Unless there are health problems or a surgical sterilization, the woman will continue menstruating until menopause. Normally, menopause begins around age 50, but some women can begin going through "the change" earlier or later. Menopause does not hit suddenly. Instead, the body goes through a transition that can last up to 8 years.
Problems
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When women show irregularities in their menstrual cycle, these are often a sign of a health problem and should be evaluated by a physician. Most of the problems can be classified as amenorrhea (not having a period), dysmenorrhea (having painful periods) or abnormal uterine bleeding (bleeding more than normal). Extreme weight loss, obesity, stress, too much exercise, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), uterine polyps and sometimes cancer can lead to some of these menstrual cycle problems. Additionally, some women suffer from a severe form of PMS known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) caused by changes in serotonin levels in the brain. Symptoms can be severe and include panic attacks, binge eating, lethargy, joint and muscle pain, severe mood swings and even suicidal thoughts. PMDD is usually treated with antidepressants.
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