Dating your cycle and trying to figure out all that is happening with your body can be frustrating and confusing. How long is my period? What is ovulation exactly? My LMP? Understanding your body’s natural processes and being able to navigate one’s monthly cycle is helpful.
If you want to get pregnant (or not), knowing when you are most likely to conceive can help you make a plan. Understanding the complexity of our bodies can be an educational and exciting journey. First, let’s start with a basic definition of menstrual cycle:
Menstrual Cycle: Is the process of menstruation and ovulation in females.
Your menstrual cycle consists of four different phases:
Follicular Phase
Ovulation
Luteal Phase
Menstruation
Follicular Phase: This phase is when the immature eggs called follicles develop into mature eggs.
Ovulation: Is the process during which the eggs are released from the ovaries to be fertilized.
Luteal Phase: Is when certain hormones are released in order to thicken and maintain the lining of the uterus. The thickening of the uterus lining allows a fertilized egg to implant in the uterus, to support the growth of the human fetus.
Menstruation: If an egg is not fertilized, the lining of the uterus breaks down. The passing of this broken down lining is what we call menstruation.
Due to the many hormonal changes our bodies go through each month, it is no wonder that at any given time we may experience mood-swings, bloating, changes in appetite or cramping. Oftentimes with ovulation, nausea, abdominal pain and other symptoms may be present; therefore, it is possible to experience pregnancy-like symptoms without actually being pregnant.
If you need help coping with your period symptoms, check out our earlier blog post “How to Survive the Roller Coaster of Your Period.” You can learn more about the reasons why you may have missed your period here. Finally, if you think you may be pregnant and this was not in your plans, book an appointment with Your Options Medical.
You are not alone, the Staff and Medical Team
at Your Options Medical are here and ready to help!