LThe menstrual cycle is the monthly hormonal cycle a female’s body goes through to prepare for pregnancy.
A menstrual cycle begins with the first day of your period, or menstruation.
Then, it starts over again when the next period begins.
Throughout a monthly menstrual cycle, your body makes different amounts of chemicals called hormones to prepare for pregnancy.
During the monthly menstrual cycle, the uterus lining builds up to prepare for pregnancy.
If you do not get pregnant, estrogen and progesterone hormone levels begin falling.
Very low levels of estrogen and progesterone tell your body to begin menstruation.
These changing hormone levels can cause menstrual symptoms.
Menstrual cycles often change as a woman gets older.
A normal cycle lasts between 21 and 35 days.
The typical menstrual cycle is 28 days long, but each woman is different.
A woman’s menstrual cycle length might be different from month to month.
Some women’s periods are so regular that they can predict the day and time that their periods will start.
Other women are regular but can only predict the start of their period within a few days.
Dr. Chudi Ufondu
SGHS
