The menstrual cycle is a completely natural and healthy event that occurs once a month in every woman's life from puberty until menopause. Though most women view the process as a menace, the National Women's Health Information Center states that having a menstrual period is a sign that your body is working correctly. Though every woman goes through it, there are still many myths surrounding menstruation.
Process
According to the National Women's Health Information Center, the menstrual cycle typically, which typically is 28 days long, lasts from Day 1 of a woman's monthly period to Day 1 of her next monthly period. During the first part of the cycle, a hormone called estrogen is built up in a woman's body. Estrogen causes the lining of the uterus to become thicker while an egg grows in her ovaries. Halfway through the cycle, the woman's egg travels from the ovary to the uterus. If a woman does not become pregnant, the egg breaks and uterus sheds its lining as blood during her menstrual period.
Function
The National Women's Health Information Center states that the menstrual cycle prepares a woman's body for pregnancy every month. The act of the uterine walls thickening serves to nourish and protect the baby that will grow there if she becomes pregnant. If she doesn't become pregnant, the uterine lining doesn't need to be thick anymore, so it sheds.
Time Frame
Women usually begin having menstrual periods around the age of 12, according to the National Women's Health Information Center. The American Pregnancy Association (APA) explains that every woman's cycle is different, and some last longer that others. The APA states that the average menstrual cycle is anywhere from 28 to 32 days, and the menstrual period in which the uterine lining is shed lasts three to seven days.
Pain and Abnormal Cycles
Menstrual periods are not painful for most women. The National Women's Health Information Center states that some women have painful cramps and heavy bleeding during their periods. Women who have painful periods or heavy bleeding may be prescribed a medication from a doctor or gynecologist. Sometimes painful cramps might not be attributed only to a woman's period; they can also be associated with a condition such as endometriosis.
Lack of a Period
Though menstruation is healthy and normal, there are times in a woman's life when she doesn't get her monthly period. The National Women's Health Information Center states that women do not get their periods when they are pregnant. Breastfeeding also delays a woman's period for up to six months. Eating disorders and the loss of a significant amount of body weight can also stop a woman's period.
