The entire normal menstrual cycle usually lasts between 24 and 38 days. However, the cycle between 21 and 45 days is still considered normal. It may vary from cycle to cycle in every woman and may also change over the years.
In a normal cycle of menstruation, there are some events occurring in the ovary and womb (uterus). World Health Organization considered three different phases in a normal cycle of menstruation based on fertility stages:
- Relatively infertile phase: This is the time before the ovary releases eggs (ovulates), and women are unlikely to get pregnant. The vagina becomes dry, the ovary prepares an egg to be released, and the estrogen level increases in the blood.
- Fertile phase: This phase begins before, during, and immediately after the ovary releases the egg, and in this phase, women are likely to get pregnant. In this phase, the estrogen level is high. The vagina becomes wet and secrets thick lubricating fluids. The ovary releases an egg (ovulation) 14 days before the menses. The egg remains alive or fertile for 24 hours. In this phase, if sexual intercourse occurs, then the sperm can live up to one to three days.
- Infertile phase: In this phase, if fertilization occurs, the womb supports the egg for implantation. If pregnancy doesn’t occur, the lining of the womb starts shredding off and discharging through the vagina, which we call menses. In this phase, women cannot become pregnant.
Women are considered fertile if they can produce the egg (woman’s sex cells), become pregnant, and carry the pregnancy to live birth. The couple’s combined fertility is based on the phases of a woman’s menstrual cycle, her signs and symptoms of fertility, and the length of time the sperm and egg releases.
What does menstruation mean?
Menstruation (menses or period or monthly) is the discharge of blood and tissue from the inner lining of the womb through the woman’s vagina every month. The amount of blood that comes out of a woman’s body is called menstrual flow.
In the United States, the average age of girls having their first menses (menarche) is normally between 12 and 13 years. The average length of menstrual flow can be seven days or less in women, and they may normally need to change three to six pads or tampons per day. Some women can predict the day and time of their period if they are very regular. Light, moderate, or heavy blood flow are all considered normal. Women stop menstruating permanently at an average age of 40-45 years; this is called menopause.
What does menstrual cycle mean?
The menstruation cycle is the cycle of physical changes in a woman’s sex organs (ovary and womb) that begin on the first day of menses and end when the next menses begins.
During the cycle, the ovaries naturally produce chemical substances called hormones (estrogen and progesterone) that are circulated through the body in the bloodstream. These hormones are signals that are sent back and forth between the brain and ovary. It causes various signs and symptoms in a woman (bloating, acne, breast tenderness, etc.), and it changes throughout the menstrual cycle. Levels of these hormones can detect fertility in a woman.
SLIDESHOW
The 14 Most Common Causes of Fatigue See SlideshowWhen to see a doctor?
You must see a gynecologist if your menses
- Have not started within three years after breast growth.
- Have not started by 14 years of age with excessive hair growth on face and chest or if you have an eating disorder.
- Have not started within 15 years of age.
- Occur more frequently in less than 21 days.
- Occur more than 45 days apart.
- Occur 90 days apart even for every cycle.
- Last more than seven days.
- Are heavy and require a frequent change of pad (>1 every one to two hours).
- Are related to a history of excessive bruising or bleeding or a family history of a bleeding disorder.
What are the factors that affect the normal menstrual cycle?
- Pregnancy
- Breastfeeding
- Menopause (menses stops permanently when a woman gets older)
- Smoking
- Alcohol consumption
- Physical activity
- Thyroid disorder (a neck gland illness)
- Polycystic ovarian syndrome (multiple sac formation in an enlarged ovary)
- Birth defect
- Contraceptive pills
- Medications (hormones or steroids)
- Anemia (low iron in the blood)
- Immune system disorders
Latest Health News
More Health News »Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
The American College of obstetricians and Gynaecologists https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2015/12/menstruation-in-girls-and-adolescents-using-the-menstrual-cycle-as-a-vital-sign
WHO: Natural family planning: what health workers need to know https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/63294
Office on Womens Health: https://www.womenshealth.gov/menstrual-cycle/your-menstrual-cycle
Clevelandclinic: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/10132-normal-menstruation
Mayoclinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/womens-health/in-depth/menstrual-cycle/art-20047186
Top What Is the Normal Cycle for Menstruation? Related Articles
Can I Get Pregnant Shortly After My Period?
Getting pregnant just after your period is unlikely, but it’s not impossible. However, the chances of getting pregnant are low right after the periods compared to a few days or a week in the menstrual cycle.
Cramps but No Period
Having cramps but no period can occur because of conditions other than your monthly menstrual cycle. They may feel like period cramps of the lower abdomen when you are not due for your period and produce no blood. These 12 diseases and conditions are examples of what can cause abdominal cramping when not on period.
How Can I Stop Prolonged Periods Naturally?
Heavy periods may be a sign of some underlying health condition. Quite often, heavy and prolonged periods may be a result of nutritional deficiencies. There are a few home remedies for a heavy period. Your doctor may use medication or surgery to treat heavy periods.
How Can You Tell if You're Pregnant if You Have Irregular Periods?
Learn the signs of pregnancy, what causes irregular periods, and when to see a doctor.
Menstruation (Menstrual Cycle)
Menstruation (menstrual cycle) is also referred to as a "period." When a woman menstruates, the lining of the uterus is shed. This shedding of the uterine linking is the menstrual blood flow. The average menstrual cycle is 28 days. There can be problems with a woman's period, including heavy bleeding, pain, or skipped periods. Causes of these problems may be amenorrhea (lack of a period), menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea), or abnormal vaginal or uterine bleeding. There are a variety of situations in which a girl or woman should see a doctor about her menstrual cycle.
Spotting vs. Period
Menstruation (a female's "period") occurs due to the shedding of the lining of the uterus. Menstrual bleeding lasts about three to five days, and the bleeding is heavy the first couple of days and then it lessens. Spotting is vaginal bleeding between periods.What Can Spotting Before Your Period Mean?
Spotting before your period can have many causes. Find out what signs to watch for, the causes of spotting between periods, and how it can be treated.
Pregnant? Don't Eat This
Do you know which common foods may be risky during pregnancy? Learn which foods to avoid, while pregnant, such as queso dip, lunch meat, coffee and more.
Why Am I Getting Period Cramps With No Blood?
Why are you getting period cramps but no blood? Learn the causes of period cramps without blood and how to treat it.
Why Am I Having Menstrual Cramps but No Period?
Menstrual cramps may happen even without a period. Learn more about menstrual cramps without a period, when they can happen, what causes them, and what to watch out for.
Why Do Your Breasts Get Bigger Before Your Period?
Many women may notice that their breasts become larger just before a week of menses, whereas others may not experience such symptoms. Breast swelling and tenderness occur due to a surge in hormones during the menstrual cycle.