Mondejar, Fatima Diane S.

BSN 2B
NCM 107
What happens in menstrual cycle?
Menstruation is a woman’s monthly bleeding, commonly called “period.” When a woman
menstruate, the body discards the monthly build-up of the lining of your uterus (womb).
Menstrual blood and tissue flow from the uterus through the small opening in the cervix and pass
out of the body through the vagina.
During the monthly menstrual cycle, the uterus lining builds up to prepare for pregnancy. If a
woman do not get pregnant, estrogen and progesterone hormone levels begin falling. Very low
levels of estrogen and progesterone tells the body to begin menstruation.
The menstrual cycle is the hormonal driven cycle. Day 1 is the first day of your period while day
14 is the approximate day you ovulate and if an egg is not fertilized, hormone levels eventually
drop and at about day 25. The egg begins to dissolve and the cycle begins again with the period
at about day 30. Menstruation begins day 1 and normally ends days 3-5 of the menstrual cycle.
The range of age a girl starts to get her period is about 8 to 15 years old. Women usually have
periods until about ages 45 to 55.
The Menstrual Cycle
1. Ovarian Cycle
2. Uterine Cycle
Ovarian Cycle
Describes changes that occur in the follicles of the ovary.
3 Phases of Ovarian Cycle:
1. Follicular phase
The time between the first day of the period and ovulation. Estrogen rises as an egg
prepares to be released.
2. Ovulation phase
The release of the egg from the ovary, mid-cycle.
3. Luteal phase
It occurs after ovulation and before your period starts. During this time, the lining of your
uterus normally gets thicker to prepare for a possible pregnancy.
Uterine Cycle
Describes changes in the endometrial lining of the uterus.
3 Phases of Uterine Cycle:
1. Menstruation
Also known as a period or monthly visit, is the regular discharge of blood and mucosal
tissue (known as menses) from the inner lining of the uterus through the vagina.
2. Proliferative phase
Is the second phase of the uterine cycle when estrogen causes the lining of the uterus to
grow, or proliferate, during this time. As they mature, the ovarian follicles secrete
increasing amounts of estradiol, an estrogen.
3. Secretory phase
Lining of the uterus releases or secretes chemicals that will either help an early pregnancy
attach if an egg was fertilized, or help the lining break down and shed if no egg was
fertilized. It starts from ovulation until the start of the next period.