It is fair to say that most men haven’t got a clue what goes on inside a woman’s body during her menstrual cycle, with most having a level of knowledge akin to that of a junior high student. It is for that reason why we have put together this quick guide to a woman’s time of the month, helped by the wonderful team at Alana Healthcare. If you don’t really understand it all but you’re scared to admit it, fear not as after this you’ll know a lot more about what is going on.
More Than Meets the Eye
We all know when the period hits and what that looks like, but it is important that we understand the entree menstrual cycle and how and why it operates. Each day of the 29 day cycle a woman’s body is changing, hormonal changes in particular happen on every day of the cycle, some are subtle, some are not at all. This cycle is about preparing the reproductive system to get pregnant and with each cycle blood issue is added to the lining of the uterus and an ovary releases an egg for fertilization. The lining of the uterus is where the egg can grow, if there is no fertilization then the blood tissue is released, hence the bleeding which takes place at the end of the cycle.
More Symptoms than You Realize
Symptoms vary from female to female and whilst we understand that cramps occur, and of course the bleeding, there is much more to it than that. In fact there are over a hundred symptoms, and none of them are very nice. Up to 88% of women experience painful cramps every single cycle, 70% have sensitive and sore breasts, 60% feel terribly bloated and uncomfortable, 25% suffer from diarrhea and 65% of women have acne breakouts during this time of the month. On top if this they experience mood swings owing to the hormonal changes, emotional imbalances, and numerous other body changes, all of which they suffer at once.
Right on Time
Some women are regular as clockwork with their period but this is not always the case and depending on lifestyle, environment and hormonal factors, the cycle can swing by as much as 8 days month on month. Generally a cycle is between 23-35 days, which is why there are often surprises around when it arrives.
Fertility Window
The window of fertility for a woman is on average around 7 days per month. The reason for this is because 7 days is the maximum time that the sperm can live inside the body and whilst the egg only lives for 24 hours, if the sperm has found its way in the previous 6 days then fertilization can still take place.
Women have incredibly complicated and fascinating reproductive organs and it is vital for every man that they understand exactly what a period is and just how much it can affect every aspect of a female’s body.
