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In women in the reproductive period, i.e. from the moment of the first menstruation until the menopause, there are cyclical changes in the level of sex hormones. They affect both the physiology and the psyche of a woman.
Monthly cycles are divided into four phases:
– proliferative, otherwise follicular, when a Graaf follicle containing an egg matures in the ovary and the endometrium grows,
– ovulation, when an egg is released from the ovary ready for fertilization
– secretory, or luteal, when the uterine mucosa waits for the implantation of the fertilized egg, and
– the bleeding phase, where the layer of cells lining the uterus peels off if fertilization or implantation has not taken place
Menstrual cycles is the period that goes from the first day of your last menstrual period to the last day before your next menstrual period. In healthy women it is 25-35 days, most often 28 days. Monthly cycles may be too short or too long. It is caused by anovulatory cycles or a failure of the corpus luteum (the structure that forms from the Graaf’s follicle when an egg is released). These, in turn, can be caused by pituitary dysfunction, the presence of a prolactin-producing pituitary adenoma, and other conditions that cause hyperprolactinaemia, i.e., those characterized by elevated levels of this hormone in the blood. Irregular monthly cycles make it impossible to control fertility using the marriage calendar – one of the natural methods of family planning. They can also cause problems with getting pregnant and keeping it in the early, very early stages.
bow. med. Aleksandra Czachowska
Also read: Menstrual disorders – it doesn’t have to be a symptom of menopause