As a woman, your menstrual cycle (your period) is one of the most important things to understand about your body, because it is the key to getting pregnant or avoiding an unplanned pregnancy. It all starts when your egg cell, also called an ova, begins its journey to the uterus. This process is called ovulation.
Did you know that before you were even born, your ovaries already contained all the eggs you will ever have in your lifetime? At around 20 weeks gestation, you had a fully developed reproductive system complete with millions of egg cells. Amazing!
Each month, one of your ovaries releases a mature egg cell, which travels down to your uterus. At the same time, the hormones estrogen and progesterone cause the inner lining of your uterus to thicken, preparing for the arrival of a baby. If the egg meets sperm and is fertilized, it will attach to the inner wall of your uterus and a pregnancy happens. Less than a day after implantation, the developing baby sends an “I’m here!” message to your body with the hormone HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin). HCG, estrogen and progesterone work together to tell your uterus a baby has arrived, so your uterus keeps its lining and you miss your period. Not getting a period is usually the first sign you’re pregnant. By the time you miss your period, there will be enough HCG in your body to show up on a urine pregnancy test.
If the egg is not fertilized, it dissolves and the uterine lining is flushed away during your period. In about 22 days, a new egg will be released from your ovary and the cycle starts over.
During your 28-day cycle, there are only about 7 days when pregnancy can happen. This is called the fertility window. An unfertilized egg cell only lives for 12-24 hours after it is released from the ovary, but sperm can live in your body for about 5 days after sex. That means that you can get pregnant if you have unprotected sex:
⦁ 5 days before ovulation
⦁ The day of ovulation
⦁ The day after ovulation
Tracking your ovulation can help you get pregnant by letting you know which days you are most likely to conceive. It can also help you avoid pregnancy by not having sex during your fertile window. Remember, there is still a chance you can get pregnant during this time even when using birth control, so abstinence is the most reliable way to avoid pregnancy.
You can easily track your menstrual cycle using a calendar or a period tracking app. Do this for a few months to get good data. Just mark the first day you have period bleeding, and every day of bleeding until it stops. The next month, mark the first day of bleeding again and each day of bleeding until it stops. The number of days between the first bleeding of the first period and the first bleeding of the second period tells you the length of your menstrual cycle, which is usually between 24-38 days. You will also know how many days the bleeding usually lasts, which helps you recognize when your period is not normal for you.
You ovulate about 12 to 14 days before your first day of period bleeding. Your fertile window is the five days before ovulation, plus the day of ovulation and the day after ovulation. Remember, every woman’s body is unique. These are just guidelines, so track your cycles and learn the rhythm of your own body.
There are also period tracking apps you can download to your phone that help you know when to expect your period and when you are ovulating. You can also check out the American Pregnancy Association’s Ovulation Calculator.
Your period is irregular if it comes more than 7 days earlier or later than you expect it. There can be many reasons for this, from use of birth control to hormonal issues or other health conditions. This can make it difficult to figure out when you are ovulating, which makes it trickier to get pregnant and makes natural family planning methods less effective, so you should talk to your doctor.
Pregnancy tests detect the presence of the pregnancy hormone HCG in your urine. It is best to wait until you have actually missed a period before you take a pregnancy test for the most accurate results. The best time to take a pregnancy test first thing in the morning, when the most HCG would be concentrated in your urine. Don’t drink a lot of extra water before your test, because that could dilute your urine too much to be reliable in early pregnancy. If your test was negative but you still think you may be pregnant, try testing again in 1-2 weeks. Savannah Care Center provides free pregnancy testing by appointment or walk-in, and you can confidentially discuss any concerns you have with one of our nurses or client advocates.
Learning about how your body works empowers you to make informed decisions about your health and well-being. Your menstrual cycle is so much more than a few days of bleeding. It is the month-long rhythm of your body, where each part comes together in a song of creation. Be inspired by the knowledge that you and your amazing female body really are fearfully and wonderfully made!
Information for this article sourced from The Cleveland Clinic Health Library
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