Why do you need a woman's menstrual cycle?
Experts insist that a woman needs to not only know the approximate dates of her cycle, but she must also keep a diary in which she will record data on menstruation. These data subsequently allow a woman to protect herself from an unplanned pregnancy, or vice versa, allow her to conceive a child more likely.
The best time to conceive a child is ovulation
If you plan to conceive a child, then it is better than the period of ovulation, no. This is important even a day after ovulation. Some experts add to this time one more day, because of the possible error in the calculations. The viability of the spermatozoon is about five days, therefore the sexual act, which can lead to conception, is quite possible for a couple of days before ovulation. To properly calculate the period of ovulation, you need to know the "callsign" ovulation.
Ovulation can be recognized by the pains in the lower abdomen in the middle of the menstrual cycle, the vagina secretes a lot of mucus, and perhaps a strong sexual attraction. Confirmation that ovulation is taking place can be obtained using a test at home (such a test can be purchased at a pharmacy), you can also use ultrasound diagnostics or measure basal temperature in the rectum (your gynecologist can tell you how to do it).
Women who want to have children must remember that alcoholic beverages and tobacco smoke contribute to a slower maturation of the follicle, and later on, the development of progesterone, the necessary hormone for the first weeks of pregnancy, is adversely affected. An important role is played by nutrition: it is strongly recommended to reduce the amount of meat in the diet, and to focus on vegetable food - fresh vegetables and fruits.
An important factor for a woman is safe sex. When a woman is well aware of the characteristics of her menstrual cycle, she can use this knowledge to engage in safe sex.
Time in which there is an opportunity to engage in safe sex, consists of two periods:
The period of relative sterility is considered to be the first half of the cycle of menstruation, before ovulation, during this period the eggs are absent in the body of a woman; but the period is relative, because there is a possibility that the spermatozoon can "wait" for the maturation of the egg due to long-term viability.
The period of absolute stability is a period that begins approximately three days after the ovulation and the end of the menstrual cycle; There are no eggs in this period and its appearance will not be soon, on the basis of this, spermatozoa have no chance of "waiting" for it.
What is the menstrual cycle? This is a complex of physiological changes that occur every month in the body of a woman from the moment of puberty. Basically, the duration of the cycle is 28 days. But fluctuations seven days in one or the other side are also possible. Now the beginning of menstruation at the age of 8-12 years is considered normal. The cycle ends at 47 and maybe even later. These factors are affected by heredity and the general condition of the woman's body. In recent years, reliable information has appeared that the beginning and end of the cycle has shifted to the side of younger age. If in the last century it was considered normal, when the cycle started at 17-18 years, now another trend is observing. The onset of menopause is now increasingly common in women up to the age of forty. There are cases when this process can begin in 35. It is possible that these processes can be influenced by environmental factors, some cyclic processes or geomagnetic factors of our planet, but the fact of this remains unchanged.
Calculation of the menstrual cycle
The menstrual cycle is a combination of phases that occur in the endometrium and ovaries. The task of the menstrual cycle is to prepare the woman's organism for conception. The first day of the onset of menstruation is the first day in the cycle. Endometrium is accompanied by a monthly bleeding, there is a rejection of the layer that lining the uterine cavity. In the ovaries the process of maturation of the follicle is under way. The duration of ripening is approximately two weeks, with an error of three days in one or the other side. Following this, the follicle is broken due to the action of prostaglandins and progesterone and the mature egg, the phase of ovulation, is released, and at the same time the endometrial layer becomes narrower, the phase of proliferation. The duration of these phases is about 2-3 days.
The final phase is called secretory or luteal, which lasts approximately 13-14 days. The phase is accompanied by the maturation of the glands in the endometrium, marked by the onset of secretion. At this point, the uterus is ready to receive and place a fertilized egg. In parallel, in the ovaries in the place where the egg leaves the body, a yellow body forms, which in case of pregnancy produces hormones, which the body needs. The yellow body begins its activity if the pregnancy has occurred.
Such hormones from the yellow body participate in the maturation of the placenta. If the pregnancy has not occurred, then the monthly cycle is repeated in a circle. Atrophy in this case is the yellow body, the layer of the endometrium is necrotic and is then rejected.
Data obtained on the basis of the calculation of the menstrual cycle, the woman gives the opportunity to determine the "safe" days, or planning for pregnancy. Take into account the fact that the life span of sperm from one day to three, the duration of the phases of the female cycle - each woman in different ways. Proceeding from this, when protecting against pregnancy, the first 7 days and the last 10 days of the cycle are considered relatively safe, the onset of menstruation marks the first day of the cycle.
Keep in mind that the probability of pregnancy still remains, even if careful calculations of the menstrual cycle have been made. Experts recommend using modern means of contraception. Do not worry if you often have changes in the duration of the cycle, or the monthly ones become more abundant or painful. Your doctor can provide answers to any questions that arise. It is best to go to the gynecologist twice a year for prophylaxis. On the issue of safe contraceptives it is also recommended to consult a doctor. Please note that an overabundance of hormonal drugs is fraught with disability. Do you like the stroke in 30 years? Then carefully read the instructions for use and the section of side effects.