The body during menstruation. What happens in the body during menstruation? Why do you get your period during pregnancy?

Menstruation (menstruation) is one of the most important processes occurring in the female body. Taking critical days for granted, many do not pay due attention to the symptoms that provoke serious diseases in the female body.

It is important for any girl or woman to know when these processes occur within the normal range and when they go beyond it, in order to have time to prevent illness.

Puberty of a girl

Puberty in girls occurs at the age of 11-15 years, and more often has hereditary factors. The age at which a girl begins her period corresponds to the age at which her mother, aunt, or grandmother began it.

Taking into account the accelerated development of the body, menstruation may begin a little earlier, which is not a deviation. A sign of serious disturbances in physical development is the absence of menstruation at 17-18 years of age. In this case, contacting an endocrinologist, gynecologist and infectious disease specialist is mandatory.

The absence of critical days is associated with serious diseases that occur in the body, with stress, underweight or overwork.

Menstrual cycle and its duration

The menstrual cycle is the time that passes from the beginning of the first day of one menstruation to the first day of the next. More than 70% of women are concerned about irregular menstrual cycles. It takes them several months, sometimes even a year, for it to normalize.

The 28-day cycle, called the lunar cycle, is ideal. Taking into account the physiological characteristics of the female body, we can name certain norms, deviation from which is considered a violation. A normal cycle is a cycle with a frequency of 21-35 days. In all other cases, consultation with a gynecologist is necessary, due to possible malfunctions of the ovaries.

Girls and women are recommended to keep a special calendar with which they can control their periods. The calendar makes it possible to determine the duration of the menstrual cycle, as well as its regularity. It will allow you to calculate favorable days for conception.

How are your periods? Duration of menstruation

There is no exact figure that indicates the duration of bleeding. But there are certain norms for all women: menstruation lasts from 3 to 7 days. The first few days you can observe abundant discharge, and in the remaining days it becomes scanty.

If you experience heavy bleeding during menstruation, you should consult a gynecologist for examination.

The amount of bleeding is affected by contraception. The intrauterine device provokes painful periods with increased bleeding. Oral medications, such as hormonal birth control pills, make periods shorter and heavier. It should be taken into account that the above remedies do not affect the duration of critical days. Your period should not last more than a week.

Quality and quantity of menstrual flow

Blood loss during menstruation is negligible. Every day a woman gets rid of 20 to 50 grams of blood, and in total (over the entire period of menstruation), the mark can reach 250 grams.

As a rule, menstrual blood does not clot, has a pronounced scarlet color and a specific smell. Sometimes periods can contain clots in the form of unprocessed blood that accumulates in the vagina. Clots appear during heavy periods.

Smudging - bloody spotting observed at the beginning and end of menstruation is considered normal. Too much bleeding indicates the presence of gynecological diseases.

Pain during menstruation

An important issue that worries women is pain during menstruation. A natural process accompanied by hormonal changes has a special impact on the entire female body. During menstruation, irritation and a feeling of tension occur, breast pain and swelling are felt.

There are many signs of premenstrual syndrome:

• weakness;
• fatigue;
• irritability;
• rapid breathing and pulse;
• fever;
• chills;
• heaviness in the lower back, lower abdomen or legs.

From a physiological point of view, you should not focus your attention on such problems, but if the symptoms negatively affect your ability to work, you should consult a doctor. Any processes that occur in the body that affect the general condition and well-being should not be overlooked. Especially if we are talking about “women’s” problems.

Fever, severe pain, excessive bleeding, and the need to take medications are symptoms that require careful diagnosis and, if necessary, subsequent treatment by a specialist.

It is always important to understand what happens to a girl during her period, what changes are normal, and what is pathological. This knowledge will help prevent serious diseases of internal organs and prevent the development of psychological problems.

Changes in a woman's mood are considered completely natural and normal. Excessive sensitivity, tearfulness, outbursts of anger, worries over trifles sometimes surprise not only men, but also the fair sex. These mood swings and swings bring a lot of inconvenience and make the situation even worse.

Women owe this psychological state to their body or, more precisely, to the menstrual cycle. Before the onset of menstruation, toxins and harmful substances accumulate in the body, which affect the general condition, not only physical, but also emotional. More than half of girls experience irritability just before the start of their period. The set of symptoms that occur on the eve of menstruation is called PMS for short. This condition can not only negatively affect your health, but also cause a lot of other inconveniences.

The physical discomfort that a woman begins to feel provokes psychological symptoms. Pain in the lower back and lower abdomen, heaviness and discomfort in the mammary glands disrupt the usual way of life, and these constant changes lead to a negative emotional state.

Why does mood change occur during menstruation?

To understand what causes the occurrence of such symptoms, you need to imagine what happens in the female body throughout the entire cycle. The brain is responsible for mood and psychological state, but no more than 10% of women of childbearing age report symptoms of PMS such as depression, fatigue and anger.

All of this happens during the late luteal phase, when progesterone levels are at their highest. Afterwards, the level of this hormone decreases, and estrogen begins to predominate. Along with secretions, such a female hormone is actively produced in the body, and this period is called the follicular (menstrual) phase.

A surge in progesterone and, as a result, changes in brain cells occur in the cerebellum. The higher the activity, the stronger the symptoms, but this does not mean that the absence of PMS is due to hormonal imbalance. It’s just that one organism tolerates this period normally, while the other becomes a victim of severe symptoms. This is why girls freak out during their period and calm down immediately after it ends.

In addition, a high concentration of progesterone leads to a decrease in blood sugar, hence weakness or fatigue. Monthly changes in the body do not improve your mood, but only spoil it, provoking a nervous breakdown. Physical ailment irritates and suppresses a woman, she reacts to everything that surrounds her, and every little thing becomes a reason for a quarrel.

Premenstrual syndrome, although a normal reaction to changes in the body, can disrupt the functioning of the ovaries and also lead to hormonal imbalance.

And this, in turn, leads to endocrine disorders and diseases of the nervous system. To prevent menstruation from becoming a problem every month and from spoiling the mood of a woman or those around her, it is important to prepare mentally and also remember that she is physiologically healthy. In a few days everything will pass and return to its place.

The menstrual cycle and accompanying changes

A regular menstrual cycle is an indicator of a woman's health. It is based on hormonal fluctuations that occur throughout childbearing age.

Normally, the cycle length is about 28 days; this figure may differ for all women. The first day of the next cycle is considered to be the day the menstrual flow appears.

Follicular phase

A drop in progesterone levels contributes to the shedding of the uterine lining. At this time, pituitary hormones, with the participation of the hypothalamus, stimulate the maturation of the egg. The level of estrogen in the body increases, which is responsible for the growth of the dominant follicle. After 3 days, menstrual flow stops, and by day 13-14, estrogen levels reach their maximum concentration. A woman may feel an increase in vaginal secretions and a slight tingling sensation in her side, which indicates her readiness to conceive.

The process of rupture of the dominant follicle and release of the egg is called ovulation. It lasts 1-2 days, and only during these days is successful conception possible. This process is facilitated by hormones produced by the pituitary gland. There are usually no symptoms during the natural process of ovulation. However, some girls feel slight discomfort in the pelvic organs and a strong sexual desire.

Luteal phase

After the release of the egg, the “behavior” of hormones is determined by the process of conception or its absence. The level of estrogen in the blood decreases sharply; in place of the follicle, or rather, from its shell, a gland is formed, which is called the corpus luteum. If pregnancy has occurred, this gland, producing progesterone in large quantities, helps the embryo attach and nourish itself until its own placenta forms.

Without meeting the sperm, after 24-36 hours the egg dies and the corpus luteum begins to regress. The activity of the gland decreases and progesterone levels drop. Against the background of these processes, many women feel:

• arises ;
• mood changes;
• fluid is retained in the body;
• Fatigue and malaise develops.

When progesterone drops to its minimum level, the uterus rejects the inner layer, which was intended to secure the embryo.

When does the first period begin and menopause occurs?

It is impossible to say exactly when the first menstruation will begin and the girl will become ready for motherhood. Each body is individual, and puberty occurs differently for everyone. Normally, the first menstruation occurs at the age of 12-14 years, but every year the indicators shift towards a younger age. This situation is influenced by external as well as internal factors. If in the older generation the appearance of secondary sexual characteristics after 13-15 years was considered the norm, now at the age of 8 a girl’s mammary glands can be fully formed.

There are also no exact figures regarding the onset of menopause. According to statistics, the average age is 45-55 years. These indicators do not depend on the date of the first menstruation, but there is often a hereditary connection here. The onset of menopause is always accompanied by preliminary symptoms, and if you know them, you can prepare for this process in advance. You can ask your grandmothers or mother about how and when their menstruation stopped. The likelihood that everything will be the same for your daughter is quite high.

Menopause can occur earlier or later under different circumstances. This can be affected by illnesses, previous surgeries, taking hormonal medications and the presence of bad habits.

It is important to remember that no matter when the first menstruation begins and menopause occurs, this is a natural process, and it is laid down by nature, so there is no need to worry about this again - it cannot be avoided anyway.

Stimulating the brain's emotional activity may help stabilize some women
Help for women suffering from premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and those who live near them may be on their doorstep.

Scientists have begun to study what happens in a woman’s brain when hormones are released in her body before her period begins.

Initial research results tentatively suggest that stimulating activity in the brain's emotional center may help some women maintain a more stable emotional state even as their hormones get up to speed.

Despite enormous interest in PMS and pills that might treat it, surprisingly few researchers have looked at how the brain behaves during this troubled time, says David Silbersweig, a neurologist at Cornell University Medical College in New York. He notes that among women of reproductive age, about 75% complain of mood swings or physical discomfort during the premenstrual period.

Silbersweig and her colleagues selected 12 women who showed a stable emotional state throughout the cycle in order to obtain a basis from which to build upon in further work with women.

having severe mood swings. Scientists conducted a number of tests, including brain scans. These tests were performed twice throughout the monthly cycle: once during the premenstrual period and again approximately ten days later.

The researchers asked subjects to press the appropriate button when words that evoked positive and negative reactions appeared on the screen. During the task, the participants' brains were scanned using magnetic resonance imaging, which can measure minute metabolic changes in the brain. The researchers focused their attention on the middle fronto-orbital region of the cerebral cortex - the area

involved in emotional control.

Ups and Downs

The women's emotional response to the words did not vary significantly over the course of the month, which confirms the fact that they do not suffer from PMS. However, brain scans showed that activity in the middle fronto-orbital cortex increased dramatically during the premenstrual period. The research results were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

Scientists suggest that perhaps the surge in brain activity helps these women maintain stability in their emotional state during rising hormone levels.

They've already started collecting data on the brain activity of women who complain of mood swings to see if their brain activity increases enough. Scientists will also need to examine differences in hormone levels between these women in order for the study results to be valid.

Currently, research into brain activity and emotion is in its early stages, says neuroscientist Jill Goldstein of Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. Scientists have just begun to use scanning techniques to discover how hormones affect mental processes.

Delayed menstruation is one of the most common complaints when visiting a gynecologist. Although a delay is an obvious symptom of pregnancy, missing periods can be due to other conditions. In this article, we will list the most common causes of delayed menstruation.

Pregnancy

If you are sexually active and have had sexual intercourse this month, then a delay of 3 days or more in your period may indicate that you are pregnant.

If a pregnancy test is negative when your period is late, there may be other reasons listed below.

Stress and physical fatigue

Problems at work, conflicts with loved ones, exams or defending a thesis - any stressful situation can lead to disruption of the menstrual cycle and a delay of a week or more.

Another possible reason for the delay is overwork, which can sometimes be combined with stress. An active lifestyle is certainly good for our body, however, if a woman overdoes physical activity and is overtired, this can affect the regularity of her menstrual cycle. Excessive exercise (especially if combined with a strict diet) disrupts the production of the hormone estrogen, which can lead to menstrual irregularities and delayed periods.

If your body mass index is below 18 or above 25, then a delay in menstruation may be due to weight.

Normalization of weight usually leads to the restoration of a regular menstrual cycle.

Change of place of residence and time zones, travel

The usual rhythm of life, or the so-called biological clock, is important for the normal regulation of the menstrual cycle. And if you change day and night (for example, fly to another country, or start working at night), your biological clock may get confused, which will lead to a delay in your period.

If the reason for the delay lies in a change in the rhythm of life, then the normal menstrual cycle is usually restored on its own within several months.

Adolescence

Colds and other inflammatory diseases

Any illness can negatively affect the regularity of the menstrual cycle and lead to delays. Think about whether you had any colds, exacerbations of chronic diseases, or other health problems in the past month. If the reason for the delay lies in this, then the menstrual cycle will recover on its own within a few months.

Medicines

Some medications can affect the menstrual cycle, causing your period to be late.

Taking birth control pills is the most common medication-related cause of missed periods. If you take oral contraceptives (for example, etc.), then the absence of menstruation between packs or on inactive pills may be normal. However, in case of a delay while taking OCs, gynecologists recommend doing this to make sure that the delay is not related to pregnancy.

If the cause of the delay is polycystic ovary syndrome, then the gynecologist may recommend taking birth control pills to regulate the menstrual cycle.

Thyroid dysfunction

Thyroid hormones regulate metabolism. An excess of these hormones, or vice versa, their deficiency, can affect the regularity of the menstrual cycle and cause a delay in menstruation.

With an increased level of thyroid hormones, the following symptoms may be observed: weight loss, rapid heartbeat, increased sweating, insomnia, emotional instability, etc. With a deficiency of thyroid hormones, weight gain, swelling, hair loss, and drowsiness are observed.

If you suspect that you have problems with the thyroid gland, consult an endocrinologist.

The basis of women's health is a regular monthly cycle. There are times when he gets confused. The reasons for this phenomenon are varied. We will consider them further. Although it is best to immediately contact a qualified gynecologist if you have problems with your cycle. After all, self-medication can only harm your health.

Cycle

What is the monthly period of time from the onset of menstruation to the next one? The process of release of an egg ready for fertilization into the fallopian tube is called ovulation. It divides the monthly cycle into the follicular and luteal phases. And what is it? The follicular phase is the period when the follicle matures. Luteal period refers to the period of time from ovulation to the onset of menstruation.

For those girls whose cycle lasts 28 days, ovulation usually occurs on the fourteenth day from the beginning. After it, the woman’s estrogen levels drop. But during this period, bleeding has not yet occurred. Since the production of hormones is controlled by the corpus luteum. Strong fluctuations in estrogen in any direction during the period of ovulation can cause uterine bleeding between periods, before or after them.

Cycle calculation

Normally, the cycle length is 21-37 days. As a rule, for most girls it is 28 days. The duration of menstruation itself is approximately three to seven days. If you have missed your period for two or three days, no treatment is required. Since such a phenomenon is not a pathology. But if menstruation does not occur even seven days after the required period, then you need to consult a doctor.

How to calculate the cycle? The period of time between the first day of your period and the first day of your next period is the length of your cycle. In order not to make mistakes in calculations, it is better to use a calendar on which to mark the beginning and end of menstruation.

Symptoms of failure

Let's now look at the signs of menstruation failure:

• absence of menstruation;
• shortening of the cycle (less than twenty days);
• increase in time between periods;
• the appearance of bloody discharge;
• heavy or, conversely, scanty periods.

Another symptom of a malfunction is the duration of menstruation for more than seven days or less than three.

Adolescence and weight problems

Why was there a delay in menstruation or a cycle failure? There can be many reasons. During adolescence, the cycle often fails. This problem is quite common among girls. Since their hormonal levels are just beginning to be established. If more than two years have passed since your first menstruation, and the problems continue, then you should definitely go to a gynecologist.

Another reason for the failure of menstruation is severe weight loss (or, conversely, obesity). The body perceives fasting and extreme dieting as a sign that hard times have come. Therefore, it turns on natural defenses, resulting in a delay in menstruation. Rapid weight gain also negatively affects the body. As a result, the cycle may be disrupted.

Acclimatization

What other known causes of menstruation failure? Acclimatization. The cause of the failure is air travel, moving to another time zone. Stress for the body is a sudden change in climate. Usually the cycle is restored after the body gets used to new living conditions.

Hormonal disbalance

Every girl knows this phenomenon) - this is one of the main signs of problems with hormonal levels. This may be caused by problems in the pituitary gland, as well as the hypothalamus. In this case, you should contact an endocrinologist, he will conduct an examination, prescribe the necessary examinations, based on the results of which he will make a diagnosis.

Stress

A common cause of missed periods is stress. It often leads to cycle disruption. During stress, it produces excessive amounts of prolactin. Excess of it inhibits ovulation, resulting in delay. In this case, doctors recommend getting enough sleep and spending more time in the fresh air. A gynecologist may prescribe a sedative if your period fails due to stress. It can be valerian, Cyclodinone tablets and others.

Diseases and hormonal contraceptives

Diseases of the female organs also lead to disruption of menstruation. Often the cause of this is pathology of the cervix, inflammation of the uterus itself or the appendages. Another reason for the failure of menstruation is cysts and polyps. All such problems can be treated surgically.

Taking hormonal contraceptives or refusing them leads to disruption of the monthly cycle. In this matter, you should consult a doctor. You may need to take a break from taking oral contraceptives.

Pregnancy, lactation

Failure of menstruation after childbirth is also a fairly common occurrence. A similar problem after the baby is born and during breastfeeding is the norm. When lactation stops, the cycle should resume.

If severe pain occurs, consult a doctor immediately. Since the cause of this phenomenon can be an ectopic pregnancy. If it is not detected in time, it can lead to death due to painful shock and large blood loss when the fallopian tubes rupture.

Premenopause and abortion

Missed periods after 40 are not uncommon. A similar phenomenon may be a harbinger of menopause.

Abortions, regardless of whether they are spontaneous or forced, have a bad effect on the condition of the uterus and cause a delay in menstruation. Sometimes they even cause infertility.

Other reasons

Why is there a delay in menstruation? Also, the cause of this phenomenon may be diseases of the adrenal glands, thyroid gland or infectious diseases. In addition, bad habits (using drugs, alcohol, smoking), taking medications, vitamin deficiency and vaginal injuries lead to cycle failure.

When to see a doctor?

Under no circumstances should you delay visiting a specialist if:

• Two years have passed since the beginning of menstruation, and the cycle has not yet established itself;
• there is pain during ovulation. This symptom most likely indicates ovarian rupture;
• There is copious bleeding. Normally, a girl loses no more than 250 ml of blood during menstruation. If it is more, then this is already a sign of hormonal imbalance. It must be treated with drug therapy;
• there are regular cycle irregularities (its duration is less than three days or, conversely, exceeds seven days);
• There is spotting before and after menstruation. This symptom indicates endometriosis.

Diagnostics

How is a patient with menstrual irregularities diagnosed? First, a survey and gynecological examination are carried out, during which all smears are taken. Also, the patient, if the diagnosis is not made, needs to undergo an ultrasound of the pelvic organs and an MRI. In addition, blood is donated for hormones. To clarify the diagnosis, the patient is prescribed hysteroscopy, as well as blood and urine tests.

Thanks to all these methods, it is possible to determine the reason why the cycle went wrong. Once the diagnosis is made, appropriate therapy is prescribed.

Treatment

First of all, the disease that led to the failure of the monthly cycle is treated. As preventive measures, doctors usually recommend to patients:

• Healthy food;
• eat foods rich in iron and protein three to four times a week;
• sleep at least eight hours a day;
• quit smoking and other bad habits;
• take vitamins.

When teenage girls experience problems with their cycles, doctors often use vitamin therapy. The patient is prescribed to take ascorbic and folic acid.

For anemia, women are prescribed iron supplements.

If, in addition to the fact that a girl’s cycle is disrupted, she is diagnosed with infertility, then drugs such as Pergonal and Choriogonin are prescribed to stimulate the development of follicles.

When a patient has severe bleeding, but a bleeding disorder has been ruled out, doctors may prescribe hemostatic drugs. ε-aminocaproic acid is also prescribed.

Even with heavy bleeding, plasma infusion is performed. Sometimes even an infusion of donor blood is practiced.

The last resort for severe bleeding is surgery.

Hormonal drugs and antibiotics are also prescribed.

Failure of the monthly cycle. Possible complications

Remember that your health depends only on you! Therefore, you should not take lightly the fact that disturbances in the monthly cycle occur. Since such problems can lead to infertility. Frequent ones cause disability and fatigue.

Late detection of the pathology that caused the failure of menstruation can lead to very serious problems and death. Although this could have been avoided if he had consulted a doctor in time. Treatment should be carried out under the supervision of a qualified physician.

A little conclusion

Now you know for what reasons there can be failures in the cycle. As you can see, there are many of them. They can be quite serious. Therefore, if you have problems with your menstrual cycle, immediately contact your gynecologist.