How to count monthly. What is the cycle of menstruation and how many days does it last. Signs of approaching menstruation

Knowing your menstrual cycle will help you make informed decisions about your health and family planning. Doctors often ask when is the first day of your menstrual cycle. The tips below will help you identify this day.

Steps

Determining the first day of the cycle

Understand what the menstrual cycle is. Menstruation begins in women when they reach puberty - at this time, a woman has the ability to conceive a child. There are several phases in the cycle (follicular, ovulation, luteal), and the first day of the cycle marks the beginning of the luteal phase, in which the uterus sheds its lining through the vagina. This is how menstruation begins.

Learn to identify the first day of your cycle. If you learn how to correctly count the days of the cycle, you will be able to make the right decisions regarding your health and family planning. To determine the first day of your cycle and how long it is, start numbering the days of your cycle, starting with the first day of your period.

Monitor your cycle for several months. If you do this from the first day of the cycle, it will be easier for you to track patterns and calculate the day the next period begins.

Determine the first day of the next cycle. If you know the length of the cycle, it will be easier for you to predict the date of the next menstruation.

Signs of approaching menstruation

Know that premenstrual syndrome is normal. For most women, symptoms appear 1-2 weeks before the onset of menstruation. As a rule, they pass with the onset of menstruation. All women react differently, so you should record your symptoms throughout your cycle.

Be aware of possible mood swings. On the eve of menstruation, many women become whiny, anxious, their mood changes dramatically or becomes depressive. A woman can also constantly feel tired and irritated. If your mood swings don't stop after your period starts, or if you think these mood swings are interfering with your normal life, you should see your doctor.

Pay attention to digestive symptoms. On the eve of menstruation, bloating, constipation, fluid retention in the body and diarrhea are possible. This can lead to weight gain at the beginning of the cycle. All these symptoms should also disappear in the first 4 days after the onset of menstruation. If it doesn't, see your doctor.

Pay attention to physical changes. Chest pain, joint and muscle pain, and headache are quite common. You can take a simple pain reliever (ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen).

Know when to see a doctor. If you have five or more of the above symptoms and PMS is interfering with your normal life, you may have premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Your doctor may prescribe antidepressants, strong painkillers, or Jess birth control pills.
- In the treatment of premenstrual dysphoric disorder, it will be useful to work with a psychotherapist.
- You should also contact your doctor if your symptoms do not go away with your period, or if the frequency and severity of your symptoms change.

Problems with the menstrual cycle

Know when to discuss your cycle with your doctor. If you have questions about your cycle, talk to your gynecologist. It is also important to see a doctor if your cycle has always been abnormal or has suddenly become so. It is extremely important to consult a gynecologist in the following cases:

Learn more about amenorrhea. Amenorrhea is the absence of menstruation. In women, menstruation should begin no later than the age of fifteen. If you or your daughter didn't start a period before age 15, see your doctor.

Find out if you have dysmenorrhea. Dysmenorrhea is a disease in which menstruation is very painful. Ibuprofen or similar medications may help ease the pain, but if it happens every time, you should talk to your doctor.

Watch for abnormal bleeding. If you have had a regular menstrual cycle before, you should know what is normal for you. Keep track of the regularity of your periods. If your periods become irregular, see your doctor.

Know what causes irregular periods. A variety of factors can lead to cycle disorders. If you keep your weight within the normal range and visit your gynecologist regularly, your cycle will not fluctuate.

Contact your doctor. Regular check-ups with a gynecologist should be undertaken to begin treating any abnormalities as soon as possible. Keeping track of your cycle and symptoms will help your doctor make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment.

What is the menstrual cycle? First of all, you can find out about this from a gynecologist. It is difficult to tell something new about the process that every woman goes through every month. Moreover, each of them has their own experience of experiencing a similar state. Very often this topic begins in women's conversations. Usually, the discussion smoothly turns to first aid for especially painful periods, which for a long time can knock a woman out of her usual rut in life. Only 15 minutes of discussion - and you will receive a hundred recipes on how to help yourself, your beloved, in such a difficult time for the female body. Today we will talk about how to correctly calculate the cycle of menstruation and how it begins.

For the first time, girls have to learn about what menstruation is, on average, at 12 years old. But, as you know, more and more often this figure is shifting to a younger age. Now, having learned that the first menstruation began in a girl at the age of 9, no one will be surprised. But in general, the time of onset of changes in the child's body depends on race, lifestyle, amount of physical activity and hereditary characteristics.

The first signs of approaching puberty - the rapid growth of the girl's body begins, she has a clearly visible chest.

In older women, the reverse process begins. After the depletion of the follicles in the ovaries, menstruation completely stops. Between these two events of beginning and end is a rich, active life, accompanied by peaks of hormonal activity. A woman's life will now be measured not only in months, years, but also in menstrual cycles.

What is the menstrual cycle? This is a time period that lasts from one month to another and includes 2 periods. The first is when the maturation and release of the egg occurs. And the second, when the uterus creates conditions favorable for the implantation of an already fertilized cell. If you calculate the menstrual cycle, then on average the whole process takes about 28 days. This figure depends entirely on the individual characteristics of the organism. The first day when menstrual blood appears is also considered the first day of the menstrual cycle. On average, up to 80 ml of blood is lost in one period. Allocations exceeding this figure in volume are a deviation from the norm and require a visit to a doctor. Menstruation usually lasts 4 to 6 days.

The main volume of blood loss falls on days 1 and 2. It is important to know which day is the beginning of the cycle. In general, fixing the beginning of the menstrual cycle is very important. First of all, so that the malaise and the accompanying condition are not taken by surprise.

A normal cycle is an important indicator of women's health. The ability to count monthly can help determine the most favorable moment for conceiving a child.

How to correctly calculate the cycle of menstruation? It is also important to do this in order to detect in time the presence of diseases, one of the signs of which is the lengthening or shortening of the menstrual cycle. In order to correctly calculate the menstrual cycle and understand a certain rhythm of changing one another, it is necessary to fix the beginning of the first day of menstruation and the first day of the following for several months. As a result, we will get a pivot table, according to which the days of the beginning and end of the menstrual calendar will be clearly visible. This table will help calculate the menstrual cycle, identify its lengthening when the distance between the first day of the previous menstruation and the first day of the next exceeds 35 days. When does the menstruation itself lengthen or shorten? Elongation - when it lasts more than 7 days. Shortening - less than two days.

Menstruation can be plentiful and scanty. In any case, with heavy, painful menstruation, accompanied by spastic pain or a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen, or in the complete absence of critical days, you should urgently consult a gynecologist. Another warning sign may be spotting or bleeding. All these deviations from the norm can serve as signs of serious diseases. In order to identify all these violations, a table or calendar should be maintained. Dysfunction of the menstrual cycle can be caused by bad habits, in particular smoking.

Sometimes between critical days bleeding can begin. This may be a sign of the development of a tumor of the body or cervix.

How to correctly calculate the menstrual cycle? Any girl or woman can do this, because the process is quite simple. Unfortunately, at present, not all women know how to count the cycle of menstruation, and if they do, they do not do it regularly. Meanwhile, the algorithm is easy to understand. It is enough to take a simple example and, on its basis, calculate the duration of menstruation.

Calculation of the cycle of menstruation

How to determine the menstrual cycle by calculating the days of the beginning of menstruation? Consider an example:

Let's say the critical days began on March 3. So this is the first day of the menstrual cycle.
If calculated correctly, the next monthly bleeding in a normal cycle should begin on April 4th.
This day will be considered the first day of the next period.
And April 3 will be the last day of the previous cycle, which will be 28 days.

As you can see, there is nothing complicated in the calculation. How to count the cycle of menstruation using a simple example, it becomes quickly clear.

Every woman should take care of her health, including the normal functioning of the reproductive system.

This is especially true of the control over the cyclicity of menstruation. Many gynecological diseases are asymptomatic, and it is very difficult to identify them in the initial stages. Only due to violations of menstruation can one make an assumption about the presence of a particular ailment. Therefore, the question of how to calculate the duration of critical days is very relevant.

Menstruation cycle- physiological changes in the body of a woman, the duration of which is considered to be from the day the bleeding begins and the beginning of the next. Their regularity is responsible for the ability to fertilize.

Length of the menstrual cycle

The duration of the cycle depends on the characteristics of the organism and its duration is purely individual. It can change throughout life.

The normal monthly cycle lasts 28 days, but can reach up to 35 days. The period of menstruation itself lasts 5 days. Sometimes there is a delay. It is believed that such a lack of spotting in women up to 10 days is not a pathology and does not require medical treatment. But if the delay in menstruation exceeds this indicator, and the pregnancy test is negative, you should consult a gynecologist. He will not only conduct an examination and find out the reason for the absence of menstruation, but also tell you how to correctly calculate your menstrual cycle, why it can change and what is its average duration.

What factor influences duration?

If the menstrual cycle has increased or, conversely, the time interval between spotting has decreased, this may be due to some kind of infection in the genitals or pathology. Also, how long the cycle lasts can be influenced by such factors:

Diabetes;
Pelvic infections;
Diseases of various etiologies;
Obesity or underweight (with anorexia, menstruation disappears altogether);
Inflammation of the appendages;
Long journeys and trips;
Constant stress, hysteria and nervousness;
Changing of the climate.

As you can see, when the cycle of menstruation begins and how many days the menstruation cycle lasts in women, external factors and the lifestyle itself are strongly influenced. So, with physical and psychological overstrain, poor ecology, and an unusual climate, excretions can be retained. Do not immediately panic and run to the doctor. Try to eliminate the influence factor, for example, relax, take sedatives, or wait for acclimatization.

It's important to know! If factors influencing the duration are not identified, and little / much time passes between periods, unusual pain in the pelvis appears, you should contact a gynecologist!

Phases of the monthly cycle

In all women, the normal cycle has several phases that are different in duration. During each of them, certain changes occur in the ovaries and endometrium.

There are such phases:

Follicular. The norm of duration is 14-16 days. In some cases, it can take up to three weeks. During this period, the growth and maturation of follicles occurs, which is controlled by FSH. When one of the follicles becomes dominant (its size reaches 14 mm), the remaining eggs undergo regression and are slowly destroyed. It is believed that it is in this phase that the dead endometrium is removed, which leaves the uterus in the form of spotting. After the end of menstruation, the development of a new layer begins and already before ovulation, the endometrium is able to accept a mature egg;
ovulatory. When the follicle has become dominant, its size continues to increase. Soon he becomes ready for and begins his gradual break. At the same time, the mature egg moves into the fallopian tube, and the luteinizing hormone rises. Then there are two options:

Direct fertilization of an egg by a sperm. Pregnancy. Absence of bleeding;
Conception did not take place and the death of an unfertilized egg occurs;

Luteal (corpus luteum phase). The norm of duration is 12-16 days. After the rupture of the mature follicle, its cells increase the amount of lipids and luteal pigment. During this period, it becomes yellow and develops into a corpus luteum, which prepares the uterus for conception, pregnancy and gestation. If fertilization does not take place, the cells of the corpus luteum are destroyed, endometrial edema occurs. Soon it comes out of the uterus in the form of spotting.

How to calculate the duration of the menstrual cycle?

As mentioned earlier, cycle length is the amount of time between the onset of menstruation and the first day of the next uterine bleeding in women. Simply put, how many days pass between two periods.

Calculating how long the cycle lasts is not difficult. For example, if a woman had her last period on August 28, and the next menstruation began on September 26, then the length of her cycle is considered 30 days and is normal. In this example, August 28 is the first day, and September 25 is the last, since September 26 is already the start of the next period of menstruation.

It must be remembered that the length of the cycle is not affected by how long the spotting itself lasts (3, 5 or 7 days). The main thing to remember is the day they started.

Determining the duration of the cycle by symptoms

Most women determine the beginning and end of the menstrual cycle, paying attention to changes in the body, well-being and discharge. For example, focusing on these symptoms, you can easily recognize:

Change in the amount and nature of secretions (may be plentiful and viscous);
Increase in basal temperature;
Increased sexual desire.

It is also not difficult to determine the end of the monthly cycle, which is expressed in premenstrual syndrome. Signs of approaching menstruation begin about a week before the end of the cycle and are clearly felt:

Swelling of the mammary glands, increased sensitivity of the breast. Sometimes the appearance of soreness, a feeling of "bursting";
Emotionality, mood swings, tearfulness;
The appearance of acne and blackheads on the face, back;
Bloating, swelling;
Headache;
Feeling tired.

Possible violations

The length of the menstrual cycle changes throughout life. After childbirth, it becomes unstable, “jumps” of menstruation appear, and during breastfeeding it is completely absent. The cause of this violation is the hormone prolactin, which is responsible for the production of breast milk. After stopping breastfeeding, the cycle is gradually restored. This process is not a pathology and does not require any intervention.

How long the cycle lasts in women and its course is affected by many diseases. It can be:

Endometriosis. The presence of inflammatory processes in the tissues of the endometrium;
Algomenorrhea. During bleeding, it contributes to the appearance of pain of varying intensity. Sometimes causes vomiting;
Tumor, uterine fibroids;
Polycystic;
Dysmenorrhea. It manifests itself in the form of the beginning of menstruation before or after the due date;
inflammation of the ovaries;
Oligomenorrhea. Spotting is scanty and rarely occurs;
Amenorrhea. No periods for more than 6 months. Perhaps the development of infertility.

Treatment of cycle disorder

First of all, the gynecologist conducts an examination and is interested in the length of the previous menstrual cycle, the presence of pain, heavy discharge, diseases, including chronic ones. Medication plays an important role. Some of them greatly affect women's health and contribute to the appearance of changes in the pelvic organs.

To accurately identify the cause of the violation and make the correct diagnosis of the patient, a series of tests (ultrasound of the small pelvis, smear, blood, etc.) can be prescribed. The results obtained make it possible to choose the right method of treatment.

Often, the doctor prescribes hormonal treatment and prescribes the appropriate drugs. They eliminate the imbalance of hormones, restore their normal balance and regulate the onset of menstruation.

If the violation of the cycle of menstruation is caused by any disease, it is necessary to be under the supervision of a specialist. This will help avoid the development of serious complications.

A normal menstrual cycle is the main indicator of women's health. In the case of its violation, women experience abundant or very meager spotting. In this way, the body gives a signal about the disease, to which it is necessary to respond and visit a doctor.

Nature is conceived in such a way that every month the female body is ready for a possible pregnancy. What serves as a sign? A certain phase of menstruation, and to find out more precisely the period of ovulation, a woman helps to keep her own calendar, where she fixes the menstrual cycle. Between critical days, there are other changes associated with reproductive function, so every woman needs to know the cycle rate, listen to the signals so as not to miss the beginning of the development of pathology and not deprive herself of the joy of motherhood.

What is the menstrual cycle

Approximately at regular intervals, physiological changes occur in the female genital organs. The beginning of one menstruation (the appearance of discharge) and the entire period until the beginning of the next - this is what the cycle of menstruation is in women. This phenomenon got its name thanks to the Latin language, in translation from which “mensis” means “month”. Spotting is a liquid, more precisely, a mixture of blood, desquamated epithelium of the uterine mucosa, transparent mucus, so the color can vary from bright red to brown.

Do I need to know the duration of the cycle

If health care is on the list of priorities for a beautiful representative of any age, then there is no doubt: you need to know the individual menstruation schedule. This is the only way to detect violations of the function of the ovaries, the uterine mucosa or the onset of pregnancy in time. The duration, together with the frequency, volume of blood discharge is included in the list of the main characteristics by which normal menstruation is determined.

When does it start

The period of puberty for each girl occurs individually, in most cases, menarche occurs at the age of 11-13 years. Further, when the menstruation schedule stabilizes, the onset of menstruation can be judged by spotting. From this moment, which occurs at any time of the day, you should fix the beginning of a new period and do not forget to mark the first day in the menstrual calendar.

Phases

Gynecology has revealed almost all the secrets of the functioning of the female reproductive system. The work of all the organs included in it is subject to a certain rhythm, which is conventionally divided into three phases. For the full period of menstruation in the body of a woman, the egg matures, then the phase begins when it is ready for fertilization. If conception did not occur, then a corpus luteum is formed, the level of the hormone progesterone drops, rejection of the epithelial layer of the uterus - the phase ends.

Follicular

The beginning of this phase coincides with the onset of critical days, and the follicular phase lasts almost two weeks. During this time, follicles grow in the ovaries, they release estrogen hormones into the blood, the latter stimulate the growth of the endometrium (uterine lining). All actions of the reproductive system in this phase are aimed at the maturation of the egg and the creation of optimal conditions for its fertilization.

ovulatory

The shortest of all the selected phases of the cycle. With a duration of menstruation of 28 days, ovulation accounts for only 3. Under the influence of hormones, a mature egg is formed from a mature follicle. For a woman who wants to get pregnant, these few days are her only chance to conceive. The onset of the ovulatory phase makes itself felt with slight pain in the lower abdomen. If the egg is fertilized, then it attaches to the uterine mucosa. Otherwise, the work of the body is aimed at getting rid of the corpus luteum.

luteal

Ovulation occurs, but does not end with pregnancy - this means that the middle of the cycle or the third phase has come. The active production of the hormones progesterone, estrogen leads to the appearance of a complex of symptoms known as PMS (premenstrual syndrome). During the entire luteal phase, and this is from 11 to 16 days, a woman’s mammary glands can swell, her mood changes, her appetite increases, and the body sends a signal to the uterus that it is necessary to get rid of unnecessary endometrium. So one menstrual period ends, and another comes to replace the bloody discharge.

What cycle of menstruation is considered normal

Medical science does not give a definite answer. If we take into account the factor of the duration of the menstrual period, then the duration from 21 to 35 days fits into the concept of the norm. The average indicator of a normal cycle is 28 days. Menstruation (bleeding) lasts 2-6 days, while the amount of blood lost does not exceed 80 ml. Some regularity can be traced in the fact that women in the southern regions have a shorter cycle than those women who live in northern latitudes.

How to calculate the cycle of menstruation

To determine the time interval from the first day of menstruation to the last, you should start a calendar. For convenience, you can choose a paper version or online applications, then you do not have to keep all the data in your head and there is no danger of forgetting something. By marking the dates in the menstrual calendar, it will be possible to calculate the duration of the interval. The middle of the cycle can be determined using an ovulation test or by measuring basal body temperature (insert a thermometer into the rectum after waking up). For a reliable calculation, you need to take into account the data of 4 menstruations in a row.

Menstruation cycle calendar

To plan pregnancy, in taking care of their own health, the fair sex should regularly keep a calendar. A paper insert in a business diary, an online application is a choice based on convenience, but you should definitely mark the days of menstruation, make notes in the table, then determine the duration by calculating the interval: from the first day of the previous period to the first day of the next. The calendar helps to track the regularity, phases of the cycle in women, determine the period of ovulation or "dangerous days" if there is no desire to become pregnant.

Why does my period cycle change every month?

The regularity of the cycle indicates the good condition of the reproductive system, the general well-being of the woman. However, for a number of reasons, deviations can occur that lead to pathology. The physiological, emotional state, difficult situations - all this affects the appearance of irregular periods. The calendar system also leads to a failure in the calculations, when one month of the year is shorter than the other, therefore, with an average cycle duration, the start dates of menstruation in the calendar will be different.

When and why the cycle breaks

A normal menstrual cycle is more common among women who have given birth. Irregular menstrual periods are common in girls because it takes one to two years for a normal physiological process to develop. Before the onset of menopause, or in case of a violation of the hormonal background, the menstrual schedule also fails, which changes. The first menstruation is characterized by a short cycle, with hormonal failure or menopause - a maximum or long break.

Types of violations

The regular menstrual schedule for each woman is different, so you should determine the female cycle yourself. With noticeable deviations, when there is a delay in menstruation or the discharge has a pungent odor, a more saturated shade, you should consult a doctor. Important symptoms that indicate violations are an uncharacteristic amount of discharge, the appearance of painful sensations not only in half of the menstrual period, but also at the stage of follicle maturation or in the second half of the cycle.

With an irregular cycle and associated symptoms, it is customary to talk about the following possible violations:

polymenorrhea (prolonged uterine bleeding, the cycle schedule is defined as an interval of less than 21 days);
hypermenorrhea (heavy menstrual bleeding);
hypomenorrhea (scanty spotting, reduced production of sex hormones);
oligomenorrhea (the length of menstruation does not exceed 2 days);
amenorrhea (absence of critical days for more than six months);
metrorrhagia (atypical bleeding, in which there is no rejection of the endometrial gland);
algomenorrhea (menstruation, which is accompanied by severe pain).

Treatment of menstrual irregularities

The first thing to take as a rule if you suspect a violation is that self-medication is categorically unacceptable! The danger to life, if the monthly cycle in women has failed, is very high, so you need to contact a gynecologist for help, you may need to consult an endocrinologist, neurologist, therapist, oncologist. A reasonable approach to treatment, when the cycle is restored, pituitary hormones are produced correctly and the secretory phases are working, is a chance for happy motherhood or a way to resist the development of diseases of the reproductive system.

To determine the nature of the violations, choose an effective treatment regimen, a woman will have to undergo an examination, do an ultrasound scan, donate blood, and during a gynecological examination, the doctor will take a smear. When the influence of external factors is excluded, the specialist, based on the diagnosis, will offer the patient a treatment regimen, choosing one or more types of therapy:

Surgical treatment (ablation of the endometrium, curettage of the uterine cavity, removal of organs).
hormone therapy. It involves the use of combined oral contraceptives, in addition, GnRH agonists or gestagens are prescribed, which helps to establish a two-phase cycle in which ovulation is impossible.
hemostatic therapy. It is carried out with bleeding, helping to stabilize the functions of the reproductive system and the whole organism.
Non-hormonal therapy. Preparations based on plant complexes, minerals, useful acids are prescribed to bring the menstrual schedule back to normal. In addition, nutritional supplements are intended to support the functioning of the reproductive system during the corpus luteum phase, ovulation, fertilization and gradual rejection of the endometrium or support hormonal balance.

Menstruation has a great impact on a woman's life, determining her emotional and physical state. At the same time, the duration and course of menstruation is traditionally one of the important indicators of a woman's reproductive health. Therefore, gynecologists have always recommended that women track their menstrual cycle.

Why do you need to know how to count the days of the menstrual cycle and keep track of them?

Knowing the probable date of the beginning of the cycle will allow you to prepare in advance for the onset of menstruation. You will not be caught off guard and will be able to plan important events in your life with an eye on certain physical changes in your body.

In addition, if you regularly monitor, you can detect changes in your reproductive health in time. And when the slightest changes appear, contacting a gynecologist, timely identify the problem.

Understanding the individual characteristics of the menstrual cycle will help reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancy. It is enough to know when they come and to abstain from sex.

How to correctly calculate the menstrual cycle?

Many women do not know how to correctly calculate the duration of the menstrual cycle.

A menstrual cycle is the number of days between the first day of one period and the day before the start of the next period. Therefore, in order to find out the duration of the menstrual cycle, you should know the date of both the first day of the onset of the previous menstruation and the first day of the next menstruation.

Consider, for example, how the menstrual cycle is considered. If the first day of menstruation was December 3, and the last (before the next menstruation) was December 26, then the cycle will be 24 days.

There are also a number of indirect signs that will help identify changes in the female body and the alternation of the beginning and end of the cycle. So, during the onset of ovulation (on average, this is the 14-16th day of the cycle) - the woman's sexual desire increases significantly, the basal body temperature rises, and they become plentiful and transparent.

Approximately from 15 to 17 days from the onset of menstruation, premenstrual symptoms begin to appear. Against the background of changing hormonal changes, emotional instability increases, the sensitivity of the mammary glands increases, fatigue increases, skin rashes and slight swelling may appear.

A normal average menstrual cycle is considered to be a duration of 28 days. Cycle deviations within 21 to 35 days are allowed. For each woman, this indicator may vary, depending on various factors. Stress, illness, climate change, overwork, weight loss, changes in hormonal levels and other causes affect a non-female body.

But if menstruation becomes too plentiful or scarce, long or frequent, or stops altogether, you should immediately contact the clinic.

As it turned out, every woman can calculate the menstrual cycle. At the same time, it can be calculated both independently, using a calendar, and with the help of modern computer programs. The latter greatly simplify the task and help organize all the important dates. Careful attention to your health will contribute to the preservation of reproductive health for many years.