2017-06-29 10:00:00
The menstrual cycle is the period between each start of menstruation, during which a series of physiological and hormonal phenomena follow one another, making possible ovulation, the meeting of gametes, fertilization and implantation of the embryo within the uterine mucosa. THE cycle changes are difficult to predict, and often painful to live with. But they are part of the lot. Here are some hints on what to expect.
In adolescence, the onset of menstruation
Adolescence is marked by the onset of the menstrual cycle, and thearrival of the first periodscalled “ menarche “, indicates the National College of French Gynecologists and Obstetricians (CNGOF) (source 1). The onset of menstruation occurs on average in France at the age of 12 and a half years old.
Menstruation usually arrives shortly after the onset of puberty, a stage reached when the reproductive organs are functional.
At 18-20, the cycle becomes regular
“Often the first months or first years, periods are irregular. Normally, two years after menarche, menstruation becomes regular, which means that ovaries are functionalthe uterus is present and above all that the control of the ovaries is effective” continues the CNGOF.
The ovaries also produce female sex hormonesespecially progesterone and estrogen,” adds the Institut Curie (source 2). These are at the origin of the development of secondary sexual characteristics: breasts, silhouette, voice, hairiness. ” They also orchestrate the female menstrual cycle, ovulation and menstruation, from puberty to menopause”.
What changes in your twenties and thirties
If your menstrual cycle was difficult during adolescence, the period of the twenties should go better, according to the experts of the American site Health. Ovulation indeed becomes more regular, and so do menstruation. This is also the time when many women having sex choose their contraceptive method (pill, implant, IUD, etc.) which also helps to regulate the cycle.
Periods are supposed to be easier to anticipate for a woman in her 30s or 40s. However, unexplained changes in flow and pain can be a sign of endometriosis, ovarian cysts, or another health problem such as polycystic ovary syndrome, pelvic inflammatory disease… that’s why you have to think about see a doctor.
After childbirth, a longer or shorter cycle, irregular periods…
“After pregnancy, a woman’s menstrual cycle can undergo modifications »explains Dr. Marion Guiraud, medical and obstetrics gynecologist.
Many things can change: periods that were painful or heavy before pregnancy are no longer painful (or the reverse), cycles that were irregular or long are no longer painful (or the reverse)…
Concerning return of the rules“it is about 6 to 8 weeks after giving birth,” says the gynecologist. “If the woman is breastfeeding, the return of the diapers is delayed, but we cannot know exactly when the period will return. A woman can breastfeed for two years and have her period after one year.
At forty, the period of premenopause
The milestone of 40 years marks the arrival of possible fluctuations hormonales which precedes the menopause: it is the premenopause or perimenopause, which begins on average at age 46. This pivotal period can last one to four years depending on the woman, and has an impact on the menstrual cycle.
Cycle after cycle, the ovarian reserve decreases. The ovaries no longer secrete as many sex hormones: progesterone and estrogen. Ovulation becomes increasingly irregular, as do periods. Estrogen deficiency can lead to various symptoms.
Symptoms of perimenopause
The phenomenon of premenopause can cause:
- Irregularities of the menstrual cycle (alternation of short and long cycles, etc.);
- Abundant discharge of blood;
- Premenstrual syndrome (PMS);
- Hot flashes and night sweats;
- Breast tenderness and pain;
- Mood swings…
Menopause is characterized by the cessation of ovulation and hormone secretion by the ovaries. A woman is considered to be in menopause whenShe hasn’t had her period for a year.
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