Phase One
On day one of the cycle, your menstrual period begins. Every month, the uterus in your body builds up a fresh new lining of blood and tissue. The purpose of this process is to help nourish a developing baby if you are pregnant. When this lining, called the endometrium, is not needed to nourish a baby, it leaves the uterus, travels through the cervix and the vagina, and trickles out of the vaginal opening. This menstrual blood, called the period, may be bright red, light pink, or even brown. A period usually lasts about three to seven days. The normal amount of menstrual flow is usually about 1/4 of a cup.
Phase Two
During this phase, some of the ova, or eggs, in your ovaries are maturing and moving toward the surface. One of these eggs (or sometimes two) matures each month.
Phase Three
Ovulation is the name of the event that takes place when one of the ovaries releases a mature egg. The egg travels out of the ovary, into the nearest fallopian tube and into your uterus. As the egg moves down the fallopian tube, which takes several days, the lining of the uterus continues to grow thicker and thicker.
Phase Four
During this phase, if you become pregnant, the egg moves into your uterus and attaches to the endometrium. If you are not pregnant, the lining of the uterus is shed through the vaginal opening. Then, a new menstrual cycle begins. |
