Have you ever wondered why you feel different on certain days of the month? Why your body changes? Why your mood fluctuates? All of these phenomena are closely linked to our female cycle. In this post, we will uncover the rhythm of the female cycle and explain what happens in each phase.
The phases of your cycle
We divide the female cycle into four main phases: menstruation, follicular phase, ovulation and luteal phase. We explain what happens in each phase and how they affect your body.
Menstrual phase – the starting signal for a new cycle
(1st-4th day of cycle)
The menstrual phase is the beginning of the cycle. Abdominal pain, mood swings and cravings. With the first day of menstrual bleeding, your body begins a new cycle. The uterine lining begins to peel off due to a lack of the hormone progesterone and is ultimately excreted in bleeding. PS: Did you know that you lose around 50 ml of blood during each menstruation?
Follicular Phase – On the Way to Ovulation
(5th - 14th day of the cycle)
During the follicular phase, your body prepares to release an egg. During this phase, the follicle stimulating hormone, or FSH for short, plays an important role. This hormone causes a follicle in the ovary to mature, containing an egg. In each cycle, several follicles mature, each of which normally contains one egg. However, one of these follicles, the so-called dominant follicle, eventually has a decisive size advantage and even grows to between 2 and 2.5 cm in size. The remaining follicles shrink back after ovulation. At the same time, estrogen causes the lining of the uterus, the endometrium, to build up.
Ovulation phase – When the egg bursts
(Between the 12th and 14th day of the cycle)
The ovulation phase is the moment of ovulation. This is triggered by the drop in estrogen levels and the rise in FSH. The dominant follicle bursts and releases the egg, which then passes from the ovary into the fallopian tube and is transported to the uterus via the cilia in the fallopian tube.
Luteal phase – preparation for a possible pregnancy
(15th to 28th day of the cycle)
In the luteal phase, your body prepares for a possible pregnancy. Now the corpus luteum, also called the corpus luteum, develops from the shell of the egg cell, the former dominant follicle. This produces the hormone progesterone, which leads to the restructuring of the uterine lining and is the prerequisite for a fertilized egg cell to be absorbed. To ensure that the egg cell has the perfect conditions for fertilization, a "bed" is built for it. To do this, the blood flow to the uterine lining is stimulated and supporting tissue structures are formed. There are now two possibilities for how things continue. Either a fertilized egg cell has implanted itself in the uterine lining and you are pregnant, or the corpus luteum regresses and the hormone progesterone drops - and the whole cycle starts again.
Finally, we summarize the most important points.
The journey of the female cycle is a complex yet understandable process that takes place within us every month. The more we understand it, the better we can support our bodies and take good care of ourselves during each phase.
Remember to listen to your body's signals and treat it with care. If you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to consult a doctor.
