Ovulation day in the 35 day cycle. Where do these numbers come from and why might they change? How long does the ovulatory phase last?

It just so happens that the reproductive function is activated in the girl’s body at the moment when she does not care about this function at all. Having just put the dolls aside, the girl is faced with a whole series of little-understood processes occurring in her body, which immediately begin to be heatedly discussed among her peers, with consultations from those who are older. And mothers in this situation do not always rise to the occasion, since they themselves are poorly versed in this topic.

So, let’s figure out once and for all what happens to you every month, dear women, what is considered normal, what should alert you.

Most women, when asked about the duration of their menstrual cycle answer with a similar phrase “about once a month, a couple of days earlier than the previous month”- this one with a fancy phrase the cycle duration is 28 days. This cycle length occurs in most healthy women, but does this mean that a shorter or more long cycle Is there a manifestation of pathology? No!

Recognized that a normal menstrual cycle can last from 21 to 35 days, that is, plus or minus a week from the average of 28 days. The duration of menstruation itself can normally range from 2 to 6 days, and the volume of blood lost should be no more than 80 ml. A longer cycle occurs among residents of the northern regions, a shorter cycle among those living in the southern regions, but this is not an absolute pattern.

Regularity is important in the menstrual cycle. That is, if a woman’s cycle is always 35-36 days, then this can be absolutely normal for her, but if it is either 26, then 35, then 21, this is not the norm. Thus, Irregularity can be considered a pathology(when menstruation comes at an uneven period of time), long cycle(more than 36 days) or short cycle(less than 21 days). In general, the menstrual cycle can vary greatly depending on the condition of the woman and the situation in which she finds herself.

However, different women lability of the menstrual cycle depending on external and internal factors can be different. For some, a little stress can already lead to a delay in menstruation, while for others, severe depression is not a reason for menstrual irregularities. One woman's menstrual cycle can match another's if they long time exist together. This is often seen on women's sports teams or when living together in a dorm. It is not entirely clear what explains this fact. All we can say is that menstrual cycle although there is a clear mechanism, but can vary significantly in normal healthy woman and these changes are a reflection of the body’s reaction to external and internal factors.

The menstrual cycle is not always stable

The most irregular period is the first two years after the start of menstruation and three years before its end (menopause). Violations during these periods are due entirely physiological reasons, which we will talk about below.

Where do these numbers come from and why might they change?

The menstrual cycle is divided into three phases: menstruation, the first phase (follicular) and the second phase (luteal). Menstruation lasts on average 4 days. During this phase, the lining of the uterus (endometrium) is shed due to failure to become pregnant.

First phase lasts from the end of menstruation until ovulation, that is, on average until the 14th day of the cycle at 28 daily cycle(cycle days are counted from the start of menstruation).

This phase is characterized by the following events: several follicles begin to grow in the ovaries (from birth, the ovaries contain a lot of small vesicles (follicles) containing eggs). During their growth, these follicles secrete estrogens (female sexual hormones) into the blood, under the influence of which the mucous membrane (endometrium) grows in the uterus.

Shortly before the 14th day of the cycle, all follicles except one stop growing and regress, and one grows to an average of 20 mm and bursts under the influence of special stimuli. This process is called ovulation. An egg emerges from a ruptured follicle and enters the fallopian tube, where she waits for the sperm. The edges of the ruptured follicle gather (like a flower closing for the night) and this formation is now called the “corpus luteum.”

Starts immediately after ovulation second phase of the cycle. It lasts from the moment of ovulation until the start of menstruation, that is, about 12-14 days. During this phase, the woman's body waits for the pregnancy to begin. In the ovary, the “corpus luteum” blossoms, formed from a burst follicle. corpus luteum grows into blood vessels and begins to secrete another female sexual hormone (progesterone) into the blood, which prepares the uterine mucosa for the attachment of a fertilized egg and the onset of pregnancy. If pregnancy does not occur, then a signal is sent to the corpus luteum and it curtails its work.

When the corpus luteum stops secreting progesterone, a signal is sent to the uterus, and it begins to reject the no longer needed endometrium. Menstruation begins.

At of different durations cycle, the duration of the phases is reduced - this means that one woman needs 10 days for the follicle to mature, while another needs 15-16.

Having understood what the menstrual cycle consists of, it is easy to understand what determines its duration normally and in the presence of pathology.

Why is everything often unstable at the very beginning and then, after childbirth, it gets better?

The female reproductive system matures gradually, and being a complex mechanism, requires a setup period. The fact that a girl's first menstruation occurs does not mean that its system is mature and ready to fully operate(although for some, the menstrual cycle starts working correctly from the very beginning).

Functioning of women's reproductive system can best be compared to an orchestra, the harmonious play of all instruments of which creates the unique sound of a musical work - in our case regular menstrual cycle. Just as instruments in an orchestra require a period of tuning, all components of the reproductive system need to agree with each other to understand and work together harmoniously. Such a rehearsal usually takes about 6 months - for some it is longer, for others it is shorter, and for others it may take longer.

Why do there be delays or do my periods start earlier?

Everything is very simple - if during the first phase of the cycle it is not possible to grow a full-fledged follicle, which could burst in the middle of the cycle (ovulation), then the second phase of the cycle, accordingly, does not begin (no ovulation - there is nothing to form the corpus luteum from). The first phase lasts a long time, until the uterine mucosa (endometrium), which has grown under the influence of estrogen, begins to be rejected on its own (like a pyramid of cubes collapses when it is stood too high). The cycle in this situation can last up to several months.

In this case, in the next cycle, ovulation may occur and the cycle will have a normal length. When such alternation occurs, they speak of an irregular menstrual cycle.

Another reason for delayed menstruation may be too long existence of the corpus luteum. As I noted above, it lives for about 10 days and then begins to curtail its work, since pregnancy has not occurred. But sometimes it happens that despite the fact that pregnancy has not occurred, the corpus luteum continues its work and menstruation does not occur, and occurs only when the corpus luteum finally decides to leave.

More earlier onset of menstruation This is usually due to the fact that the notorious corpus luteum, on the contrary, stops its work too early. This leads to more early start menstruation.

Remember how the orchestra sounds when it tunes its instruments - the same cacophony from the menstrual cycle is often observed at the beginning. The components of the reproductive system negotiate so that they can grow a follicle in 14 days, start the ovulation process, and maintain the corpus luteum for at least 10 days. At the beginning, she does not succeed in all stages of this work and this is manifested by an irregular menstrual cycle.

But this adjustment can be seriously interfered with by the person himself. Nothing has such a negative impact on the development of the reproductive system as stress(intensive study, exams, unhappy love), reinforced sports training, extreme weight loss, frequent illnesses, smoking, alcohol and drugs. Against the backdrop of all of the above, quite often periods disappear and then you have to wait a long time for them. And the reason is very simple, I would say there is simple biological expediency in this - in extreme conditions life and when, for health reasons, a woman cannot bear healthy offspring– reproductive function is switched off until better times. It’s not for nothing that during the war, most women stopped menstruating; this phenomenon was even given a special term “wartime amenorrhea.”

What to do about it?

Let me make it clear right away that I don’t take into account various diseases, I'm talking about some common menstrual cycle adjustment problems. Such cycle disorders are solved by taking hormonal contraception. Here we need to return again to the comparison with the orchestra. If the orchestra starts to go out of tune, you must stop playing completely, give the musicians a rest and start again. Hormonal contraception does just that. She turns off the reproductive system and “rests” the entire time she takes contraception. Then, after its cancellation, the system begins to work again and, as a rule, the cycle failures disappear.

Why does the cycle quite often become stable after childbirth, and sexuality flourishes?

The orchestra can rehearse as much as it wants, but it is finally played only when it performs its first concert from beginning to end. Pregnancy is the only purpose for which the reproductive system is designed in the body. Only after the first full pregnancy, which ends in childbirth and the period of breastfeeding, the reproductive system matures completely, since during this period all the functions provided by nature are realized. After pregnancy, a woman finally matures and all the not fully “unpacked” properties of the body finally begin to work in full force.

The reproductive system must be used for its intended purpose - this is important; menstruation is not a function of the reproductive system, but a monthly reminder that it exists at all and is still working.

Let's step beyond 30...

Time passes, the reproductive system, which on average is allotted to exist in working order for 38 years (from 13 to 51), instead of performing its function is limited only to regular menstruation.

For reference: on average, a woman experiences about 400 menstruation during her life (with 2 births) and loses about 32 liters of blood, while during reproductive behavior (pregnancy, childbirth, 3 years of breastfeeding, and only then 1-2 menstruation and pregnancy again ) there are about 40 menstruation periods.

In addition, as a woman ages, her history of various gynecological and common diseases , and all this begins to affect the state of the reproductive system and, therefore, is reflected in menstrual irregularities. Inflammation, abortion, gynecological operations, overweight or underweight, general chronic diseases may cause problems.

Menstrual irregularities in the form of delays or earlier onset of menstruation a couple of times a year can occur even in the absence of any pathology.

As a rule, this is due to climate change or other stresses on the body (illness, hard work, personal problems, etc.). All nervous professions can lead to either delays in menstruation, their earlier onset or complete cessation.

Every woman is different, so everyone's cycle will change differently depending on the type of stress response and the phase of the cycle in which it occurs. For most women nervous work have no effect on their menstrual cycle at all. Cycle disorders, especially if it was stable before, often make a woman think that something is wrong with her. Not in all cases you need to panic.

If you can clearly remember any negative events in the recent past that greatly shocked you, then most likely this is a one-time cycle disruption and there is nothing wrong with it. If there is no menstruation for a very long time (and the pregnancy test is negative), then you need to consult a doctor. If menstruation came earlier and does not end, this is also a reason to rush to see a gynecologist.

Sometimes Cyclic disorders can manifest as very frequent menstruation(several times a month). And there is no need to delay it - see a doctor immediately.
But if the regularity of the cycle disappears completely– this is also a reason to see a doctor.

Regularity– the main indicator of the normal functioning of the reproductive system. Sometimes it happens that a cycle had one duration and suddenly becomes shorter while maintaining its regularity. As a rule, this is due to the fact that the second phase of the cycle becomes shorter, as the corpus luteum begins to work less. Such changes are more often observed closer to 40 years. This is not a reason to panic, but simply a reflection that your reproductive system will change as you age, just like you.

Early menopause

This is one of the very common fears of women. In fact, this fear is exaggerated, since early menopause quite rare. It is mainly due to rare congenital diseases, rare systemic diseases, a consequence of treatment (chemotherapy, radiation therapy at oncological diseases) and others rare conditions. There are situations when, as a result of surgery, a woman’s ovary or part of it is removed. Then menopause may occur earlier due to the fact that there is little tissue left in the ovaries that could support normal operation reproductive system.

Early menopause As a rule, it is manifested by the cessation of menstruation and the appearance of symptoms of insufficiency of female sex hormones (hot flashes, irritability, tearfulness, insomnia, etc.). There is no prevention of this disease.

Painful periods and PMS

For some reason it is generally accepted that bad feeling This is normal during menstruation. Presence of pain, nausea, migraines during menstruation is not normal. This condition of painful menstruation is called dysmenorrhea and requires treatment. Even if these phenomena are expressed insignificantly, they can and should be corrected.

Dysmenorrhea it happens like primary(most often in at a young age), when it is most likely due to simply the immaturity of the reproductive system and secondary– when it is a reflection of a number of serious gynecological diseases.

The same applies to premenstrual syndrome. In general, the widespread popularization of this syndrome allows women to attribute their sometimes not entirely adequate actions and behavior to manifestations of this syndrome. However, PMS is not a woman’s personality trait., which everyone has to put up with. PMS is a disease, which has incompletely understood causes, whole list symptoms and specific therapeutic measures. Manifestations of PMS can and should be corrected. Take monthly illness for granted in modern conditions wrong. If you have such problems, consult a doctor.

How it all ends

Decline of the reproductive system usually occurs in the same way as its formation. Menstruation becomes irregular and there is a tendency to be delayed. This is due to the same reasons as in the beginning.

The ovaries respond less well to stimuli from the brain. It is not possible to grow follicles that could reach ovulation - accordingly, the cycle is delayed. If ovulation occurs periodically, the resulting corpus luteum does not work well. What causes menstruation to either start earlier or, on the contrary, to be delayed? long term. Eventually your periods will stop, and if you haven't had them for more than 6 months, you should see a doctor. Based hormonal tests and ultrasound can suggest the onset of menopause.

Sometimes there are cases when menstruation stops for a long time, and according to tests and ultrasound, the onset of menopause is assumed. This can be especially frightening for young women. However, this may only be a temporary period, and menstruation may resume on its own, for example after proper rest.

Thus, the myth that 28 days is the norm and everything that differs from this figure is pathology has been debunked. The main thing in the menstrual cycle is its regularity, and the duration of the cycle can fluctuate over a wide range.

And yet, there is a simple rule, if you regularly go through preventive examination see a gynecologist (at least once a year), if any disorders appear, do not put off an “unpleasant” trip to the gynecologist - then you will almost never have serious gynecological problems.

It is fraught with many mysteries. And deal with them all to an ordinary person sometimes it can be very difficult. Therefore, in this article I would like to talk in detail about the cycle. The norm and deviations will also be described below.

Understanding the concepts

First of all, I want to define the concepts themselves in order to fully understand what we're talking about. So, the monthly (or more correctly, the menstrual) cycle is a special physiological process, which is unique to female body(sexually mature personality). It is of a regular nature and mainly affects the reproductive system. All these processes are controlled by hormones produced by the ovaries and the brain.

When does a woman begin to develop monthly cycle? The norm is the time of puberty for a girl. This happens on average at 11-14 years of age. The menstrual cycle disappears in women with the onset of menopause (most often it occurs at the age of 45-55). This is a normal physiological process, as a result of which a woman no longer becomes able to conceive and bear a baby. The external manifestations of the menstrual cycle are bloody issues, or menstruation.

How to count?

Not all women know how to correctly calculate their female cycle. So, first of all, it is worth saying that you need to start counting from the first day of bleeding, and end with the last day before the new menstruation. Ideally, the monthly cycle is 28 days. But this does not happen for all women. A deviation from this figure of one week is also considered the norm. That is, if a woman’s cycle lasts within 21-35 days, there is nothing wrong with that. If not, you should definitely consult a doctor for qualified advice. It is also important to remember that the cycle must be regular. If one month has 25 days, and the second - 32 - this is abnormal. Variations are possible within 1-3 days. IN otherwise Again, you need to contact a gynecologist for advice and search for reasons.

Nuances

Ovulation (translated from Latin as “egg”). This is one of the processes of the menstrual cycle. At this time, the follicle ruptures and an egg comes out, completely ready for fertilization.
Menstruation. Occurs approximately 12-15 days after ovulation. This is bloody discharge, with which, as unnecessary (if pregnancy has not occurred), the exfoliated endometrium comes out.

Phases

The phases of the menstrual cycle are what else needs to be discussed in this article. So, this issue can be approached in different ways. According to one version, there are only two phases of the menstrual cycle:

Folliculin.
Luteal (secretory, or corpus luteum phase).

Why is there such a division? It’s all due to hormones, which at a certain period are dominant in the reproductive organs female body. You can often see information that there are two more phases of the monthly cycle:

Menstruation phase.
Ovulation phase.

However, most scientists believe that it is not entirely correct to distinguish them from the point of view hormonal levels. However, it is believed that they more clearly show the processes occurring in the ovaries and uterus. In addition, these phases are very important during pregnancy planning, so they cannot be completely excluded. All four phases will be discussed below.

First phase: menstruation

The normal menstrual cycle begins with the first phase, which is calculated from the first day of bleeding. These are the so-called menstruation. At this time, the previously rejected endometrium is released along with the blood. This process can also be called preparation for receiving a new egg. As for the duration, this phase lasts only 3 to 6 days. It ends even before the end of bleeding in women. What else is important to say when studying the menstrual cycle? How much blood should a girl normally produce? No more than 80 ml for the entire period of menstruation. If a woman changes pads or tampons more than 10 times a day, this is a reason to consult a doctor. You should also seek help if bleeding continues for a week or more.

Possible problems

What problems may arise in this phase?

Amenorrhea (the prefix “a” means absence). This complete absence bloody discharge. However, this diagnosis can only be made if a similar phenomenon is observed for six months.
Algomenorrhea (the prefix “algo” means pain). This painful menstruation when a woman feels very bad. At this time, the woman’s ability to work sharply decreases.
Menorrhagia. This is too much bleeding. This diagnosis can be diagnosed if a woman’s menstruation lasts more than 7 days or the amount of discharge is more than 80 ml.

Second phase: follicular

We further study the monthly cycle. The norm is when the second phase in a woman lasts about two weeks after the end of bleeding. At this time, the woman’s brain begins to send certain impulses, under the influence of which follicle-stimulating hormone is actively produced, and follicles grow in the ovaries. Gradually formed dominant follicle, which will be a refuge in the future. At the same time, a hormone such as estrogen is actively produced in the woman’s body. He is working to renew the lining of the uterus. Also, this hormone affects the cervical mucus so much that it becomes immune to sperm.

Problems

Disruption of the menstrual cycle in the second phase can be caused by various stresses and diseases. In this case, the third phase of the female cycle will occur somewhat later than usual.

Phase Three: Ovulation

This is the middle of the monthly cycle. At this moment, there is a restructuring of hormones in the female body. The level of FSH, i.e., decreases significantly, but immediately a surge of LH occurs, i.e. Time frame of the period: three days. What happens to the female body at this time?

LH makes the cervix very receptive to sperm.
The maturation of the egg ends.
The egg is released from the follicle, after which it enters the fallopian tubes and awaits conception (the period is about two days).

Phase four: luteal

It can also be called the “corpus luteum phase.” After the follicle is released, it begins to actively produce the hormone progesterone, the main task of which is to prepare the uterine mucosa for implantation. At the same time it dries cervical mucus, LH production stops. If a normal monthly cycle is observed in women, then this phase lasts no more than 16 days (within a maximum of 12 days, the fertilized egg must attach to the uterus).

If fertilization has occurred: in this case, the egg enters the uterine cavity, is implanted, and the production of the so-called pregnancy hormone begins, which will be active throughout the entire period of gestation.
If fertilization does not occur: in this case, the egg dies and the production of progesterone stops. This causes destruction of the endometrium, which entails its rejection and the onset of the first phase of the new menstrual cycle - bleeding.

Cycle and conception

Every lady should know her correct menstrual cycle. After all, this is very important in that situation if you want to prepare for conceiving a baby or, conversely, avoid unwanted pregnancy. After all, as everyone knows, there are favorable and dangerous days female cycle. More details about this:

The maximum probability of conception is a couple of days before ovulation or during the second phase of the menstrual cycle.
It is worth remembering that male sperm live up to seven days in the female tract, so fertilization is possible even if unprotected sexual intercourse occurred a week before ovulation.
Favorable days for those who do not yet want to have children: a couple of days after ovulation. The egg has already died at this time, fertilization will not occur.

However, it is worth saying that it is very difficult to accurately predict ovulation. After all, the female body is not an ideal machine. If you don’t want to get pregnant, it’s best not to rely on your calculations, but to take additional protection modern means, say, condoms.

Basal temperature

We further study the monthly cycle. The norm and deviations must be known to every woman. Here I would also like to talk about how you can identify the phases yourself. To do this, just follow the graph basal temperature(as is known, this measurement temperature indicators in a woman’s vagina or rectum). In the first days after bleeding, the temperature should be kept within 37 °C. Then it usually decreases slightly, and then “jumps” by 0.5 °C and is normally more than 37 °C. The temperature remains at this level almost all the time, but a few days before the start of menstruation it drops again. If this does not happen, we can say that the girl became pregnant. If the temperature has not changed at all throughout the entire cycle, this means that the third phase - ovulation - has not occurred.

About crashes

Modern women very often suffer from such a problem as a violation of the menstrual cycle. What symptoms may indicate this:

Increasing the interval between menstruation, its significant fluctuation.
Change of days in the cycle (deviation of more than three days in any direction).
Copious or scanty bleeding.
Complete absence of menstruation for at least two months (unless, of course, this is a sign of pregnancy).
The appearance of bleeding in different phases menstrual cycle (not only the first).
Duration of bleeding more than a week or less than three days.

These are the main problems that should alert the lady. In this case, you should definitely consult a gynecologist and find out the causes of these phenomena.

Causes

If a woman’s menstrual cycle is disrupted, the reasons for this may be the following:

Weight change - obesity or sudden weight loss. Fasting, as well as the consumption of foods harmful to the body and overeating, affects the entire body as a whole, and especially reproductive function ladies. Accordingly, for the menstrual cycle.
Stress. In this state, the woman actively begins to produce the hormone prolactin, which can inhibit ovulation and cause a delay in menstruation.
Physical exercise.
Acclimatization. If a woman changes her waist belt - from heat to cold or vice versa, the body turns on protective forces, which can affect the female cycle.
If a woman's menstrual cycle is off, the reason for this may be hormonal disbalance(impaired production of certain hormones).
Women's diseases. The cycle may go astray if a woman has the following problems: inflammation of the uterus, pathology of the cervix, cysts, polyps of the uterus, and its appendages.
Taking oral contraceptives. If a woman is just starting to take birth control pills, at first, while the body is adapting, there may be certain failures. However, after a maximum of three months, if medications are selected correctly, a clear and normal cycle menstruation.
Adolescence and menopause. During these periods, the female cycle may be irregular, which is not an indicator of any special problems with the body. In a young girl, the first cycle of menstruation will never be an indicator that menstruation will continue in the same manner.
A woman will stop menstruating completely if she becomes pregnant.
Huge problems with the cycle will occur in the case of involuntary or planned abortions.

Diagnostics

If a woman starts menstruating in the middle of her cycle or has some other problem, she mandatory should apply for medical consultation. After all, this may be the reason for quite serious problems with the body. What indicators will the gynecologist use to diagnose?

Survey (obtaining complete information about possible reasons violations).
Gynecological examination of the patient.
Taking all smears necessary for analysis.
Blood and urine tests.

If these procedures do not provide complete answers to the doctor’s questions, the lady may be prescribed additional studies:

Ultrasound of the pelvic or abdominal organs.
Hormone tests.
MRI - magnetic resonance imaging (definition pathological changes in tissues, as well as searching for possible neoplasms).
Hysteroscopy (examination of the patient’s uterine walls using a special instrument).

Only the combination of these methods for studying the patient’s condition can give full picture causes of her illness, which will lead to the diagnosis correct diagnosis and prescribing appropriate treatment.

Diseases

Above, a little was said about what problems can arise with the female menstrual cycle and what diseases develop against this background. However, this is far from a complete list.

Hypomenorrhea. This is very scanty bleeding.
Opsomenorea. Significant shortening of the duration of bleeding in a woman.
Oligomenorrhea. This is an increase in the interval between the woman's bloody discharge.

All of these issues should be cause for concern. Every woman should remember that timely diagnosis and treatment of the disease is very important.

Complications

If a woman’s cycle is disrupted (for example, different periods of time pass between periods) or other problems arise with women's health, you should immediately consult a doctor for qualified advice. After all, if the disease is not diagnosed and treated in time, it can lead to serious complications, which will be extremely difficult to cope with. It is worth remembering that late detection of pathologies that cause disruptions in the menstrual cycle can lead not only to the inability to get pregnant, but even to fatal outcome young lady.

If a woman has minor irregularities in her menstrual cycle, she can try to correct the situation without the intervention of doctors. To do this, it is enough to correctly adjust your daily routine and nutrition. That is, you need to exclude everything from food harmful products, pay more attention to consumption fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as cereals. The lady should also get enough rest: at least seven hours night sleep, breaks from work, physical activity and stay on fresh air- only these nuances can correct the female cycle with minor glitches.

Treatment by a doctor

If a girl still needs to apply for medical assistance, treatment will be prescribed based on the reasons that led to hormonal imbalance.

If the cause is stress, the patient will be prescribed sedatives.
If there are problems with bleeding, the woman may be prescribed hemostatic drugs (to eliminate bleeding if menstruation occurs in the middle of the cycle).
At heavy bleeding a lady can have an infusion donor blood, plasma.
Maybe surgical intervention(including hysterectomy, i.e. removal of the uterus).
In some cases, the girl may be prescribed antibiotics (if the cause of the failure is an infectious disease).
The most common methods of treatment are prescription hormonal drugs to regulate hormonal levels.

If the cycle is 35 days, when ovulation occurs is of concern to women who want or do not want to get pregnant.

To identify disorders of the reproductive system and form an idea of a woman’s health, there is no way to do without monitoring the menstrual cycle. This means that every woman who has reached puberty should ideally keep a calendar of her menstrual cycle, which will subsequently allow her and her doctor to figure it out if problems with conception suddenly arise.

What is ovulation

Directly from, when every month the “peak” of events in the female body occurs, when a mature egg leaves the uterus and descends fallopian tubes towards the sperm. Ideally, they should fuse and the sperm should fertilize the egg. This is the process of conception, which some women so much await and others fear.

All this happens in the female body throughout active life from the moment of puberty until the onset of menopause. During pregnancy, menstruation stops.

On average, the menstrual cycle lasts 28 days. Ovulation occurs in the middle of the cycle, which means you need to wait for it on the 14th day. However, this is such an individual process that the cycle can be shorter or longer, and for some women it even varies significantly from month to month. There are many women whose menstrual cycle is 35-38 days. In this case, ovulation will occur approximately on the 24th day, which must be counted from the first day of menstruation. It is worth remembering that, for a number of reasons, ovulation can occur not only in the second phase of the cycle, but also on another day.

Knowledge of simple mechanisms of fertilization will allow you to get pregnant faster or, conversely, avoid fertilization. Accordingly, if there is no ovulation, then pregnancy cannot occur.

Determination methods

Shortly before the highest point of the menstrual cycle, that is, ovulation, the female body suggests that it will come soon. First of all, this aching pain lower abdomen, swelling of the mammary glands. The nature of the discharge changes, becoming more viscous, viscous, similar in consistency to egg white. These signs are familiar to every woman, so she can accurately determine the state of the body and either prepare for conception, or, conversely, take more careful precautions to avoid pregnancy.

Another sure way is to measure your basal temperature. To do this, a woman must measure the temperature in her rectum in the middle of her cycle. This is the basal temperature, which will certainly have to rise. This is also one of the signs of that very day.

Modern methods for determining ovulation have now been developed in the form of tests that can be purchased at the pharmacy. The instructions for them say that you need to collect urine in a clean container, then dip the test strip into it. Here the principle of operation is exactly the same as for pregnancy tests: 2 lines - which means there is ovulation. In this case, it is necessary to pay attention to the intensity of the coloring of the test strips: the more clearly the second strip is visible, the brighter it is, the closer ovulation is. This is perhaps the most reliable way to determine the onset of ovulation. On average, you need to do this test five days in a row.

There is another popular modern way calculation - using the online calendar. The necessary data is entered into it, after which the program itself calculates the day of ovulation several months in advance. You need to understand that this is approximately.

Ovulation itself does not last long - released in abdominal cavity the egg lives on average 24 hours, less often - 48. Then, if fertilization does not occur, it dies. And so on until next month.

We must remember that the egg is released from each follicle in turn.

Such a follicle is called dominant.

The female body is a great mystery! And like inexplicable events in nature, changes in the phases of the moon, a woman’s life also changes. Many scientists have noticed that the cyclical nature of the heavenly body is reflected in a girl’s menstrual cycle. But sometimes there are storms, and a woman’s health is susceptible to changes from the outside and disturbances occur in the body, which can bring a lot of inconvenience to a woman’s life, and most importantly, deprive her of the opportunity to experience the joy of motherhood!

Let's figure out what a normal menstrual cycle is

A regular menstrual cycle is a sign of a healthy female body.

This is a cyclical, monthly period in the life of every healthy woman, except for the period of pregnancy and breastfeeding, starting from the first day of the appearance of bleeding (menstruation) and until the first day of the next period. Normally, this period ranges from 21 to 35 days, plus or minus 3 days. If the cycle is shorter or longer, then we can already talk about pathology and sound the alarm. The menstrual cycle plays a huge role in reproductive function women and is necessary for the ability to fertilize, bear and give birth to children.

A girl becomes a girl with the onset of her first period (menarche), which usually begins between 11 and 14 years of age. They may be irregular at first, but after a couple of years the cycle becomes established. And throughout life it is stable, until the period of premenopause, somewhere around 40–50 years.

From birth, a girl’s ovaries contain up to 2 million follicles; by the beginning of menarche, there are up to 400 thousand of them left. One menstrual cycle “uses” one ripening follicle to release an egg.

Cyclic changes normally in women have a two-phase cycle and are clearly controlled by the hormonal mechanism of influence of the endocrine glands.

Normal parameters of the menstrual cycle:

The duration of the cycle is from 21 to 35 days. On average 28 days.
The duration of menstruation is from 2 to 7 days. On average 5 days.
Conditional blood loss is from 40 to 60 ml. On average 50 ml.

Cycle phases

The first phase, or follicular. During this period, the follicle grows and matures in the ovaries under the influence of hormones from the pituitary gland and hypothalamus (follicle-stimulating hormone or FSH). An egg is released from a mature follicle during ovulation (the middle of the menstrual cycle), ready for fertilization.
The second phase, or luteal. During this phase, again under the influence of brain hormones (luteinizing hormone or LH), the corpus luteum matures, releasing the follicle egg. If, nevertheless, pregnancy occurs during ovulation, then the corpus luteum of pregnancy is formed from this follicle, producing progesterone for up to 16 weeks, the high level of which helps to maintain pregnancy. And at 16 weeks, the placenta takes over this function.

Parallel to the ovaries, cyclic hormonal influence The endometrium in the uterus is also affected.

The endometrium, as is known, consists of several layers, the superficial layers are represented by the functional and intermediate layers. The basal layer is not rejected during menstruation, but ensures the restoration of the rejected layers. The intermediate one, being rejected, comes out in the form of menstruation.

Highlight cyclical changes in the endometrium in the form of the following phases:

Proliferation (follicular phase). The active hormone in this phase is estrogen. It lasts from the 5th day of the cycle for 12–14 days. During this period it grows surface layer endometrium with tubular glands up to 8 mm thick.
Secretion (luteal phase). During this phase, both progesterone and estrogen levels increase and lasts approximately 14 days. During this period, the tubular glands begin to produce secretions, the peak of which is reached on the 21st day of the cycle. Blood flow to the endometrial arteries increases on the 22nd day of the cycle, creating favorable conditions for implantation of the zygote.
Menstruation. When pregnancy does not occur, due to the low amount of hormones produced by the ovary, blood supply to the endometrium decreases, blood clots and spasms form in the vessels, and then their sharp expansion leads to endometrial rejection. This is observed by the 24th–27th day of the cycle. Menstruation itself consists of the following phases:

Desquamation (rejection of the functional layer).
Regeneration (healing of the functional layer). This phase begins immediately after the endometrial intermediate layer is shed. The basis for this, as mentioned above, is the basal layer. And on the 4th day, epithelization of the entire surface of the endometrium occurs after its rejection.

Continuous cyclical process of friendly reproductive organs– glands, ovaries and endometrium, throughout the entire menstrual cycle promotes maturation, release of the egg from the ovary and its fertilization, attachment to the already prepared endometrium (thanks to the two-phase cycle) and further development and maintaining pregnancy to a greater extent by ovarian hormones. If fertilization does not occur, then the functional layer (necessary during pregnancy for the embryo to attach to it and ensure its vital activity) is rejected in the form of menstruation.

The process of regulation of the cyclic process is carried out by the neuroendocrine system through direct and feedback hormones, i.e. when some hormones decrease, others increase and vice versa. There is the following hierarchy of levels of regulation of the menstrual cycle:

The first level is the cerebral cortex, limbic system, hippocampus and amygdala. Influence top level depends on its initial state, action external factors. Therefore, menstrual irregularities often depend on mental state women, and sometimes you can observe a delay in menstruation after suffering stress.
The second level is the hypothalamus. It is influenced by the feedback principle of sex hormones coming from the blood.
The third level is the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland, which produces LH and FSH, prolactin, adenocorticotropic and thyroid-stimulating hormones.
The fourth level is the ovaries, thyroid and adrenal glands.
The fifth level is sensitive to the action of hormones (uterus, endometrium and mammary gland).

But, unfortunately, not all women have a regular menstrual cycle and work like a clock. All violations are divided into the following categories:

Irregularity of the cycle.
Pain when releasing menstrual blood.

Reasons why the menstrual cycle is disrupted

Impact on the body from the outside - stress, overwork, malnutrition, change of place of residence and climate.
Internal factors – accompanying illnesses(pathology of the ovaries, central nervous system, adrenal glands, endometrial diseases, curettage of the uterine cavity and abortions, liver diseases, impaired hemostasis, etc.).
Under the influence medicinal substances(hormones, anticoagulants, drugs used in psychiatry, etc.).

Types of menstrual irregularities

Algodysmenorrhea, or painful menstruation, is often not the norm, but one of the types of menstrual cycle disorders.

Menorrhagia (hypermenstrual syndrome)– cyclic heavy menstruation. It in turn is divided into:

Polymenorrhea – prolonged bleeding, occurring cyclically with an interval of less than 21 days.
Proyomenorrhea – increased menstruation.
Hypermenorrhea – a large number of menstrual flow.

Hypomenstrual syndrome – external manifestation decreased menstruation:

Hypomenorrhea – scanty menstrual flow.
Oligomenorrhea – duration of menstruation up to 2 days.
Opsomenorea is an interval between menstruation of more than 5–8 weeks.
Spaniomenorea - mensis is observed up to 2-4 times a year.
Amenorrhea is the absence of menstruation for more than 6 months.

– bleeding that began a year or more after the cessation of menstruation in older women.
Metrorrhagia – acyclic bleeding, not accompanied by endometrial rejection.
Intermenstrual bleeding – occurs between periods.
Algodismenorrhea – painful menstruation.
Juvenile bleeding is profuse bleeding in teenage girls.

Treatment of menstrual disorders

After full examination women, including collection of anamnesis, detailed general and gynecological examination, performing ultrasound, taking smears, clinical and biochemical analysis blood test, coagulogram, hormonal examination, hysteroscopy, and sometimes an MRI, you can begin treatment.

First of all, it is necessary to exclude the influence of external factors.
Treatment of concomitant diseases.
Hemostatic therapy is provided for bleeding.
Surgical treatment (curettage of the uterine cavity, removal of the uterus).
Hormonal therapy. Use combined oral contraceptives, gestagens, GnRH agonists.

Self-medication is extremely unacceptable! This is dangerous for a woman's life. If menstrual irregularities occur, you should seek help from medical institution, because delay can lead to inflammation in mild cases, endocrine disorders, infertility, and in as a last resort- to death. Take care of yourself and your health - it is priceless!

The article will tell you how to determine or calculate ovulation at home.

A woman who knows about her ovulation can allow herself to get pregnant faster or, on the contrary, protect herself from an unplanned pregnancy.

How to calculate ovulation for conception?

You can determine ovulation in the following ways:

According to ultrasound. The procedure will not calculate for you the exact date release of the egg, but definitely about the absence or approach of ovulation
By monthly
By basal temperature
According to the ovulation test
Based on how you feel and body signals

IMPORTANT: Read more about each item below

How to calculate ovulation by menstruation?

There is a common myth that ovulation occurs on the 14th day of the menstrual cycle, i.e. on the 14th day from the start of the next menstruation. This statement is truly a myth, since the day of ovulation directly depends on the length of the menstrual cycle.

The menstrual cycle consists of two phases: the follicular and corpus luteum phase.

More or less has general indicators The duration of the second phase is 12-16 days. As you can see, the average number is really 14. But the countdown does not start from the first day of menstruation, but from last day cycle, i.e. days before the start of the next period.

When is ovulation in a 21 day cycle?

With a 21-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 5–9 from the first day of your period.

When is ovulation in a 23-day cycle?

With a 23-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 7–11 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 24 day cycle?

With a 24-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 8-12 from the first day of your period.

When is ovulation in a 25 day cycle?

With a 25-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 9–13 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 26-day cycle?

With a 26-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 10-14 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 27 day cycle?

When is ovulation in a 28 day cycle?

With a 28-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 12–16 from the first day of your period.

When is ovulation in a 29 day cycle?

With a 29-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 13–17 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 30 day cycle?

With a 30-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 14–18 from the first day of your period.

When is ovulation in a 31 day cycle?

With a 31-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 15-19 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 32 day cycle?

With a 32-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 16-20 from the first day of menstruation.

When does ovulation occur in a 33-day cycle?

With a 33-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 17–21 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 34-day cycle?

With a 34-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 18-22 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 35 day cycle?

With a 35-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 19-23 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 36 day cycle?

With a 36-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 20–24 from the first day of your period.

When is ovulation in a 37 day cycle?

With a 37-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 21–25 from the first day of your period.

When is ovulation in a 38 day cycle?

With a 38-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 22–26 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 39 day cycle?

With a 39-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 23–27 from the first day of menstruation.

When is ovulation in a 40 day cycle?

With a 40-day cycle, ovulation will occur on days 24-28 from the first day of your period.

IMPORTANT: A woman’s body is a delicate matter, so the numbers may, although rarely, vary

How to calculate ovulation with an irregular cycle?

You cannot calculate the day of ovulation using your periods. After all, to calculate you need to know the length of the cycle, and you know this when irregular cycle you can not
According to the ovulation test. The first problem with this method is that it is difficult to guess on what day to take the test. The second problem is that the test may show false positive result. This is explained by the fact that cycle failure often indicates hormonal problems in organism. And if hormones are not produced according to norms, then the production of the hormone in large quantities, than it should be, can provoke a false test reaction

According to symptoms. This method also works for irregular periods. More information about the method can be found below.

Ultrasound. You can do an ultrasound, but with a 45-day cycle, you will have to attend many ultrasounds, tracking the dynamics of follicle growth. And this will cost you a pretty penny

Measuring basal temperature is a fairly effective method for irregular cycles. But you should first make a chart of your basal temperature for 3 months, noting the exact readings every day. This will allow you to understand what temperature jump occurs during ovulation in your body. Read more about basal temperature during ovulation and conception below and in the article

How to calculate your ovulation cycle?

To create an ovulation cycle, you should record your cycle duration for 6 months. Based on the results, make the following calculations:

Subtract 11 from the longest cycle
Subtract 18 from the shortest cycle
The period between the received days and will be the most likely for the onset of ovulation

Example.

The longest cycle was 36 days. Do simple calculations: 36-11=25 day of the cycle.

The shortest cycle was 28 days. 28-18=10 day of the menstrual cycle.

This means that the most likely period for the onset of ovulation and conception in specific woman is the interval between days 10 and 26 of the cycle. That is, there are 16 probable days for it.

Ovulation test

Detailed information about ovulation tests is presented in the article

Basal temperature during ovulation

Basal temperature readings are one of the methods for determining the onset of ovulation. But one measurement will not be enough for you, since each woman will have her own indicators:

In order for the information to be reliable, you need to make a graph of basal temperature for the last three months
You need to measure your temperature every day at the same time (read the next section for how to measure your basal temperature correctly)
After 3 months, make a chart from the first day of the cycle to the last for each month
During the first phase of the cycle, the basal temperature will be below 37 C
Then you will see a decrease of several degrees (you may not notice this short period)
After which there will be a sharp jump
This will be a signal about the onset of ovulation
This temperature is elevated and will remain until the onset of next cycle or will grow during pregnancy

When the system may fail:

Woman taking hormonal drugs
Woman taking other strong medications
The woman drank alcohol
Disorders in the body: failure hormonal system, women's problems
The rules for measuring basal temperature were violated (read more about them in the next section of this article)
Climate change

IMPORTANT: If in any month the temperature does not rise above 37 C, do not worry. This can happen 1-2 times a year. It's called anovulatory cycle, i.e. cycle without ovulation

Signals to see a doctor:

Anovulatory cycle occurred more than twice
Basal temperature rises only towards the end of the cycle, and not during the expected period of ovulation
The temperature rises and falls throughout the cycle
If after the onset of menstruation the temperature has not returned to its lower levels, but continues to remain high

IMPORTANT: All information provided will only be valid if correct measurement basal temperature (read more below)

Measuring basal temperature to determine ovulation

In order for temperature measurement to be practical, you must comply clearly and strictly rules for measuring temperature:

Take measurements rectally
Take your temperature early in the morning while lying in bed. Best time- 7 am
Use a mercury thermometer
5 hours before the measurement you should sleep peacefully
Place the thermometer next to you so as not to make any body movements. You shouldn’t even shake off the thermometer, prepare it in advance
Take the measurement for 5-10 minutes
Take out the thermometer, holding it by its tip. Otherwise you may affect the temperature
If you make a schedule, then measurements should be carried out at the same time, plus or minus a maximum of 30 minutes

Pain before ovulation

Pain before ovulation can be:

In the chest area
In the abdominal area

Chest pain.

Breast pain before ovulation is triggered by a surge of hormones as the body prepares for conception. Pain does not occur often; discomfort occurs more often. This is not a reason to go to the doctor unless they last for a long time.

Stomach ache.

The pain is concentrated in the area of the ovary, in which the cell matures and comes out. Every month you may feel pain with different sides. The pain should not be severe. If they are so strong that it is difficult for you to walk or you lose consciousness, consult a doctor immediately. If the pain is not severe, tolerable and only continues during the ovulation period, then there is nothing to worry about, because this is a normal physiological process.

IMPORTANT: Not every woman feels pain. But if you feel severe pain, or increase in temperature, headache, vomiting, dizziness, or if the pain continues for a long time - consult a doctor

Discharge before ovulation

Discharge before ovulation increases significantly. This is explained physiologically and should not scare you.

In addition to the increase in quantity, you may also notice a change in the consistency of the discharge:

As a rule, discharge before ovulation has the appearance and consistency of raw egg white
Color can be white, yellow, pink

IMPORTANT: Discharge cannot be one sign of ovulation. Compare this sign with other more accurate ones

How many days does ovulation last?

Ovulation lasts for different sources from 12 to 48 hours. That is, this is the period when the egg is viable and ready for fertilization.

If you have set yourself the goal of determining when ovulation occurs in your body, then you should choose the most precise methods, or a set of less accurate ones.