As a woman, your monthly period is actually much more than just a mere monthly occurrence, it has the potential to affect your fertility. Thus, when you are having trouble getting pregnant, it’s very important for your physician to gather information about your menstrual cycle in order to help establish an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.

What is Menstrual Cycle?

The menstrual cycle is a series of changes that a woman’s body goes through each month in which the ovary releases an egg and the uterus prepares for pregnancy. This cycle can be divided into two phases: the follicular phase and the luteal phase and both are explained below;

The Follicular Phase

The first day of your period (or menses) is day 1 of your cycle and the start of the follicular phase. During this time, the brain releases follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) to stimulate the development of a single dominant follicle that contains one egg. While the follicle matures, it will release oestrogen hormone to stimulate the growth of the uterine lining. Once ovulation begins, the follicular phase has concluded. While this phase averages about 14 days, the length can vary, creating variations in total cycle length.

The Luteal Phase

The luteal phase begins with ovulation and continues until the onset of your period. During this phase, the ovary will release progesterone — a hormone that matures the uterine lining and prepares it for the implantation of an embryo. If pregnancy does not occur, the progesterone level drops and bleeding occurs. This phase can average 14 days also.

Does The Cycle Length Matter?

The length of your menstrual cycle is determined by the number of days from the first day of bleeding to the start of the next period. The length of your cycle—while not on any form of birth control—can be a key indicator of hormonal imbalances and whether or not ovulation is occurring in a regular manner. If ovulation does not occur, pregnancy is not possible.

Normal Menstrual Cycle

A normal menstrual cycle lasts from 21 to 35 days. If you have a normal menstrual cycle, regular ovulation should be occurring and all hormones should be in balance, making natural conception possible.

Short Menstrual Cycle

A short menstrual cycle is anything shorter than 21 days. Shortened cycles can be an indication that the ovaries contain fewer eggs and that menopause may be approaching. As the number of eggs in the ovaries decrease, the brain releases more FSH to stimulate the ovaries to develop a follicle. This results in earlier development of the follicle and earlier ovulation, creating shortened cycles. This can make conception even more difficult.

Long or Irregular Menstrual Cycle

A long menstrual cycle lasts more than 35 days. Longer cycles are an indicator that ovulation is not occurring or at least not occurring in a regular manner. This lack of ovulation is known as anovulation. There are many potential causes of anovulation, such as:

irregularities with the thyroid gland
elevations of the hormone prolactin that can disrupt the brain’s ability to communicate with the ovary
polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

These hormonal imbalances lead to problems with ovulation and fertility and they may also increase the risk of miscarriage.

What Does it Mean if Menstrual Bleeding Lasts More than 7 Days?

The normal length of bleeding for women is 2 to 7 days on the average. Anything longer than 7 days is known as prolonged bleeding. Prolonged bleeding tells your physician that either ovulation is not occurring regularly or that there may be something disrupting the lining of the uterus. There also could be a problem forming blood clots.

Prolonged bleeding can occur if the aforementioned ovulation is not occurring regularly. Additionally, prolonged bleeding can be caused by polyps, fibroids, or infection within the...read more on https://planbwellness.com/what-does-your-monthly-period-say-about-your-fertility/