Appy · 8 min
Understanding your menstrual cycle
6 sections · 8 min read
Why does your menstrual cycle matter for your health?
Your menstrual cycle is one of the most important indicators of your overall health, not just your fertility. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists describes menstrual patterns as a vital sign, in the same category as blood pressure or pulse. When something is wrong in your body, with your hormones, thyroid, nutrition, or other systems, your cycle often shows it first.
Your cycle is information about your body, not a test you have to pass.
This article is for every woman, whether you are trying for a pregnancy, managing symptoms, or simply trying to understand your own body better.
What actually happens during a menstrual cycle?
A menstrual cycle is counted from the first day of one period to the first day of the next. It is not just the days you bleed, it is the whole month.
The cycle has four phases:
Menstruation (days 1 to 5 approximately), This is your period, the lining of the womb sheds because pregnancy did not occur in the previous cycle.
Follicular phase (days 1 to 13 approximately), Running alongside and after your period, your body prepares an egg for release. rises and the womb lining begins to rebuild.
(around day 14 in a 28-day cycle), An egg is released from the ovary. This is the only time in the cycle when pregnancy is possible. day varies significantly between women.
Luteal phase (days 15 to 28 approximately), After , rises to prepare the womb for a possible pregnancy. If no pregnancy occurs, falls and your period begins again.
What does a normal menstrual cycle look like?
Normal cycles range from 21 to 35 days. Periods usually last 2 to 7 days. Flow that requires 3 to 6 pads or tampons per day is typical.
Which signs in your cycle mean you should see a doctor?
These are not reasons for panic. They are reasons for information.
For your doctor
Cycle history: I would like to discuss my menstrual pattern. [Describe what you have noticed: cycle length, flow, duration, any inter-menstrual bleeding, recent changes from your usual pattern, pain affecting daily function.] I would value an assessment and would like to understand what investigations are appropriate.
If your cycle pattern is one of the things you'd like your doctor to actually hear about, this is the line of conversation that gets a clinician's attention. Tap to add it to your draft summary, you can edit before generating the final one.
When is period pain normal and when should you worry?
Some discomfort before and during a period is common. The lining of the womb contracts to help it shed, and this can cause cramping.
How does culture shape the way we talk about periods?
Sometimes the pattern that has been described as normal is actually pointing at a diagnosable, treatable condition. That doesn't make anyone wrong. It just means the medical picture has moved on, and the language to describe it now exists.
Severe or progressive pain is not a test of endurance. It is information about your body.
How did this land with you?
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Reviewed by clinicians
Authored and reviewed by clinicians from the founding team. Information only, not personalised medical advice.