The menstrual phase is the first stage of the menstrual cycle. It’s also when you get your period.
This phase starts when an egg from the previous cycle isn’t fertilized. Because pregnancy hasn’t taken place, levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone drop.
The thickened lining of your uterus, which would support a pregnancy, is no longer needed, so it sheds through your vagina. During your period, you release a combination of blood, mucus, and tissue from your uterus.
You may have period symptoms like these:
cramps (try these home remedies)
tender breasts
bloating
mood swings
irritability
headaches
tiredness
low back pain
On average, women are in the menstrual phase of their cycle for 3 to 7 days. Some women have longer periods than others.
Follicular phase
The follicular phase starts on the first day of your period (so there is some overlap with the menstrual phase) and ends when you ovulate.
It starts when the hypothalamus sends a signal to your pituitary gland to release follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). This hormone stimulates your ovaries to produce around 5 to 20 small sacs called follicles. Each follicle contains an immature egg.
Only the healthiest egg will eventually mature. (On rare occasions, a woman may have two eggs mature.) The rest of the follicles will be reabsorbed into your body.
The maturing follicle sets off a surge in estrogen that thickens the lining of your uterus. This creates a nutrient-rich environment for an embryo to grow.
The average follicular phaseTrusted Source lasts for about 16 days. It can range from 11 to 27 days, depending on your cycle.
Ovulation phase
Rising estrogen levels during the follicular phase trigger your pituitary gland to release luteinizing hormone (LH). This is what starts the process of ovulation.
Ovulation is when your ovary releases a mature egg. The egg travels down the fallopian tube toward the uterus to be fertilized by sperm.
The ovulation phase is the only time during your menstrual cycle when you can get pregnant. You can tell that you’re ovulating by symptoms like these:
a slight rise in basal body temperature
thicker discharge that has the texture of egg whites
Ovulation happens at around day 14 if you have a 28-day cycle — right in the middle of your menstrual cycle. It lasts about 24 hours. After a day, the egg will die or dissolve if it isn’t fertilized.
Luteal phase
After the follicle releases its egg, it changes into the corpus luteum. This structure releases hormones, mainly progesterone and some estrogen. The rise in hormones keeps your uterine lining thick and ready for a fertilized egg to implant.
If you don’t get pregnant, the corpus luteum will shrink away and be resorbed. This leads to decreased levels of estrogen and progesterone, which causes the onset of your period. The uterine lining will shed during your period.
During this phase, if you don’t get pregnant, you may experience symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). These include:
bloating
breast swelling, pain, or tenderness
mood changes
headache
weight gain
changes in sexual desire
food cravings
trouble sleeping
The luteal phase lasts for 11 to 17 days. The average lengthTrusted Source is 14 days.
Answers & Comments
Explanation:
Menstrual phase
The menstrual phase is the first stage of the menstrual cycle. It’s also when you get your period.
This phase starts when an egg from the previous cycle isn’t fertilized. Because pregnancy hasn’t taken place, levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone drop.
The thickened lining of your uterus, which would support a pregnancy, is no longer needed, so it sheds through your vagina. During your period, you release a combination of blood, mucus, and tissue from your uterus.
You may have period symptoms like these:
cramps (try these home remedies)
tender breasts
bloating
mood swings
irritability
headaches
tiredness
low back pain
On average, women are in the menstrual phase of their cycle for 3 to 7 days. Some women have longer periods than others.
Follicular phase
The follicular phase starts on the first day of your period (so there is some overlap with the menstrual phase) and ends when you ovulate.
It starts when the hypothalamus sends a signal to your pituitary gland to release follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). This hormone stimulates your ovaries to produce around 5 to 20 small sacs called follicles. Each follicle contains an immature egg.
Only the healthiest egg will eventually mature. (On rare occasions, a woman may have two eggs mature.) The rest of the follicles will be reabsorbed into your body.
The maturing follicle sets off a surge in estrogen that thickens the lining of your uterus. This creates a nutrient-rich environment for an embryo to grow.
The average follicular phaseTrusted Source lasts for about 16 days. It can range from 11 to 27 days, depending on your cycle.
Ovulation phase
Rising estrogen levels during the follicular phase trigger your pituitary gland to release luteinizing hormone (LH). This is what starts the process of ovulation.
Ovulation is when your ovary releases a mature egg. The egg travels down the fallopian tube toward the uterus to be fertilized by sperm.
The ovulation phase is the only time during your menstrual cycle when you can get pregnant. You can tell that you’re ovulating by symptoms like these:
a slight rise in basal body temperature
thicker discharge that has the texture of egg whites
Ovulation happens at around day 14 if you have a 28-day cycle — right in the middle of your menstrual cycle. It lasts about 24 hours. After a day, the egg will die or dissolve if it isn’t fertilized.
Luteal phase
After the follicle releases its egg, it changes into the corpus luteum. This structure releases hormones, mainly progesterone and some estrogen. The rise in hormones keeps your uterine lining thick and ready for a fertilized egg to implant.
If you don’t get pregnant, the corpus luteum will shrink away and be resorbed. This leads to decreased levels of estrogen and progesterone, which causes the onset of your period. The uterine lining will shed during your period.
During this phase, if you don’t get pregnant, you may experience symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). These include:
bloating
breast swelling, pain, or tenderness
mood changes
headache
weight gain
changes in sexual desire
food cravings
trouble sleeping
The luteal phase lasts for 11 to 17 days. The average lengthTrusted Source is 14 days.
Explanation:
menstrual phase- first stage of the menstrual cycle.
Follicular Phase- is a stage of your menstrual cycle when your body is preparing to release an egg
ovulation phase- is the time when an egg is released from the dominant follicle
luteal phase-one stage of your menstrual cycle. it occurs after ovulation(when your ovaries released an egg)