Periods (Menstruation)
Periodic discharge of blood and tissue from the uterus. From puberty until menopause, menstruation occurs about every 28 days when a woman is not pregnant.
How the Menstrual Cycle Works
Baby girls are born with all the egg cells in their ovaries that they will have in their lifetime. These egg cells lie in small pockets called follicles. Once puberty starts, different hormones ripen the first follicle so that it will release an egg cell (ovum).
Hormones are substances produced by the body that act as chemical transmitters. They regulate body functions like the menstrual cycle and body temperature. Hormones also trigger ovulation.
What happens during ovulation?
Around the time when a mature egg cell has left the ovary, a woman can get pregnant. The egg cell travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus. The moment the egg cell leaves the ovary is called ovulation. Once a girl has had her first monthly period (menstruation), ovulation usually occurs once a month… Read more about how the menstrual cycle works