Question

What is the menstrual cycle?

Briefly describe the menstrual cycle.

Answer 1

Female reproductive system undergoes some changes (that prepare the uterus for pregnancy) at puberty and those changes repeat at an interval of every 28-30 days. Such repetitive changes are called the menstrual cycle.

Answer 2

The beginning of the menstrual cycle marks the onset of puberty in human females. Menstruation occurs if an ovum released by the ovary of a woman is not fertilized during ovulation. This is described below.

1. When a girl reaches puberty at the age of about 10, the sex hormones released into her blood cause some of the ova (or egg cells) in her ovaries to become mature (or ripe).

2. Usually, one mature ovum (or egg) is released off (jm one of the ovaries into the oviduct once every 28 days. This is called ovulation.

3. Before ovulation (or release of ovum), the inner wall of the uterus becomes thick and spongy, and full of tiny blood vessels to receive the fertilized ovum.

4. If the ovum does not get fertilized then the thick and soft inner lining of the uterus breaks. So, the thick and soft inner lining of the uterus along with the blood vessels and the dead ovum comes out of the vagina in the form of bleeding called menstruation.

5. Menstruation usually occurs 14 days after ovulation and usually lasts for about 3 to 5 days.

6. After menstruation is over, the inner lining of the uterus starts building up again so that it may become ready to receive the next ovum.

7. If the ovum does not get fertilized even now, then menstruation takes place again. This cycle of menstruation is repeated again and again in women after every 28 days. The menstrual cycle is controlled by hormones.

Menstruation stops temporarily when the ovum gets fertilized and the woman gets pregnant. Menstruation also stops due to nutritional deficiencies, low body weight, stress, eating disorders, excessive weight gain, etc.