What is the menstruation cycle?
The menstrual cycle is a natural phenomenon that occurs in women each month to get the body ready for pregnancy. It typically takes 28 days, but it can be slightly shorter or longer.
The cycle starts with menstruation, when the uterus sheds its lining, resulting in bleeding if pregnancy has not taken place. Halfway through the cycle, at the time of ovulation, the ovary discharges an egg, when a woman is most fertile.
If the egg is not fertilized, hormone levels decrease, and the body enters into the luteal phase to prepare to start all over again.