Changing Like The Seasons: The Four Phases of the Menstrual Cycle
As the days become shorter and leaves start to change colors, I was thinking about how the changing of the seasons can be a metaphor for the different phases of our menstrual cycles. In the SymptoPro program, we will even compare each phase to a season.
Many clients do not realize there are four phases of the menstrual cycle. Personally, I had been menstruating for a decade before I knew the four phases! Learning NFP is a great way to learn more about our bodies and how our cycles work (but we really should have been taught this in school).
The four phases are:
Menstrual
Follicular
Ovulatory
Luteal
The menstrual phase comes at no surprise, as that’s the most visible sign of cycling. The first day of our menstrual period marks the first day of a new cycle. When relating this phase to the seasons, it is like autumn. The shedding of blood is like the falling of leaves.
Next is the follicular phase. During this phase, FSH and estrogen rise, which causes follicles to form in the ovaries as our bodies gear up for ovulation. This phase can last around two weeks, but it can vary from cycle to cycle. The follicular phase is akin to the barren winter.
I want to point out a technical distinction: while we look at the cycle as having four phases, it truly only has two: follicular and luteal. Menstruation and ovulation are events that occur during the follicular phase. However, since menstruation lasts for multiple days in the cycle, and since with NFP we are looking at the fertile window instead of pinpointing ovulation, it is helpful to think of the cycle as having four phases. And, there are large shifts in hormones during each of these times.
Ovulation occurs when an egg is released from the ovary. This only happens once each cycle (or, in the case of fraternal twins, a second egg is released within 24-48 hours of the first egg). We often think of the ovulatory phase as the time where we are the most fertile. We notice this by observing our cervical mucus biomarker. An egg-white quality cervical mucus or a lubrication sensation can indicate that we are close to ovulation occurring. This phase is like the spring, where the climate is wet and when fertilization can occur.
Once the luteinizing hormone (LH) spikes and ovulation has occurred, we enter the luteal phase. Progesterone is now the dominant hormone, which causes basal body temperature to rise (just like warmer summer temperatures). The length of the luteal phase is typically consistent from cycle to cycle for any given woman, with an average length of 10-15 days. Shorter lengths can indicate potential fertility issues, and a high temperature phase of 18-20 days can be an early indicator of pregnancy.
Then, progesterone drops, your period starts, and the cycle begins anew.
In the SymptoPro program, we dive more into each of the phases and how we can know which phase we are in. It’s truly amazing to understand how our bodies cycle!
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice. All material represented herein is for informational purposes only. Information is from reputable sources but is subject to errors or omissions.