YOUR BODY
Hormones
Ovulation
Period problems
Menstruation
The menstrual cycle
Changing nature
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View complete Your Body sectionMenstruation

Menstruation happens two weeks after ovulation. As already mentioned, the length of time bleeding and amount of blood loss varies according to the individual.

Many women miss periods for one or several months, or when stress and anxiety are present, if travelling or training strenuously. A missed period can also mean that a woman is pregnant. If you suspect that you may be pregnant it is recommended that you consult a doctor.

Your period is only one part of your menstrual cycle.

Stage One
Inside the abdomen there are two ovaries. Egg cells grow in them. Each ovary is connected by a fallopian tube. The cervix, or neck of the uterus, is at the top end of the vagina.		 Stage 1
Stage Two
After a menstrual period, an egg cell begins to develop in one of the ovaries. The lining of the uterus starts to grow thicker.		 Stage 2

Stage Three
Once a month an egg leaves one of the ovaries. This is called OVULATION. The egg travels down the fallopian tube towards the uterus. The lining of the uterus becomes thick and full of blood. Just before ovulation, the mucus of the cervix becomes more liquid.

 Stage 3

Stage Four
When an egg is not fertilized, it will dissolve, and you will have a period because the blood-filled lining of the uterus breaks down and leaves the body through the vagina. This bleeding is called MENSTRUATION. The cycle then starts again. When an egg is fertilized, a pregnancy occurs and menstruation almost always stops.

 Stage 4