Understanding your Menstrual Cycle
Understanding your menstrual cycle is so important for fertility. There are four phases in your menstrual cycle; Menstruation, Follicular Phase, Ovulation, Luteal Phase. Whether you are trying to conceive or not, understanding your cycle and the hormones that play a part during each of these phases is important. As you learn to observe and understand your cycle, you will start to feel more connected with your body. There is a hormonal shift that occurs within each phase which creates different physical and emotional responses. If you are trying for a baby, getting to know your cycle is the single most important tool to help you time sex accordingly.
Now let’s get onto the science bit!
These are the main hormones at play during your cycle:
1. Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) - produced in the pituitary gland, stimulates the follicles to release an egg.
2. Oestrogen - there are three oestrogens - oestrone, oestradiol and oestriol - the strongest of the three is oestradiol. Oestrogen is mostly produced by follicles in the ovaries.
3. Luteinising Hormone (LH) - is produced in the pituitary gland and its role is to make ovulation happen and release the egg that’s the most mature.
4. Progesterone - produced by the pituitary gland and corpus luteum (the leftover follicle after an egg has been released during ovulation). It peaks about a week after ovulation. It stimulates the growth of the lining of the uterus in preparation for pregnancy and it turns off LH and FSH so more follicles are not produced and closes the cervix.
MENSTRUATION
Your cycle starts on the first day of your period. Cycles can range roughly anywhere between 24-35 days and can differ by a few days either side each month. Your pituitary gland produces FSH which comes into play on day 1 of your cycle. This hormone is responsible for building the follicles in the ovary before the release of an egg from one follicle at ovulation. On average the menstruation phase lasts for 3-7 days.
FOLLICULAR PHASE
The follicular phase is from the start of your period until ovulation. As we move into the non-menstruation half of the follicular phase the follicles continue to grow. The most dominant follicle produces the hormone oestrogen, which peaks just before ovulation happens. As ovulation approaches, oestrogen also prepares the uterus for pregnancy. The endometrium (the lining of the uterus) becomes thicker.
Ovulation
When oestrogen levels peak, the production of LH is triggered and its this spike that makes ovulation happen. This surge usually happens around 24-36 hours before ovulation. It is this hormone that is picked up in ovulation test kits. Now contrary to what we are lead to believe, ovulation does not always happen on day 14. This assumption is based on a 28 day cycle, but even then you can ovulate on different days each month. I tell my clients not to rely on apps to tell them when they are about to ovulate. You are a unique human being, not a robot, so don’t put all your trust into an algorithm. Instead pay close attention to your cycle and your body signals. Once released, the egg will survive for around 24 hours. Your cervix becomes soft and moves up higher to help the egg get the best sperm. Isn’t that amazing?! Your body literally moves the assault course from beginner to advanced, so that the sperm have to swim farther to get to the egg.
Luteal phase
After ovulation FSH and LH levels decline and remain low for the rest of the cycle. The follicle that released the egg which is called the corpus luteum starts to produce progesterone. Progesterone is a heat-inducing hormone that raises your basal body temperature. If there is no pregnancy, oestrogen and progesterone will drop causing your uterine lining to shed and the cycle to start over again.
I hope this gives you a better understanding of how your cycle and hormones work. The female reproductive system is so complex and any slight imbalance in your body can throw things off kilter. Irregular menstrual cycles are common, especially if you are experiencing mental or physical stress. This is where nutritional therapy can help, by working on the body as a whole to correct imbalances. If you are experiencing fertility issues there is so much that can be done to uncover the root cause of your concern.
Hi, I’m Raquel
I am a fertility nutritionist based in Manchester, covering the North West, Cheshire and further afield. I help couples and single women to optimise their fertility through diet and lifestyle to help them get pregnant.