Menstrual cycle

The menstrual cycle is a process that adult women go through. The menstrual cycle for a woman will repeat every 28 days while they are not pregnant. During this time, the women's ovaries create a mature ovum (egg). Then the woman's body prepares for pregnancy by thickening the walls of the uterus. If the woman does not become pregnant during this time, the egg and the lining of the uterus come out of the woman's body during menstruation.^[1]

The menstrual cycle process is controlled by four major hormones: follicle stimulating hormone; luteinising hormone; estrogen; and progesterone. These hormones prepare the uterus to receive a fertilized egg and control its development.^[2]

The menstrual cycle has three stages: the Follicular stage, Ovulation, and the Luteal (or premenstrual) stage. The cycle will stop if the woman gets pregnant (if a fertilized egg implants itself into the lining of the uterus).^[2]

1. ↑ Nelson, M.D., Laurence N. (December 23, 2014). "Menstruation and the Menstrual Cycle Fact Sheet". Office on Women’s Health. United States Department of Health and Human Services.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "The Menstrual Cycle". University of California San Francisco Medical Center. The Regents of the University of California. 2016.