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Start tracking today. The menstrual cycle starts on the first day of the period and ends the day before the following period begins. Hormones send signals back and forth between the brain, the ovaries, and uterus to make the cycles and their phases happen.
There are many reasons why you may be interested in learning more about your menstrual cycle. Maybe you have recently started your period or are in the process of choosing a birth control method. You could be experiencing changes in your cycle and you would like to better understand why. No matter the reason, this cycle or repeat of events is a part of you and your everyday life.
There is increased freedom when you better understand your menstrual cycle. You have a greater control of preventing pregnancies, conceiving, and in your overall experience of health and your daily activities. The menstrual cycle is more than just the period. It is a chain of activities in the brain, ovaries, and uterus linked to hormones ; the chemical signals sent through the blood from one part of the body to another 1.
The cycle is divided into two smaller cycles: the uterine cycle and the ovarian cycle 1. Both the uterine cycle and ovarian cycle are divided into different phases , in other words different stages 1. Different events occur during each phase. There are three phases in the uterine cycle: menstruation , proliferative phase, and secretory before period bleeding 1. There are also three phases in the ovarian cycle: follicular before ovulation , ovulation when an egg is released from an ovary , and luteal after ovulation 1.
