Your Cycle Basics 101: The Three Phases
Learn the basics of the three phases of your cycle
The phases of your cycle and what your hormones do during each phase are the blueprint to caring for yourself and your body throughout your life.
As always, remember, health isn’t a one-size-fits-all.
With any discussion on what does or is more than likely happening in the body, always remember your awareness of your bio-individuality and listening to your body.
Marrying your knowledge of the female body and how your body individually functions is your superpower.
The Three Phases of Your Cycle
Your cycle is so much more than you menstruating.
Most women have been taught to focus on this, and as you may have experienced, it is also the most challenging part of your cycle; however, it isn’t the only show in town.
And I love how Lara Briden puts it:
Menstruating isn’t the most interesting part of the cycle.
There are three phases to a woman’s cycle because menstruation occurs within the follicular phase.
*Interesting nugget: The first day of your menstruation is also the first day of your follicular phase.
Follicular:
This phase of your cycle is aptly named because it is when your ovarian follicles grow, preparing for ovulation. Depending on a woman's cycle, this phase can last between 7 and 12 days.
Interesting note for teenagers: They have a longer follicular phase that can last up to 32 days. And the range for their “normal” cycle then is between 21 and 45 days as their bodies mature and find their cycle rhythm.
Ovulation:
The culmination of your follicular phase.
Ovulation is the moment when a mature follicle releases an egg for fertilization. Ovulation is a one-day event; however, there is a much larger window of fertilization of the egg that is released.
Sperm can live for SEVERAL days; some sources cite up to five within the vagina. If sperm is present before you ovulate, there is every chance of fertilization when the ovary releases an egg.
On the other side, your window for egg fertilization is between 12 and 24 hours after ovulation.
Ovulation is not always on the 14th day of your cycle. That’s based on the typically advertised cycle length of 28 days.
Your day of ovulation depends on your cycle length.
Lara Briden recommends counting two weeks back from the first day of your menstrual cycle as a helpful way to determine the day you may have ovulated.
Luteal:
Your luteal phase is after ovulation and lasts for 10-16 days.
During the luteal phase, your uterine lining thickens, preparing for a possible embryo and supporting you with progesterone.
And it continues to do so if you are pregnant after ovulation.
If you do not become pregnant, your body will shed your uterine lining, resulting in the first day of your menstruation and the first day of your next follicular phase.
And your cycle continues.
Your Cycle is a ROBUST topic for learning and understanding.
We are taking a bite-size approach to sharing the different aspects of your cycle health so they are easily digestible.
We hope this information has served you well, and we are looking forward to continuing to share the information with you, digging deeper into all the beautiful ways our bodies do the things they do.
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