How to Determine First Day of Menstrual Cycle
Understand what menstrual cycle is., Recognize the first day of your cycle., Track your periods for a few months., Determine the first day of your next period.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Understand what menstrual cycle is.
Menstruation begins in women's life once they reach puberty and become fertile.
The menstrual cycle is divided into separate phases (follicular, ovulation and luteal) and the first day of your cycle describes the luteal phase that involves your uterus shedding its blood-rich lining through the vagina, known as menstruation or a period.Menstrual cycles tend to occur every 21 – 35 days in adult women and 21 – 45 days in younger teenagers.
The cycle is counted from the first day of your period to the first day of your next period.
Menstrual cycle is linked to fluctuations in your estrogen levels, luteinizing hormone and follicular stimulating hormone.
During the first half your cycle (follicular phase), your body is estrogen-rich and the uterine lining becomes thickened in preparation for implantation of a fertilized egg.
Halfway through your cycle, your ovary releases an egg into your fallopian tube.
This phase is known as ovulation.
Conception can occur if intercourse happens in the couple days preceding ovulation.
If it occurs at the time of ovulation, the chance of pregnancy is small, because their is not enough time for the sperm to travel to the egg.
If an egg released during the ovulation phase does not get fertilized and implant within the lining of the uterus, your progesterone and estrogen levels will drop, causing the uterus to shed its thickened lining during the luteal phase. -
Step 2: Recognize the first day of your cycle.
Understanding the days of your cycle empowers you to make decisions about your health and family planning.
To begin determining the first day of your period and the length of your cycle, start by numbering the days of your cycle from the first day of your next period.Day one of your cycle occurs with the start of your period.
Thus, mark your calendar with "X" on the day your period starts.Bleeding tends to last three to five days on average, but this may fluctuate on individual basis.On the seventh day of your menstrual cycle, bleeding has usually ceased and your ovaries begin to form follicles in preparation for ovulation.
This is the result of an increase in estrogen between days four to seven., Tracking your period beginning with day 1 of your cycle helps you to learn general trends in your menstrual cycle and determine the first day of your next period.On average, most adult women have a 28 day menstrual cycle.
This means there are 28 days between the first days of your periods.However, your menstrual cycle may be slightly shorter or longer (adult women tend to have cycles that run 21 – 35 days.
Thus, it is important your track your periods for a few months to determine the length of your cycle.
As long as you get regular periods at more or less the same cycle interval, then your menstrual cycle is healthy.You can track your menstrual cycle by making a note on a calendar or, if you prefer, you can also use smartphone apps such as iMensiesand Fertility Friend., Establishing your cycle length helps you anticipate when you period will start.Once you have tracked your periods and established your cycle length, you can start marking your calendar to determine the first day of your subsequent periods.
For example, if your cycle length is 28 days, mark your calendar (starting from the first day of your next period) with an “X” for every 28 days — this will represent the first day of your subsequent periods.
If you are taking hormonal birth control pills, you will typically have the 28-day cycle due to the scheduling of the pills.
Each pack of pills contains 21 hormonally active pills and seven sugar pills.
On the day you run out of hormonally active pills, you typically begin your period.
The period lasts the seven days (or less) during which you are eating the sugar pills.If you are taking extended or continuous use hormonal birth control pills, your periods will happen less frequently.
Seasonale contains 84 active pills and seven days of inactive pills.
In this case you would have a 91 day cycle. -
Step 3: Track your periods for a few months.
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Step 4: Determine the first day of your next period.
Detailed Guide
Menstruation begins in women's life once they reach puberty and become fertile.
The menstrual cycle is divided into separate phases (follicular, ovulation and luteal) and the first day of your cycle describes the luteal phase that involves your uterus shedding its blood-rich lining through the vagina, known as menstruation or a period.Menstrual cycles tend to occur every 21 – 35 days in adult women and 21 – 45 days in younger teenagers.
The cycle is counted from the first day of your period to the first day of your next period.
Menstrual cycle is linked to fluctuations in your estrogen levels, luteinizing hormone and follicular stimulating hormone.
During the first half your cycle (follicular phase), your body is estrogen-rich and the uterine lining becomes thickened in preparation for implantation of a fertilized egg.
Halfway through your cycle, your ovary releases an egg into your fallopian tube.
This phase is known as ovulation.
Conception can occur if intercourse happens in the couple days preceding ovulation.
If it occurs at the time of ovulation, the chance of pregnancy is small, because their is not enough time for the sperm to travel to the egg.
If an egg released during the ovulation phase does not get fertilized and implant within the lining of the uterus, your progesterone and estrogen levels will drop, causing the uterus to shed its thickened lining during the luteal phase.
Understanding the days of your cycle empowers you to make decisions about your health and family planning.
To begin determining the first day of your period and the length of your cycle, start by numbering the days of your cycle from the first day of your next period.Day one of your cycle occurs with the start of your period.
Thus, mark your calendar with "X" on the day your period starts.Bleeding tends to last three to five days on average, but this may fluctuate on individual basis.On the seventh day of your menstrual cycle, bleeding has usually ceased and your ovaries begin to form follicles in preparation for ovulation.
This is the result of an increase in estrogen between days four to seven., Tracking your period beginning with day 1 of your cycle helps you to learn general trends in your menstrual cycle and determine the first day of your next period.On average, most adult women have a 28 day menstrual cycle.
This means there are 28 days between the first days of your periods.However, your menstrual cycle may be slightly shorter or longer (adult women tend to have cycles that run 21 – 35 days.
Thus, it is important your track your periods for a few months to determine the length of your cycle.
As long as you get regular periods at more or less the same cycle interval, then your menstrual cycle is healthy.You can track your menstrual cycle by making a note on a calendar or, if you prefer, you can also use smartphone apps such as iMensiesand Fertility Friend., Establishing your cycle length helps you anticipate when you period will start.Once you have tracked your periods and established your cycle length, you can start marking your calendar to determine the first day of your subsequent periods.
For example, if your cycle length is 28 days, mark your calendar (starting from the first day of your next period) with an “X” for every 28 days — this will represent the first day of your subsequent periods.
If you are taking hormonal birth control pills, you will typically have the 28-day cycle due to the scheduling of the pills.
Each pack of pills contains 21 hormonally active pills and seven sugar pills.
On the day you run out of hormonally active pills, you typically begin your period.
The period lasts the seven days (or less) during which you are eating the sugar pills.If you are taking extended or continuous use hormonal birth control pills, your periods will happen less frequently.
Seasonale contains 84 active pills and seven days of inactive pills.
In this case you would have a 91 day cycle.
About the Author
Dorothy Taylor
Specializes in breaking down complex organization topics into simple steps.
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