Stages of Period – Let’s Break It Down, Girl!

Hi HealthierHer!

How are you all doing this Easter weekend? 🌷
Don’t forget – Jesus Christ died to redeem us and through Him, salvation is available to everyone who believe🙌

Okay, now that we’ve had a little dose of faith, let’s jump right into today’s juicy topic

You know how your period always seems to show up at the most inconvenient time – like, “Hey girl, heard you have a beach trip? Surpriseee! I’m here!” 😂

In our last post, we talked about what a period really is (hint: it’s your body shedding the uterine lining because an egg wasn’t fertilized).
Today, we'll talk about the stages of the menstrual cycle and how ovulation plays a big part in it.

So, What Is the Menstrual Cycle Anyway?

Let’s put it this way – it’s like a monthly house-cleaning routine your body does to prepare for a baby just in case.
From thickening the uterine lining, to releasing an egg (ovulation),, and eventually shedding everything if no pregnancy happens – that’s the menstrual cycle. 🩸
It usually lasts between 21 to 35 days, depending on your body type.

image credit clearblue

Now, Let’s Break Down the Four Main Stages of the Menstrual Cycle:

1. Menstrual Phase (Day 1 – 7)

This is your period – when the uterine lining sheds because pregnancy didn’t happen.
The blood you see is the shedding of that lining. It usually lasts 3–7 days and it marks Day 1 of your cycle.

2. Follicular Phase (Day 1 – Ovulation)

Starts the same day as your period but continues until ovulation.
Your body starts producing follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) to mature a follicle (that’s the egg sac that contains developing eggs).  They are essential for female fertility, as they house and nurture eggs during the menstrual cycle and release them during ovulation.
As estrogen rises, the uterine lining thickens again, getting ready to possibly welcome a baby 👶 (or not).

Fun fact:
Follicles are like egg dorms. Only one lucky follicle gets chosen to release an egg. The others? They get reabsorbed.

3. Ovulation (Around Day 14 of a 28-day cycle)

Time for the big release! Your ovary lets go of that matured egg, which travels through the fallopian tube waiting for sperm like, “Are you coming or not?” 😅
This happens around Day 14, triggered by a spike in luteinizing hormone (LH).

But Wait – We Have Two Ovaries, Right?

Why does only one release an egg each month?

Great question – I literally asked myself this too!
Turns out, the ovaries don’t follow a neat left-right-left-right pattern. Your body picks a dominant follicle (kind of like the MVP of the month) to release an egg, and that’s how ovulation happens.
Most times, the right ovary wins. But there’s no fixed rule – your body just decides.
Honestly, how our bodies do this without a meeting or vote? Only God knows! ✨

4. Luteal Phase (Day 15 – 28)

Here’s where your body waits in hope.
If pregnancy happens, hormones like progesterone keep the uterine lining in place.
If not, hormone levels drop — and your body begins to shed the lining, preparing for a new cycle (and your next period).

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Whew! Girlies, that was a lot, right?
I promise to break it down more in upcoming posts, so stay with me on this ride. 🚗💕

👉 Drop a comment if this helped you understand your cycle better.
Your support means everything! 🫶

Until next time,
With love,
HealthierHer