Know your safe period

The female reproductive cycles which can also be called sexual cycles commences at puberty and continues throughout reproductive years.

Types of cycle

1) ovarian cycle (follicular)

2) menstrual cycle (uterine)

 Ovarian cycle

It takes place in the follicles of the ovary and consist of three (3) phases

A) follicular phase: the follicles develop and get mature for ovulation.

B) ovulation: it's the release of a matured egg from the ovary, this occurs around mid cycle (about 14days in a 28days menstrual cycle), this is when the level of oestrogen rises to it's peak giving you more urge for sexual acts.

C) luteal phase: if fertilization  does not occur, it produces corpus luteum of menstruation.

Menstrual cycle

It also occurs in three (3) phases and takes place inside the uterus.

1) menstrual phase: This occurs between day 1 to 5 of menstrual cycle, this is when bleeding occurs as a result of shedding off of the uterine wall.

2) progestational phase (day 14 to 27): corpus luteum is also formed but once the egg is fertilized it turns to corpus luteum of pregnancy which aids the production of progesterone hormone to support pregnancy.

3) ischemic phase: occurs in the last two days of the cycle(27-28) when there is no fertilization, i.e no pregnancy, the blood vessel(spiral artery) that was destroyed during bleeding constricts and rupture causing another bleeding, another cycle counts from there. 

About 20 to 80mls of blood over 3 to 5 days are discarded through menses.