In simple words, what is a menstrual cycle?
The menstrual cycle is your body’s way of preparing itself for a possible pregnancy. Once a month, an egg leaves the ovaries and travels down the fallopian tubes towards the uterus. At the same time, the lining of the uterus becomes thicker with extra blood and tissue to make a cushion for a potentially fertilized egg. If an egg is fertilized with sperm and you become pregnant, the fertilized egg will attach itself to your uterus where it will slowly develop into a baby. If the egg is not fertilized, the lining of the uterus begins to break down so it can be shed (along with the egg that was not fertilized). Your period – or the time of bleeding – happens when your body gets rid of the extra blood and tissue that’s no longer needed. Then the cycle starts all over again.