Any other kind of bleed is either an anovulatory bleed or a pill-bleed — neither of which are real menstrual cycles. Ovulatory cycles are the only way to make progesterone which is important for women’s general health, and not just for making a baby.

An ovulatory cycle has a follicular phase and a luteal phase. The follicular phase is the pre-ovulatory phase when oestrogen (estradiol) is made. The luteal phase is the post-ovulatory phase when progesterone is made. See graph below.

An anovulatory cycle does not have a luteal phase or progesterone. Instead, it has only a long follicular phase and estrogen and then eventually a breakthrough bleed. See graph below.

Pill-bleeds are not periods. A bleed on the pill is a withdrawal bleed from contraceptive drugs. There’s no ovulation or even attempt at ovulation so there’s no estradiol or progesterone. See graph below.

To sum up;

Ovulation = egg is released = progesterone

Anovulation = no egg released = no progesterone

On the pill = no egg released = no progesterone & no oestrogen

I’ll do another post on progesterone and it’s importance soon

The post Ovulatory Cycle V’s Anovulatory Cycle appeared first on Enhance Wellness.

1. Tuning into your cycle helps you to learn about its length and frequency, noticing your unique patterns, including changes in mood. You can start tracking at any stage, however, a great time to start is at Day 1 of your period so that you can begin to understand your cycle length!

2. You’ll know around when you ovulate. Ovulation is the main event within each cycle. It is when an egg is released from the ovary. The exact day of ovulation is very difficult to pin point, however you’ll have a “fertile window” of a 5-6 days leading up to ovulation, including the day of ovulation.

3. You’ll have increased awareness of your overall health. By tracking, you may begin to see patterns. You might notice that you feel fatigued or get migraines, feel irritable or even calm during the same part of your cycle each month. If something isn’t right with your body – illness or stress for example, your cycle will be disrupted. Your menstrual cycle is your monthly report card.

4. You’ll gain insight into your sex drive. We usually feel our highest levels of sexual desire right at the end of our Follicular Phase, in the five days leading up to ovulation. This makes evolutionary sense because it’s also the time you’re most fertile, so most likely to conceive.

5. Understand and manage mood. Tracking your cycle gives you a better understanding of when you might feel happy, productive and energetic, or when you may feel tired, irritable or low. The more you know about what to expect from your moods, the better equipped you will be, to cope with them as they come! The Follicular Phase is a great time to get things done. Testosterone & Estrogen play a big role in higher energy levels and a better mood. In contrast, allow yourself a lot of self-care and downtime leading into the final week before your period. Progesterone has a relaxing effect on the body & mind and is dominant during the Luteal Phase, however, just before your period begins, it decreases drastically, often leading to feelings of anxiety and irritability.

To begin tracking your cycle, either use a paper calendar to mark your symptoms throughout the month, or download a period tracking app. ie. Clue, Glow or Flo.

It’s time to empower yourself when it comes to your cycle & wellbeing!

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