home Audience 1 How many days does the menstrual cycle last? How to count. How to calculate your menstrual cycle (Calculator)

How many days does the menstrual cycle last? How to count. How to calculate your menstrual cycle (Calculator)

The whole life of a woman from 13 to 55 years old is cyclical. We can talk about the superiority of the mind over the body. But the consciousness of a girl and a woman is influenced by her menstrual cycle. Many will exclaim - how and why?

No, in no way is it said that the menstrual cycle reduces or enhances mental abilities. But menstruation has a strong influence on your overall outlook.

Menstruation - why, how and for what?

Many thousands of years ago, a mammal decided to evolve into Homo sapiens.

To do this, the female needed to give birth to offspring with a more developed brain. And this increased the period of bearing and caring for the offspring. The body had to be rebuilt in such a way as to be ready for pregnancy not 2 times a year, like other mammals, but all year round. This is how nature invented a short menstrual cycle.

During the first half of the month, women prepare the inner layer of the uterus to receive a fertilized egg. The endometrium is filled with blood so that after attachment the embryo immediately receives all the necessary nutrients.

On days 12–14, under favorable circumstances, conception should occur. If conception does not occur, then you need to get rid of the swollen endometrium. This is where menstrual bleeding begins.

Normal menstrual cycle - how many days are these and how to calculate correctly?

This is considered to be a minimum of 21 days and a maximum of 35 days between bleeding.

When should you start counting your menstrual cycle? The answer is simple - from the first day of bleeding until the first day of the next period. If the calculated value is less than 21 and more than 35 days, this is a reason to consult a doctor.

But not everything is so sad! There are situations when you should not pay attention to the cherished few days of the cycle. So, when you need not rush to conclusions:

adolescence. Young girls begin their periods between the ages of 11 and 14. For 2 years after the first bleeding, the menstrual cycle may fluctuate.
in women after childbirth and during lactation. The body needs to recover after childbirth and focus on feeding the offspring. And questions of reproduction can be postponed for a while. Therefore, the cycle does not begin at the usual time.
during menopause. At this time, hormonal changes begin that affect the entire body. Reproductive function fades. The menstrual cycle may be disrupted after termination of pregnancy due to hormonal imbalances. These conditions require correction and treatment.

What should you pay attention to?

But women are concerned about one more question. How many days does a normal period last?

Normal menstruation lasts from 3 to 7 days with an average blood loss of no more than 80 ml per cycle. Usually, during the first 2 days the discharge will be more abundant.

Why these complex calculations?

Does it matter what day your period starts?

For women, this is control over their own health. If menstruation occurs within the time frame established by nature, this means that the hormonal, autonomic and central nervous systems are working normally.
For a long time this was practically the only method of protection. In the Soviet past, women had only one method of contraception - calculating which day would be relatively safe for intimacy.
Ovulation tracking. For women who are planning a pregnancy, cycle counting is the simplest way to calculate the day on which the egg will be released from the ovary.

In any case, every girl should know the duration of her menstrual cycle. This is an indicator of a woman's health. If any problems occur, you should definitely consult a doctor.

With puberty, a monthly rhythmic process comes into a girl’s life, which is clearly repeated throughout her life until the onset of menopause. The norm of the menstrual cycle, i.e. its duration in days and number of cycles per year is the main indicator of a woman’s health.

How many days does the menstrual cycle last?

The average menstrual cycle is considered to be 28 days. The normal range is 21 to 35 days. Everything that goes beyond this framework is already a deviation caused by any factors, external or internal. It is considered physiological when problems occur in teenage girls during the development of their female function or in women during the period of its attenuation.

The duration of the menstrual cycle and its normal flow may be disrupted under the influence of:

stress, work overload, overwork;
climate change, change of place of residence;
physical activity.

Deviations in the mechanism of the woman’s reproductive system also do not go away without leaving a trace; the duration of the menstrual cycle with normal rhythm is lost:

in case of hormonal imbalance;
gynecological diseases;
during inflammatory phenomena in the female sphere;
when infected with sexually transmitted infections.

Menstruation cycle

Normally, the menstrual cycle consists of two periods separated by ovulation.

First phase

In the first half, which begins on the first day of menstruation, follicles begin to grow under the influence of FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and estrogen. Gradually, one of them breaks forward, a full-fledged egg develops in it, and the rest begin to disappear.

The level of the hormone of the first phase increases in parallel with the growth of the liquid vesicle, reaching its maximum value by the middle of the cycle, which forces the release of luteinizing hormone, which is a herald of the onset of ovulation.

Once a surge in LH is detected by measuring basal temperature or performing an ovulation test, there are 24-36 hours left before the female cell is released. This is the most favorable time for conception.

Phases of the menstrual cycle

Duration of the second phase

After the follicle ruptures, the second phase of the menstrual cycle begins, its norm is 14 days - a fixed value, the same for any woman. In the second phase, in the place of the ruptured vesicle, the corpus luteum begins to grow, producing progesterone. The latter controls fertilization, prepares the endometrium for the implantation of the embryo and helps its further growth and development.

If there is no fertilization in the second phase, the egg dies within 24 hours.

At the end of the second phase, the mucous layer of the uterus is shed, menstruation and a new menstrual cycle begin.

Errors in cycle time

We looked at what the norm is for a menstrual cycle that proceeds without deviations. But a number of women are faced with the problem of disruption of the regularity and duration of the menstrual cycle.

What are the dangers of deviations from the norm?

In such cases, shifts can occur at any stage, resulting in the following atypical phenomena:

the follicle cannot develop;
a mature cell is unable to leave the ovary;
There is a deficiency of the corpus luteum, which prevents conception and attachment of the fertilized egg.

Duration of the menstrual cycle and its disruptions

Menstruation in such circumstances comes when they want. And therefore, it is difficult to say how many days the menstrual cycle normally lasts with such a deviation. This can be 17-20 days or last up to 40 days.

If the break between critical days is from 40 to 60 days, this is already a serious signal that requires contacting a gynecologist for a comprehensive examination and searching for the cause of the failure.

In such situations, determining the beginning of the menstrual cycle and how many days it should normally last is a very difficult task. It is especially difficult for girls who want to track the moment of ovulation in order to conceive a child. Simple calculations as with the usual cycle duration will not help here.

How to avoid them

If doctors have determined that the problem is not pathological, but that there are no abnormalities in hormonal levels, then you need to reconsider your lifestyle:

to refuse from bad habits;
avoid stressful moments;
organize healthy sleep and rest for yourself;
adjust nutrition.

Detection of ovulation in the menstrual cycle

It is better to try to calculate a favorable day for conception using ovulation tests. To find the starting day of the study, you need to select the shortest one from the last 3-6 cycles and subtract 17 from its value. As a result, we get a number indicating the first day of testing.

It must be carried out daily until a positive result is detected. Sometimes the procedure is repeated for up to 5 days and sexual intercourse during expected ovulation does not always result in fertilization.

In general, at the birth of a girl, thousands of follicle rudiments are already laid in her ovaries, which begin to actively develop with the onset of maturity. Research by specialists proves that not all monthly rhythmic periods end with the maturation of the female cell and its release from the ovary.

In a lifetime, only about 400 cycles end in ovulation, and only a few eggs are fertilized. Therefore, it is difficult to say specifically how many menstrual cycles per year normally end with ovulation. It all depends on the individuality of each female body and on many factors, both external and internal.

But, since determining the day of cell release can play a significant role in planning pregnancy, medicine has a sufficient number of methods and means to help solve this problem.

In addition to measuring basal temperature with drawing up its schedule and ovulation tests, devices that calculate the desired time period using saliva are in demand. You can also simply listen to your feelings or monitor the nature of your cervical mucus.

Ultrasound is considered the most reliable and truthful method today. This study is especially useful for irregular cycle duration or cycle disorders. Under its control, you can track the entire process of growth and development of the follicle, as well as confirm the release of the egg.

Conclusion

The normal menstrual cycle in days is 21-30. Normal cycle length allows you to correctly calculate the moment of ovulation to plan conception. Minor disruptions in duration are possible. If they occur frequently and for a very long time, you should immediately consult a specialist. This interferes with conception, and may also indicate the onset of a disease or hormonal imbalance.

All women sooner or later wonder what the menstrual cycle should be like, its normal course and what to do if there are deviations. The fact is that menstruation accompanies sexually mature women almost their entire lives. Moreover, it is its normal course that ensures the proper functioning of the reproductive organs, hormonal levels and other vital processes. Therefore, it is very important to understand the seriousness of this aspect and to be very wary of any, even the most seemingly insignificant deviations from the norm.

General definitions

The menstrual cycle is a periodic process that occurs in the female body and is characterized by changes in the genital organs with the aim of conceiving. With the arrival of menstruation, girls become sexually mature. This usually occurs between 11 and 14 years of age. At first, menstruation may be irregular, but a normal menstrual cycle is established after a few years and lasts almost until the end of the childbearing period - 40-50 years. The cycle is usually divided into phases that correspond to changes in the ovaries:

1. Menstrual - from 3 to 7 days, characterized by bleeding from the genitals, namely from the uterine cavity. During this period, the endometrium is shed, to which the fertilized egg attaches during pregnancy.
2. Follicular - on average 14 days, begins simultaneously with the menstrual phase. During this period, renewal of the endometrium begins and a special component called a follicle is formed in the ovaries. This is where the egg matures.
3. Ovulatory - 3 days, characterized by the release from the follicle under the influence of hormones of a mature and ready-to-fertilize egg. This process is called ovulation. Very often, some women may experience pain in the lower abdomen during this period.
4. Luteal - from 11 to 16 days, characterized by the active production of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. They are responsible for preparing the entire body for pregnancy. This phase is accompanied by the so-called premenstrual syndrome, during which women experience pain in the lower abdomen, increased appetite, sudden mood swings and pain in the area of swollen mammary glands.

What should the norm be?

The healthy functioning of the female body directly depends on the normal course of menstruation and the formation of their cycle. Any deviation can have a detrimental effect not only on a woman’s ability to become a mother, but also on her health in general. That is why it is very important to pay due attention to all issues related to menstruation and their course. The extent to which menstruation corresponds to the norm is determined by such characteristics as frequency, duration and amount of discharge. Normal periods are those that last not 1 calendar day, but from 3 to 7. Conventionally, blood loss of 40 to 60 mg is considered normal. And the frequency is determined precisely by the menstrual cycle.

It is generally accepted that the average normal cycle length is 28 days. But as practice shows, it is present in no more than 20% of female representatives. Therefore, scientists have come to the conclusion that its duration may well range from 21 to 45 days. This is an individual feature of each woman. In addition, in adolescence, when the cycle has not yet fully formed, this period can reach up to 45 days. At a more mature age, starting from 40 years old, it will, on the contrary, decrease and lose its regularity. The most stable cycle occurs between the ages of 25 and 35 years. In this period, the norm is from 25 to 35 days.

What are the deviations?

As practice shows, at least 20 days must pass between periods, otherwise such a menstrual cycle is considered too short. Conversely, a gap between periods of 45 to 90 days is too long. Moreover, their absence for more than 90 days is a very serious and dangerous pathology, of course, if it concerns women of the childbearing period. It is important to understand that a normal cycle does not mean that menstruation occurs on the same day of every month. The regularity of menstruation means that a certain number of days are observed between the previous and upcoming critical days.

The following types of menstrual cycle abnormalities are distinguished:

1. Algomenorrhea is a condition during menstruation that is accompanied by aching or cramp-like pain in the lower abdomen and back. During this period, severe headaches, general weakness, stool disturbances and nausea appear. All these symptoms last for 2 days and do not stop after the birth of the child.
2. Dysmenorrhea is a condition in which the regularity of menstrual periods is disrupted; there may be either a delay or their premature appearance. Most often, dysmenorrhea appears during acclimatization and goes away on its own.
3. Oligomenorrhea - a condition in which menstruation becomes a rare occurrence, and the ability to become pregnant is significantly reduced. A person notices the appearance of excess hair and weight. All these signs can lead to polycystic ovary syndrome.
4. Metrorrhagia - bleeding that occurs between periods. They are not accompanied by any other symptoms or pain, so they are often ignored. But this may indicate the development of very serious pathologies, such as fibroids, adenomas, polyps, malignant tumors, abnormalities in the thyroid gland, blood clotting, etc.
5. Amenorrhea is the absence of menstruation for more than 6 months. It can either have natural physiological causes (pregnancy, breastfeeding, menopause), or be a dangerous symptom of oncological, mental and cardiovascular diseases.

Reasons for violations

Various reasons can lead to menstrual irregularities.

Each organism is strictly individual. To maintain health, ladies should have an idea of how their body works, what a normal menstrual cycle is, how many days it lasts and how to determine this condition. Scientific facts will help you understand these questions. After all, knowledge about the menstrual cycle makes it possible for representatives of the fair sex to independently determine whether they have problems in the sexual sphere even before visiting a doctor.

Some anatomical and physiological features of the female body

The external female genitalia (pubis, labia, vestibular bulb, large and small vestibular glands, clitoris) are designed to protect the internal genital organs. The labia minora border the urethral opening and the vestibule of the vagina. The clitoris is the connection point of these organs. It is rich in nerve endings, so its main function is to bring pleasure to a woman. Inside, the vagina is connected to the cervix. Next, the uterus expands, a fertilized egg (zygote) enters it, from which the fetus is subsequently formed. If the egg is not fertilized, it leaves the body along with bloody discharge. Accordingly, the place prepared for implantation of the zygote also becomes unnecessary. 2 weeks after ovulation, the endometrial epithelium is torn off and excreted in the form of bloody discharge. After this, the cycle repeats again.

Cycle phases

How many days does the menstrual cycle (MC) last? This question interests many. The duration of this process under ideal conditions should be 28 days. Theoretically, the female body is ready for pregnancy every month. Girls whose MC is more than 28 days but less than 36 days should not worry, since all these are normal variants. A long cycle between periods is most likely an indicator of a long first half of the cycle, that is, the follicular phase. Under such conditions, the oocyte simply needs more time to mature. Any changes in the rhythms of the cycles should be a reason to consult a doctor.

Phases of the menstrual cycle:

Stage I (menstrual). One of the most painful, since at this time menstrual flow and epithelial rejection are observed. The first days are the most painful period in the cycle. On average, the first phase of the menstrual cycle ranges from 3-6 days. The first day of menstruation is considered to be the beginning of MC.
Stage II (follicular). The content of pituitary hormones in the blood increases. The main one is FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone), it stimulates the ovaries to produce eggs (female reproductive cells). Follicles are sacs in the ovaries that are filled with fluid. Each follicle contains an immature egg. FSH activates the maturation of a certain number of follicles. The ovaries produce female steroid hormones (estrogens), which prepare the endometrium for implantation of a fertilized cell. The second phase of the cycle lasts 14 days.
Stage III (ovulatory). The duration of the phase is about three days. A mature egg leaves the follicle and then moves through the fallopian tubes to the uterus. By the time of puberty, girls have up to half a million eggs in their ovaries. Their laying occurs during the embryonic period. The process of an egg leaving the follicle is called ovulation. How many eggs mature in one cycle? About 20 gametes normally mature in the ovary every month. When a follicle ruptures, one, or less often 2-3, eggs emerge from its cavity. Very often, ovulation in girls is accompanied by severe pain. Most often it hurts in the lower abdomen.
Stage IV (luteal). The duration of the phase varies in the range of 10-16 days. At this time, many hormones (progesterone and estrogen) are synthesized, preparing the entire body for bearing a child.

Read also 🗓 Is it possible to speed up your periods?

Normal cycle

How long is the normal menstrual cycle? There is no clear answer to this question. For each lady this figure is strictly individual. Doctors identify a number of signs that characterize normal MC:

Cycle stability. Deviations of 2-3 days are considered normal. Some representatives of the fair sex have a cycle shorter than 21 days, while others have a longer cycle than 35 days. Scientists explain this by the morphofunctional characteristics of the body, so if the duration of the cycle remains unchanged for a long time, this is not considered a disorder.
During the menstrual period, the volume of blood lost should be no more than 80 ml. It is worth noting that menstrual blood does not clot, as it contains an anticoagulant - the enzyme plasmin.
Normally, the duration of bleeding should be from 3 to 7 days.
Menstruation should not be too painful.

Permissible deviations

How long the menstrual cycle lasts in healthy women, as well as the volume of discharge, largely depends on various life circumstances (diet, exposure to stress factors, taking contraceptives, giving birth, etc.). There are many reasons for a missed period, but is a long-term physiological delay possible?

Deviations from normal periods are most often observed in young girls and women before menopause. It is believed that a delay in menstruation of up to six months may be normal. Sometimes changes, a change in the menstrual cycle, are observed in girls after their first sexual experience. Experts explain this fact as a strong emotional shock. However, normally the discrepancies should not exceed several days from the established cycle.

During the postpartum period, women may also experience disruptions in the menstrual cycle. Under ideal conditions, pregnancy should not be accompanied by menstruation. If a young mother does not breastfeed her baby, then the menstrual cycle is quickly restored and returns to normal in the shortest possible time. This is due to the low concentration of prolactin in the blood of women.

How to count a cycle

The first menstrual bleeding is observed in girls during adolescence at the age of 10-16 years. They tend to be irregular at first, but after a few years the cycle becomes established. Under physiological conditions, the female cycle lasts from 21 to 35 days ± 3 days. Violations of this rhythm may indicate serious malfunctions in the functioning of internal organs and systems, as well as the development of certain diseases.

Read also Why do hemorrhoids worsen before menstruation?

Many readers are looking for an answer to the question of how to determine the menstrual cycle, how many days it lasts, and how to calculate it. What is physiology and what is pathology? The menstrual cycle is calculated from the beginning of one period to the beginning of the next. For the convenience of describing female processes, 28 days are taken as a basis. In order to calculate how many days are in a cycle, you need to subtract the date of the previous ones from the date of the current menstruation and add one day (For example: the date of the current menstruation is March 25, the previous one is March 2. MC 25 - 2 + 1 = 24 days).

When to see a doctor

Doctors recommend that all girls and women keep a calendar for monitoring menstruation. The calendar of women's monthly cycles helps determine their regularity and duration, as well as the duration of menstruation. This information will be useful not only to the patient, but also to the treating doctor.

Common causes of irregular periods:

stressful situations;
physical or mental fatigue;
starvation;
systematic lack of sleep;
diets;
avitaminosis;
hormonal imbalance;
autoimmune abnormalities;
diseases of the genitourinary system (endometriosis, oophoritis, uterine fibroids, cystitis, polycystic ovaries, adnexitis);
alcohol or nicotine intoxication;
prolonged depression;
pathology of the endocrine system;
taking certain medications;
acclimatization;
exhaustion;
presence of chronic diseases;
psychological shocks;
obesity;
presence of neoplasms;
unfavorable environment.

The above factors negatively affect the functioning of all organs and systems of the body. In this case, the reproductive system is no exception. In this regard, a normal menstrual cycle (MC) should last between 21 and 36 days. Menstruation that follows the specified interval is called regular, normal, ideal or regular.

Every lady must know what happens in the female body during menstruation and when to seek help from a specialist:

The mammary glands hurt and swell.
Irregular periods.
Paleness, dizziness.
The duration of menstruation is more than a week.
Vaginal itching.
Rare or, conversely, frequent menstruation.
General weakness.
Menstruation outside the cycle.
Severe pain in the abdomen (such menstrual pain most often worries girls and nulliparous women) or in the area of the external genitalia.
Menstruation is accompanied by severe pain and general weakness of the body;
Menstruation is accompanied by heavy discharge.
The overall body temperature increases.

The menstrual cycle in women is a complex monthly process accompanied by hormonal changes. Its purpose is to prepare for conception and the onset of pregnancy. If this does not happen, the body starts the cycle again.

What is the menstrual cycle in girls

The age at which the first menstruation begins may differ: some girls begin menstruation from the age of 11-12, while others begin at the age of 14-15. And despite the fact that on average the onset is 12-13 years old, there is no “correct” age. Puberty is affected by:

Hereditary factor (early or late maturation of mother, grandmother);
General physical development;
Health of the nervous system, psychological readiness;
State of health, functioning of the endocrine glands;
Social environment, lifestyle, relationships with the opposite sex.

The onset of the menstrual period is preceded by signs that have not been observed before:

The breasts swell, enlarge, and may hurt slightly;
Secondary sexual characteristics - pubic and axillary hair growth is quite intense;
The mood changes for no reason, the girl becomes irritable, whiny, nervous;
About a year before the start of the first real menstruation, white, odorless discharge begins, clearly visible on the underwear. A month or two before menstruation, the volume of light discharge increases sharply

Menstruation is rarely painful, but the girl still feels some discomfort. He feels constrained and fears that the pad is an insufficient means of protection. The mother must definitely prepare her daughter, explain to her what processes occur in the body, why they are needed, how to use hygiene products and how to behave in the future so as not to get pregnant unplanned.

Phases of the menstrual cycle

If the female cycle has a clear length, then we can tell day by day what is happening in the female body and what are the reasons for what is happening. The length of a woman's menstrual cycle varies, but a normal cycle lasts, on average, 28-32 days. During the cycle, several phases replace each other.

The beginning of the menstrual cycle is menstruation itself. What is menstruation and how does it happen?

The days of the menstrual cycle are counted from the first day of bleeding. Day 1 of the cycle is the beginning of menstrual bleeding.
The period of menstruation lasts from 3 to 7 days. The intensity of discharge is assessed by day; the largest amount of blood is shed on days 2-3 of the cycle.
At this time, the endometrium, which has grown over the previous cycle, is expelled from the uterine cavity, so menstruation may be accompanied by pain and discomfort.

What is the menstrual cycle by day: hormonal changes

One of the options for the name of each phase is connection with the processes occurring in the body. Another option is to match the hormones produced during the cycle.

The cycle is controlled by two main hormones - follicle-stimulating and luteinizing hormones. Both are produced by the pituitary gland, and it is under their influence that the ovaries, in turn, synthesize progesterone and estrogen, sex hormones.

Cycle days: description

The cycle of menstruation directly depends on the production of the corresponding hormones. With a deficiency of any hormone, the length of the phase increases or, on the contrary, shortens, which is why the menstrual cycle in women occurs.

During menstruation, follicle-stimulating hormone predominates: it determines and helps the dominant follicle to mature, thanks to which the endometrium, riddled with blood vessels, which awaited the onset of a possible pregnancy in the previous cycle, is rejected from the uterine cavity. During the first phase, the follicle and the level of follicle-stimulating hormone grow. The peak occurs in the middle of the cycle.

In turn, the ongoing processes lead to an increase in estrogen levels: a new layer of endometrium grows in the uterus, the body prepares to receive a fertilized egg.

But no matter how the dominant follicle grows, in order for it to burst and release the egg into free floating, another hormone is needed - luteinizing hormone. Its peak is recorded precisely at the moment of follicle rupture and lasts for about a day - during this period the egg is capable of fertilization.

The luteal phase of the menstrual cycle will end with menstruation (unless pregnancy occurs). It begins immediately after ovulation (the release of an egg from the follicle).

The follicle continues to synthesize the hormones progesterone and estrogen, and the corpus luteum, a formation that produces progesterone, is formed in it.

If fertilization has occurred and the egg has implanted in the uterus, then, thanks to the necessary hormonal levels, the basal temperature will rise, the sensitivity of the breast will increase, and it will increase in size. HCG is a hormone indicating that conception has occurred; it is produced by the fetal membrane of the embryonic egg.

If there is no pregnancy, the corpus luteum loses its functions and resolves after about 2 weeks. Hormone levels drop and menstruation begins. A week before menstruation, a woman’s mood changes, she becomes irritable, touchy, nervous, whiny - this is the effect of hormones. The period before menstruation, when the mood is at zero and you really want to eat, especially sweets, is called PMS - premenstrual syndrome.

How long should there be between periods?

Every girl/woman should keep a menstruation chart from the beginning of her first menstruation in order to see when the cycle begins, how long it takes from one cycle to the next, monitoring the duration of the menstrual cycle.

There are special counters on the Internet - services that allow you to determine what is happening in the body on a specific day of menstruation, for example: 21 days - what phase, what hormones predominate, when menstruation is likely to occur.

Long cycle: what is it?

Violations are observed if the interval between menstruation, the norm of which ranges from 35-38 days, extends for up to 60 days or more.

In each case, the patient should be examined by a doctor, assess hormonal levels, the state of the reproductive system, the periodicity of egg maturation: for one woman 35 days is normal, the cycle is increased due to the long first phase, and for another - a pathology that certainly needs to be corrected so that the woman could get pregnant and carry a child.

Is it possible for a woman to become pregnant before her menstrual cycle?

With a high degree of probability, with a constant cycle of 28-30 days in length without delays or failures, we can say that it is impossible to get pregnant before your period.

However, protecting yourself in this way is still an irresponsible and frivolous activity, since ovulation in this particular cycle can occur much later than usual, or, for some reason, the second follicle will ripen and an unplanned pregnancy, according to the law of meanness, will not keep you waiting.

The cause of hormonal disorders can be either a harmless climate change, a change in time zones, sudden weight loss or weight gain, or serious diseases that must be diagnosed and treated by a doctor.