Women’s sexual health - Menstruation and Breast Health

The big “O”

Before that exciting Big “O” for Orgasm happens, there’s a more important “O” to think of - ovulation. This “O” will determine whether your “O”rgasm got you a baby or not without the contraceptives.

Hidden Ovulation

Nature was kinder to the bitch, the female dog who can attract a male dog miles away when she’s in heat. In fact, almost all the other species, excluding us and the great apes for mammals, often signal their fertilization receptivity through heat.

Unlike almost all the other species, nature gave us very subtle external physical changes and indications when we are near ovulation. Some of us are so lucky as to sense our own ovulation while to the rest, it’s a mystery.

How It Happens

But it doesn’t need a rocket scientist to know your own system. Don’t worry if you’re the type whose headaches at the mere suggestion of scientific jargons, we’re on the same boat so I’ve made this as friendly as possible.

Beginning each menstrual cycle the female body’s inner mechanism builds up the lining of its uterus with estrogen. When this hormone reaches up to a certain level, the body’s estradiol is produced to signal the stimulation of the ovaries with Follicle Stimulating Hormone coupled with the Luteinizing hormone. This provides the impetus for the follicles to begin developing the egg cells within a few days until one "matures". The ovary then releases this egg to the fallopian tube at the time of ovulation. Sometimes, the ovaries might release more than one egg which will eventually result in dizygotic, or what is commonly known as non-identical twins.

As this little activity is going on in the upper portion of the reproductive system, there is also a synchronized activity in the uterus. To prepare for the egg that might be fertilized in the fallopian tube, the lining of the uterus which is called the endometrium will now start to thicken. Nature puts the woman’s reproductive system in synch such that after ovulation, this change in the uterus lining will prepare for a probable conception and implantation of the zygote or the fertilized egg. Outwardly, this is manifested as pregnancy. Also after ovulation, the hormone progesterone rises to a peak shortly thereafter.

Nature lets woman orchestrate this wonderful cycle regularly with all the parts of the reproductive system well coordinated. As ovulation approaches, there is an increase to the blood supply to the ovary and consequently there is a contraction of the ligaments. This resulted to having the ovary closer to the Fallopian tube which allows the released mature egg to find its way into the fallopian tube.

At the same time, a woman's cervix also secretes clear "fertile mucous" which will eventually find its way out of the woman’s vulva. While there is an activity going inside the ovaries, there is an activity also up to the vaginal orifice through the mucous. This mucous is characteristically stretchy and fertile. Such mucous is secreted to help the sperm cells that might just be wandering around the vulva, to eventually move towards the egg. The mucous then is a clear sign of a woman’s fertility. Some women use a daily mucous monitoring to keep track of the days when they are most likely to become pregnant. However, it might be best to combine this method also with other means of birth control as this mucous might also sporadically appear during infertile periods

However, if fertilization and pregnancy did not take place, the uterus lining that was built up during ovulation would now be shed. In the outward world, this is manifested through the menstruation, which also marks the low point for estrogen activity. The menstruation is marked with the menses, or also known as menstruum, or blood. However, although this secretion is commonly referred to just as blood, its composition differs from the rest of the blood in our body. Essentially, it is composed of the now dysfunctional endometrium, along with the blood products that passes out of the body through the vagina.