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Step 1 of 5
Period
The menstrual cycle is all the changes that happen about each month in the female reproductive system, starting at puberty. Everyone is different, and the times here are just an average. Even for one person, the times can be different from cycle to cycle.
The first step is the first day of the period, when blood leaves the uterus through the vagina. A period usually lasts 3–7 days.
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Step 2 of 5
Lining rebuilds
After the period is over, the lining in the uterus starts to rebuild. This lining is what will become the period blood. This is called the "follicular phase" and lasts another 7–10 days.
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Step 3 of 5
Ovulation
About two weeks after the last period started, the egg leaves the ovary and starts to travel to the uterus. The egg leaving the ovary is called ovulation. This is when the egg can be fertilized by sperm. If there is no sperm present, the egg will disintegrate after 1 day.
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Step 4 of 5
Lining keeps building
After ovulation, the uterus gets ready to receive the egg. The uterus, or womb, is where a fetus would grow into a baby, but only if the egg was fertilized by sperm. Just in case, the uterus lining becomes thick with nutrients. That is why period blood can be thicker sometimes.
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Step 5 of 5
Next period starts
If there is no pregnancy, the lining from the uterus is shed again. It leaves through the vagina, marking the next period. And the cycle repeats.
Source: TeenHealth
