How Understanding Your Menstrual Cycle Can Support Your Fertility

Did you know that understanding your menstrual cycle can play a large role in getting and staying pregnant? When you are working toward conceiving, those magical two lines can feel elusive and hard to reach. There are so many tips and tricks out there that claim they can help you get pregnant and stay pregnant if you just follow the steps they lay out. And yet, you and your partner still find yourself in the struggle to become pregnant.

As a fertility coach, I have discovered one of the key components to unlocking your fertility is understanding your menstrual cycle. Consequently, this is the key to getting and staying pregnant for many of my clients. To do this, together we dive into the following topics.

Understanding Your Menstrual Cycle: The Phases and Hormonal Changes

Part of better understanding your menstrual cycle and how this can support your fertility is knowing the breakdown of the phases and the hormonal changes that each brings. There are four phases in the uterine cycle and each serves a specific purpose. 

Menstrual:

The first is the menstrual phase (days 1-7). This phase starts on the first day you begin bleeding. When you release an egg, your progesterone and estrogen levels will drop. This hormonal shift causes the uterus to shed its lining which results in your period.

Changes in your body that are important to note may include cramping, headaches and mood changes. This phase is a good time to slow down and care for your body.

Follicular:

The second phase is the follicular phase (days 7-14). After you have completed your period, your body releases hormones to start the growth of new follicles. These produce estrogen and prepare the uterus for the implantation of a fertilized egg. During this phase you may notice an increase in energy and even mental alertness.

Ovulatory:

The third phase is the ovulatory phase (days 14-21). This phase is when a woman is most fertile and the chance of an egg being fertilized by sperm is at its highest. During this time there is a surge of luteinizing hormones. This causes a mature egg to release and travel down the fallopian tube. 

Luteal:

The fourth phase is the luteal phase (days 22-28). At this point your body is at high levels of progesterone and estrogen. These help a fertilized egg implant in the uterine lining. If the egg isn’t fertilized, the uterus will shed its lining and you will get your period (entering the menstrual phase again). You may notice during this phase that energy levels dip and premenstrual symptoms such as bloating, breast tenderness and acne are present.

Being able to identify these different phases will help you in your fertility journey by better understanding your menstrual cycle. It arms you with the knowledge needed to understand your own body and how your cycle and hormones play a role in getting and staying pregnant.

In part 2, we will dig into the specifics of how you can better track your ovulation to predict your fertility and how this can increase understanding your menstrual cycle. In the meantime, I’d love to support you on your fertility path. To book a complimentary consultation call, visit this link here! In this call you can ask any questions you have to see if fertility coaching is right for you.

You can also access my FREE download on 5 Supplement Essentials to Getting Healthy here. These can help support you in your fertility goals.

Finally, I’d love to have you join my free Facebook Community with other women searching for fertility support. Through this group you can join my FREE live event on November 2nd at 7 pm CST where we will cover the ins and outs of the menstrual cycle and how to help it work to your advantage. To join us, just click here.