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There are many myths surrounding the female cycle. Too often the subject is taboo and that is a shame. Many women have become misinformed about their bodies and as such they lose the ability to live a more rewarding life. So many things occur within a woman’s body and being in tune with these daily happenings can lead to a better understanding of the way you feel on a daily basis. Knowledge brings you control and control brings you the ability to live a better life.
THE 28-DAY CYCLE MYTH
It is not known exactly who came up with the 28-day idea but there are surprisingly few women that actually have a 28-day cycle. Some women have menstrual cycles much shorter or longer than 28 days and the resulting effects of this myth can lead many women to believe that they are experiencing problems.
The anxiety that most women experience in their lives at one point or another over thinking that they are pregnant because they are “late” could possibly be avoided by knowing a little more about how their body works. Are they “late” every month? They may have a 29-day, 30 day or even longer, cycle. Are their cycles sometimes early as well? Perhaps they have an irregular cycle. Again, there are very few women who experience a regular 28-day cycle.
THE 14-DAY OVULATION MYTH
Of course, the next problem that women face is the common belief that they can simply count forward 14 days from the beginning of their last menstrual cycle and call that their day of ovulation. Since not many women actually experience a 28-day cycle, it stands to reason that the average woman is also not likely to experience ovulation precisely 14 days into their cycle.
Ovulation is different in many women and can often be delayed at the onset of stress and times of upheaval in a woman’s life.
THE LUTEAL PHASE
However, while the actual day of ovulation can change, the amount of time after ovulation and the onset of one’s period will not vary that much from month to month. It’s called the luteal phase and is generally 12-16 days but not likely to vary much more than two days from cycle to cycle.
What this means is that women can face a number of difficulties when trying to either achieve or avoid pregnancy. Those trying to avoid pregnancy using natural family planning methods need to be aware of more about their bodies such as cervical fluids, cervical positions and basal body temperatures and should never rely on the 14th day rule.
Similarly, couples trying to conceive and as such waiting for the 14th day may be sorely disappointed if they constantly miss the ovulation day. A simple matter of knowing more about your body signs could likely prevent the exorbitant costs of medical intervention when experiencing difficulties trying to concieve.
THE “STRESS CAN DELAY” MYTH
The idea that stress can delay the onset of one’s period is totally unfounded. It is possible that stress can delay ovulation, which would in turn delay the onset of a period. A woman who ovulated later than normal would still experience the same luteal phase; her period would just be later because of the delayed ovulation.
MORE ABOUT OVULATION
When women start to learn more about their bodies, they start to understand a whole lot more about the way they feel and the reasons. Many women will experience certain symptoms around the time they ovulate. This is because their hormones are changing with the release of the egg. Their body starts to produce progesterone; causing their temperature to rise slightly and their body starts to prepare for a possible pregnancy.
Some woman may even experience sharp pain during ovulation that will only last for a few hours but go unexplained just the same if you haven’t learned to recognize the symptoms.
YOU CAN LEARN MORE
There is a lot to learn about individual cycles. You can gain a new perspective on your life and your conception/pregnancy avoidance goals.
Recommended reading: “Taking Charge of Your Fertility – The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control and Pregnancy Achievement” by Toni Weschler
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