Menstruation & Withdrawal Bleeding

Here’s a quick anatomy and physiology review: the lining of the uterus, called the endometrium, thickens over the entire menstrual cycle thanks to naturally occurring hormonal changes (primarily estrogen and progesterone). This essentially makes the uterus a healthy and welcoming place for a new baby to grow and develop. If conception (the sperm and egg meeting to create a new life) does not occur, then the endometrium sloughs or sheds. This is a menstrual period followed by the beginning of a new hormonal cycle. 

When a woman is taking a form of hormonal (the pill, the patch, the vaginal ring, hormonal IUD) the monthly bleeding she experiences isn’t a true menstrual period. It is simply withdrawal bleeding. This is shorter and lighter than a period and as the endometrium (the lining of the uterus as shown in the illustration) has not thickened due to natural hormonal fluctuations. The withdrawal bleed comes from a break or placebo week when artificial hormones are not being taken or administered through HBC. This withdrawal bleeds is intended to mimic true menstruation, as this is what women expect. If you are taking HBC you’re not actually experiencing a period. 

What if you are trying to avoid pregnancy right now? Is a true menstrual period still important? In short, YES! During the free introductory session with @Bloom.Cycle.Care you will learn about basic anatomy and physiology, the function and importance of the naturally occuring hormonal changes over a menstrual cycle, how to track your cycle naturally, and more! 

HBC suppresses and modifies the naturally occurring menstrual cycle that every woman experiences. We take a normal and natural bodily system and disrupt it, often for years at a time. The impact can be enormous. The regular functioning of a woman’s cycle and the symptoms she may show are so important to understanding her overall health and well being. HBC acts as a “band aid fix” for serious issues such as PMS, endometriosis, PCOS, and more. It suppresses fertility in a way that can make it much more difficult to achieve and maintain a healthy pregnancy. A woman’s menstrual cycle is considered to be one of her vital signs. 

Our bodies are telling us so much if only we learn to listen, sign up for your free, no obligation introductory session.

When was the last time you did a breast self examination? A regular breast self examination is something every woman should have confidence in doing. Getting familiar with what is normal for you and your body is the key to identifying any abnormalities. 

It is recommended to do a breast self exam around day 7 of your cycle. This is when your breasts are likely to be the least sensitive. If you’re tracking your cycle with FertilityCare, there is a reminder on your chart for a BSE.

Keep A Breast Foundation shares these steps…

MIRROR MIRROR: Look in the mirror and see what you've got going on. Put your hands over your head and then on your hips. boob and side boob are created equal, so be sure to include both.

MINI MASSAGE: Next, keep looking in the mirror and put one hand behind your head. Now place three fingers to your breast and check for anything that strikes you as weird or not your "normal."

UP AND DOWN: Move your three fingers in small circles with different levels of pressure. Choose easy, medium and then hard while walking your fingers to the next area, instead of lifting them off your boobies.

YOUR PITS: Cover your entire breast up and down and into the armpit area, finishing inside your armpit. Leave no breast area unchecked! Side boobs are boobies too. Spend extra time in your pits where your lymphatic system lives and where many breast cancers develop - they may need extra circle massage love

Breast Self Examination