Introduction

When a baby girl is born her ovaries contain all the eggs her body will ever use, and much more – perhaps as many as half a million.

As she reaches puberty, her body begins producing hormones that cause these eggs to mature. This is the beginning of a cycle – one that will repeat until she reaches menopause.
The menstrual cycle describes the changes in a woman's body when it releases an egg, prepares for fertilisation of the egg by sperm and creates an environment in the womb where the fertilised egg can develop into a baby.

If the egg is not fertilised, the lining of the womb is shed and a woman has her period. As you well know, periods play a significant role in every woman's life. From the time of your first period to your last they signal the beginning of one menstrual cycle and the start of another.