How can you effectively track your menstrual cycle without relying on digital apps. What are the benefits of understanding your menstrual patterns. Why is manual period tracking becoming increasingly important in the current climate.

Understanding the Basics of Menstrual Cycles

Menstruation, commonly known as a period, is a natural biological process that occurs as part of the menstrual cycle. This cycle is the body’s way of preparing for potential pregnancy each month. If pregnancy doesn’t occur, the uterus sheds its lining, resulting in menstrual bleeding.

The average menstrual cycle lasts between 26 and 32 days, although it can vary from person to person. The cycle begins on the first day of menstrual bleeding and ends the day before the next period starts. Understanding these basics is crucial for effective cycle tracking.

Key Components of a Menstrual Cycle

• Menstrual phase: The period of bleeding, typically lasting 2-7 days
• Follicular phase: When the ovaries prepare to release an egg
• Ovulation: The release of an egg from the ovary
• Luteal phase: The time between ovulation and the start of the next period

The Importance of Menstrual Cycle Tracking in the Current Climate

In light of recent political changes, particularly the overturning of Roe v. Wade in the United States, many individuals have become concerned about the potential misuse of data from period tracking apps. This has led to a renewed interest in manual menstrual cycle tracking methods.

Manual tracking not only ensures privacy but also empowers individuals to better understand their bodies without relying on technology. It’s a skill that can prove invaluable for managing reproductive health and making informed decisions about one’s body.

Benefits of Tracking Your Menstrual Cycle

Keeping a record of your menstrual cycle offers numerous advantages. It allows you to:

1. Identify your personal “normal” and recognize any irregularities
2. Predict future periods for planning purposes
3. Prepare for potential symptoms like cramping or fatigue
4. Provide accurate information to healthcare providers
5. Recognize potential health issues that may require medical attention
6. Aid in family planning or contraception decisions

By understanding your cycle, you gain valuable insights into your overall health and can make more informed decisions about your body and lifestyle.

Step-by-Step Guide to Manual Menstrual Cycle Tracking

Tracking your menstrual cycle without an app is straightforward and can be done with simple tools like a paper calendar or notebook. Here’s how to get started:

1. Gather past period data: If you’ve been using an app, note down the dates of your previous periods.
2. Choose your tracking method: Decide whether you’ll use a paper calendar, notebook, or spreadsheet.
3. Mark your periods: Use a consistent symbol or color to mark the days of your period on your chosen tracking method.
4. Calculate cycle length: Count the days from the first day of one period to the day before the next period starts.
5. Note period duration: Record how many days your bleeding typically lasts.
6. Track symptoms: Make note of any physical or emotional changes throughout your cycle.
7. Observe patterns: Look for consistencies in your cycle length and symptoms over time.

What to Record in Your Menstrual Cycle Tracker

• Start and end dates of each period
• Flow intensity (light, medium, heavy)
• Physical symptoms (cramps, breast tenderness, bloating)
• Emotional changes (mood swings, irritability, fatigue)
• Cervical mucus changes
• Sexual activity (if relevant for pregnancy planning or prevention)

Interpreting Your Menstrual Cycle Data

Once you’ve collected several months of data, you can start to analyze your menstrual patterns. Look for consistencies in cycle length, period duration, and symptom occurrence. Remember that some variation is normal, but significant changes may warrant discussion with a healthcare provider.

Identifying Your Fertile Window

For those interested in conception or natural family planning, understanding your fertile window is crucial. Ovulation typically occurs about 14 days before the start of your next period. By tracking your cycle, you can estimate when ovulation is likely to occur and plan accordingly.

Recognizing Menstrual Cycle Irregularities

While some variation in menstrual cycles is normal, certain irregularities may indicate underlying health issues. Be aware of:

• Cycles shorter than 21 days or longer than 35 days
• Periods lasting longer than 7 days
• Extremely heavy flow (soaking through a pad or tampon every hour)
• Spotting between periods
• Severe pain that interferes with daily activities
• Sudden changes in cycle length or period duration

If you notice any of these irregularities, it’s advisable to consult with a healthcare provider for further evaluation.

Enhancing Your Manual Tracking Experience

To make manual tracking more engaging and effective, consider these tips:

1. Use a dedicated notebook or planner for your cycle tracking
2. Create a color-coding system for different symptoms or cycle phases
3. Set reminders to prompt you to record data daily
4. Include a mood tracker alongside your cycle data
5. Review your data monthly to identify patterns and changes

By personalizing your tracking method, you’re more likely to stick with it and gain valuable insights into your menstrual health.

Combining Manual Tracking with Fertility Awareness Methods

For those interested in natural family planning or seeking to enhance their understanding of their fertility, manual cycle tracking can be combined with other fertility awareness methods (FAMs). These methods involve observing and recording additional fertility signs to more accurately predict ovulation and fertile days.

Common Fertility Awareness Methods

• Basal Body Temperature (BBT) Method: Tracking daily waking temperature to detect the slight rise that occurs after ovulation
• Cervical Mucus Method: Observing changes in cervical mucus consistency throughout the cycle
• Sympto-Thermal Method: Combining BBT and cervical mucus observations

When used correctly and consistently, these methods can provide a more comprehensive picture of your fertility cycle. However, it’s important to note that FAMs require dedication and proper education to be effective for pregnancy prevention or planning.

The Role of Lifestyle Factors in Menstrual Health

Your menstrual cycle can be influenced by various lifestyle factors. By tracking your cycle manually, you may start to notice correlations between certain habits or environmental factors and changes in your cycle. Consider monitoring:

• Diet and nutrition
• Exercise patterns
• Sleep quality and duration
• Stress levels
• Travel or significant life changes

Understanding how these factors impact your cycle can help you make informed decisions about your lifestyle to support menstrual health and overall well-being.

Nutrition and Your Menstrual Cycle

Certain nutrients play crucial roles in maintaining a healthy menstrual cycle. Iron, for example, is particularly important due to blood loss during menstruation. Including iron-rich foods in your diet, especially during your period, can help prevent anemia and associated symptoms like fatigue.

Other nutrients that support menstrual health include:

• Omega-3 fatty acids: May help reduce inflammation and menstrual pain
• Magnesium: Can alleviate menstrual cramps and mood symptoms
• Vitamin D: Important for hormonal balance and may reduce PMS symptoms
• B vitamins: Support energy levels and mood regulation

By tracking your cycle and noting any correlations with your diet, you can make informed choices about your nutrition to support your menstrual health.

Menstrual Cycle Tracking Throughout Life Stages

Your menstrual cycle evolves throughout your life, from the onset of menstruation during puberty to its cessation at menopause. Manual tracking can be particularly valuable during these transitional periods:

Adolescence and Early Menstruation

In the years following menarche (the first period), cycles can be highly irregular. Tracking during this time can help young individuals understand their bodies and recognize when their cycles begin to stabilize.

Reproductive Years

During the prime reproductive years, cycle tracking can aid in family planning, whether trying to conceive or avoid pregnancy. It’s also helpful for identifying any changes that might indicate health issues.

Perimenopause

As individuals approach menopause, cycles may become irregular again. Tracking during this time can help identify the onset of perimenopause and manage associated symptoms.

By maintaining consistent tracking throughout these life stages, you create a valuable record of your reproductive health that can inform healthcare decisions and personal wellness strategies.

Integrating Menstrual Health into Overall Wellness

Manual menstrual cycle tracking is more than just marking dates on a calendar; it’s an opportunity to integrate menstrual health into your overall wellness routine. Consider these approaches:

Cycle Syncing

Some individuals find benefits in aligning their activities and self-care practices with different phases of their menstrual cycle. This practice, known as cycle syncing, involves:

• Adjusting exercise intensity based on energy levels throughout the cycle
• Tailoring nutrition to support hormonal changes
• Planning work and social activities around predicted energy peaks and dips

While scientific evidence for cycle syncing is limited, many find it helpful for managing energy levels and optimizing productivity.

Mindfulness and Menstruation

Incorporating mindfulness practices into your cycle tracking can enhance body awareness and emotional well-being. Consider:

• Practicing meditation or yoga during different cycle phases
• Journaling about physical and emotional experiences throughout your cycle
• Using relaxation techniques to manage premenstrual symptoms

By cultivating a mindful approach to your menstrual cycle, you can develop a deeper understanding of your body’s rhythms and needs.

Empowering Others Through Menstrual Education

As you become more proficient in manual menstrual cycle tracking, consider sharing your knowledge with others. Menstrual health education is crucial for empowering individuals to understand and care for their bodies. You can contribute by:

• Discussing menstrual health openly with friends and family
• Volunteering with organizations that provide menstrual health education
• Advocating for comprehensive sex education in schools
• Supporting initiatives that combat period poverty and stigma

By fostering open conversations about menstrual health, we can create a more informed and supportive society for all individuals who menstruate.

The Future of Menstrual Health Tracking

While this guide focuses on manual tracking methods, it’s worth considering the future of menstrual health monitoring. Emerging technologies and research are opening new possibilities for understanding and managing menstrual health:

Wearable Technology

Advancements in wearable devices may soon offer non-invasive ways to track hormonal changes and predict menstrual cycles with greater accuracy. These technologies could provide real-time data while maintaining user privacy.

Personalized Medicine

As our understanding of the menstrual cycle grows, we may see more personalized approaches to managing menstrual health. This could include tailored treatments for menstrual disorders based on individual cycle patterns and hormonal profiles.

Integration with Overall Health Monitoring

Future health tracking systems may integrate menstrual cycle data with other health metrics, providing a more comprehensive view of an individual’s overall well-being. This holistic approach could lead to better prevention and management of various health conditions.

While these advancements are exciting, the fundamental skills of manual tracking and body awareness will remain valuable. By mastering these basics now, you’ll be better equipped to make informed decisions about your health, regardless of technological developments.

In conclusion, manual menstrual cycle tracking is a powerful tool for understanding and managing your reproductive health. By dedicating time to observe and record your menstrual patterns, you gain valuable insights that can inform your healthcare decisions, lifestyle choices, and overall well-being. Whether you’re tracking for family planning, health management, or simply to understand your body better, the knowledge you gain is an investment in your long-term health and empowerment.

How To Track Your Menstrual Cycle Without An App

By
Anna Spitz, Digital Marketing Manager
|
July 21, 2022, 11:01 p.m.

Category:

Ask the Experts,
Birth Control,
Body,
cramps,
Emergency Contraception,
menstruation,
Period,
Pregnancy,
Puberty

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade ending the federal right to an abortion, there has been increased worry about how period tracking app data could potentially be used against people seeking abortion care.

This has led many people to realize that they don’t know how to track their own cycle using an old school paper calendar, or without the use of technology. Not to worry— Planned Parenthood is here to help.

What Is a Menstrual Cycle?

As experts in all things reproductive health care, we know a lot about menstruation. Menstruation, also known as having a period, is when blood and tissue from the uterus comes out of the vagina. It usually happens about once a month as a part of the menstrual cycle. The menstrual cycle is the body’s way of preparing for pregnancy every month. If someone’s not pregnant they have a period, if someone is pregnant, they do not have a period until they are no longer pregnant.

Benefits of Menstrual Cycle Tracking

Keeping record of the length and timing of your period, qualities of your menstrual fluid (color, texture, amount), and symptoms like cramping or fatigue can help you learn what is normal for your body. Finding out what a “typical” period is like for you can make it easier to spot trends that help you prepare for your next one. This information can also help you estimate when your next period will come. This can be helpful when deciding the days for your next big vacation or even when planning for certain health care appointments like an IUD insertion, etc.

Knowing what is normal for your body when it comes to menstruating can also come in handy when meeting with a health care provider. Because periods are important health indicators, it’s pretty common for clinicians to ask about the first day of your last menstrual period during a visit. This information is a lot easier to provide when you track your cycle.

Cycle tracking can also help you identify significant changes to your cycle or symptoms that might be worth mentioning to a doctor like unusual bleeding between periods, feeling dizzy while on your period, severe pain that keeps you from engaging in regular day-to-day activities, and heavy flow that means you need to change you tampon or pad hourly. Tracking the menstrual cycle may help to identify patterns that clinicians might be able to help with by prescribing a hormonal birth control method that could make your period lighter or more regular.

How to Track Your Cycle

Now that we know the benefits of keeping a record of your menstrual cycle, let’s get into how to actually do the tracking.

• First, you’ll need to gather a little information. If you’ve been using an app to track periods, take note of the days of your previous periods.
• Next mark these days on either a paper calendar or a notebook adding a note or key to indicate the days of your period – feel free to get creative with it by using colorful markers and stickers. The options are endless.
• Once you’ve made note of your past periods and added them to a calendar, you’re ready to look at what a “typical” period looks like for you.
  • First, you’ll look at how many days your period usually lasts. Period length can vary from person to person and can last anywhere from 2-7 days, but most people have a pattern for how long it usually lasts for them (ex: 3-4 days or 5-6 days). Based on past period lengths, take note of how long your periods last and write down this information.
  • Next, you’ll look at how long your menstrual cycle typically is. To do this you count the days from the first day of a period to the day before the next period. Typically, cycles are between 26 and 32 days long and vary from person to person. Based on the length of your past menstrual cycles, take note of how long your menstrual cycles usually are and write this information down next to your period length.
  • Keep in mind that the length of periods and amount of days between cycles can not only vary from person to person, but even from one menstrual cycle to the next (especially if someone experienced physical/emotional stress or a change in routine). Whether you use an app or a paper calendar, predicting future periods is taking a best estimate, so it’s not always a perfect prediction for when a period will come.
• Now that you know how long your periods and cycle are, you can start to estimate when your next period will likely come. To do this you begin at the first day of your most recent period (this is day one) and count out the number of days your menstrual cycle typically lasts. On the day following the end of your cycle is when they next period is predicted to begin. You can add a note on this day as a reminder. For example, if your period typically lasts five days, and your cycle is normally 28 days long, this is how your calendar would look:

• Be sure to write down how you’re feeling, how heavy your bleeding is, any emotional changes, or other patterns you notice during each day of your period. You can also keep a record of patterns you notice while you’re not on your period, for example, any discharge changes that you notice, days that you had sex, or even took emergency contraception. 

Your Local Planned Parenthood is Here for You

If you have any questions about your cycle, birth control options to help regulate your periods, or any other questions about menstruating, visit your local Planned Parenthood. Our expert providers are available to answer any and all questions about reproductive health. To make an appointment, call (714) 922-4100.

Tags:

‎Period Tracker Period Calendar on the App Store

Description

** Top Rating Reproductive Health App **

Check out the most widely-used period, ovulation & pregnancy tracker, which has been helping to improve the well-being of over 300,000,000 women across 45+ countries in the past decade.

We understand your concerns about your private data security, especially with the recent news.
Here’s how we protect your data:
• You can use our app without creating an account.
• You remain COMPLETELY ANONYMOUS while using our app.
• You can DELETE ALL DATA in 1 click whenever you want.

At every stage of your life, we safeguard your well-being.

PERIOD & CYCLE CALENDAR
We’ll remind you of the dates when your next period starts and ends on time. It’s useful whether you have irregular or regular menses. Better? You’ll receive tailored PMS advice and instant menstrual pain relief guidance.

OVULATION & FERTILITY TRACKER
We help you calculate your most fertile days and analyze your fertility window based on your unique cycle. You can get pregnant naturally ASAP by learning your CHANCE OF CONCEPTION every day.

PREGNANCY MODE: WEEK-BY-WEEK
Follow your baby’s weekly growth. Use our due date calculator to find out when your baby’s BIG DAY will be and count down it.

BIRTH CONTROL PLANNER
Quickly record and stay on track with your contraceptive methods like pills, rings, patches, injections, IUDs, or implants. You can customize the reminder message for individual services.

PILL REMINDER
Set start date, interval, durations, and dose quantity for any medication, drugs, or supplements. So you won’t forget to take pills when life gets busy.

SYMPTOM PREDICTIONS & TIPS
Record your symptoms during any life stage. Get predictions and courses to learn how to deal with them. Take breast self-exam monthly to find abnormalities early.

>>Key Features:
– Accurate prediction & reminders of menstruation & the most fertile days
– Track the cycle lengths, flow intensity, when you are ovulating, birth control methods, etc.
– Log 58 symptoms, 67 moods, and energy levels to know your menstrual pattern
– Track daily chance of getting pregnant with BBT, cervical mucus, ovulation & pregnancy test records
– Baby’s due date countdown
– Baby’s weekly growth tracker
– Export a health report with charts for self-archive or doctors
– Insights from fertility specialists
– PIN code, Face ID, & Fingerprint lock to protect your private data
– Daily health tracker: weight, hydration, sleep, mood, sex, steps, etc.
– Breast self-exam guidance
– Multiple accounts to track for different, for example, mother/daughter
– Unlimited app themes & pets
– Available in 39 languages
– Sync data with Apple Health
– Backup and restore data between devices

Note: Period Calendar should not be used to replace any form of contraceptive method.

Subscription Terms and Details
– Get unlimited access to all features for USD $49.99/year:
• Cycle predictions for each month
• Fertility analysis of each day
• Unlock all self-care content
• Kegel exercise for women
• Unlimited app themes and pets
• Remove ads forever
– The payment will be charged to your iTunes account at confirmation of purchase.
– The subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period.
– Subscription may be managed, and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to Account Settings after purchase.
– The account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period.
– Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication.

If you have any questions or concerns while using our app, please feel free to contact us via feedback in our app ( [Settings] -> [Bug Report&Feedback]) or write to us at abishkking.apple@gmail.

Privacy Policy: https://abishkking.com/privacypolicy.html?pkg=com.abishkking.periodcalendar
Terms of Use: http://pay.period-calendar.com/app/pc.html

Jul 3, 2023

Version 2.54.0

• Optimize UI and user experience

Ratings and Reviews

127.4K Ratings

I LOVE THIS APP!!! 😍🙌🏽💯💓

I never used to track my period and then one of my clients told me about this app. I immediately started using it and it’s way more than just a period tracker it helps you with your water intake, exercise, it helps you keep track of everything about your body as a woman and it even gives insight and tips to symptoms you may be having everyday, your able to track your weight, perform breast exam, it even has a way for you to connect with other women all over the world, pregnant moms or just get answers to questions you might be having. This app is a dream come true! I’m so glad I found out about it and I would recommend Everywoman even young girls to have this app it can help so much with you staying in tune with your cycle, how body works and what you’re experiencing and feeling each and every day and when you go to the doctor and they ask you 1 million questions you actually have the answer to them LOL! My husband and I recently started practicing making a baby and we conceived after the first try!! Our daughter is 11!! can you believe that if I didn’t have this app I wouldn’t know what is going on but because of this app I know everything about my cycle when we most likely conceived and my due date for our baby already! this app is a dream come true if you’re reading this review download it now you won’t regret it thank you to the maker of this app you are a genius!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hi, thanks for enjoying our app! We will keep on working hard to develop more useful functions, hoping to bring you a better experience.

Any other questions, please feel free to contact us at [email protected]. Thanks again for your support, have a nice day.

App review

First of all this app is free!
Second of all, this app has more useful features than just tracking your period, it has a mood tracker, a place where you can write a dairy, sex life and etc… not only that but it can also help you have a healthier lifestyle too. It’ll ask you questions about your height, weight, waist measurement and so forth to help get you a better idea of your body fat percentage and to let you know if your healthy. The app has many videos on how to take care of your body and what to do if your on your period like if you have acne during your period for example. It’ll help you know what you should do, there’s even excerises you can do, helps track the amount of water you drink, amount of sleep and so forth. This app lets you know where you should be at to have a healthier life, like how many hours you should sleep each day, how much water you should drink, the average amount of minutes you need to workout a day and so forth. This app has many perks and features to help track your period and lifestyle and it’s all for free so there’s no need to pay extra money on other apps for this kind of info. Oh! And remember the more info you put on the app about your period, your moods and so forth helps the app figure out how to assist you. ☺️

Hi, really appreciate your positive comment. We are so glad that you like our app’s functions. ❤️

We have been working hard to improve our app and give you a better experience. If you have any suggestions or questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected]. We will take it seriously and also help you solve problems ASAP. Again, thank you for your feedback, and have a nice day. 🌹

My only suggestion so far…

Only thing I’ve found I would want changed (after a few weeks of non period tracking use and the start of first one tracked) is being able to select multiple levels of flow. Like on days when it starts light and then gets heavier, being able to select both/or all 4 and then select like morning, midday, afternoon, night or something along that line would be nice. So that way it’s logged, at the moment I just write it in notes, I just think that would add to the tracker and Helping me/others realize if I’m just spotting heavily or starting my period off very lightly.

Otherwise I love this app and the fact you get so much without having to pay is amazing and I looked through a few apps cause as someone who doesn’t have much extra money right now it helps to be able to keep track of something that I can’t avoid and I know you could do it on paper but I mean with it being on your phone it’s so much more accessible and with you 24/7, if your like me, which means you can’t forget it.

Hi, thanks for using our app! We will take your suggestion seriously and try to make some improvements in this aspect, hoping to bring you a better product experience.

If you have any other problems or suggestions, please feel free to contact us at [email protected]. We’ll be always at your service!

Subscriptions

Period & Pregnancy Tracker

Self-care guide for your cycle & fertility

Free Trial

The developer, ABISHKKING LIMITED., indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy.

Data Used to Track You

The following data may be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies:

• Identifiers

• Usage Data

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• Health & Fitness

• Contact Info

• Identifiers

• Usage Data

• Sensitive Info

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

• User Content

• Usage Data

• Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

Seller

ABISHKKING LIMITED.

Size

359.5 MB

Category

Health & Fitness

Age Rating

12+
Infrequent/Mild Medical/Treatment Information
Infrequent/Mild Sexual Content and Nudity

Copyright

©️ 2021 ABISHKKING LIMITED.

Price

Free

• Developer Website

• App Support

• Privacy Policy

More By This Developer

You Might Also Like

Why is it important to track your periods.

Women’s Health Education Portal Women First

Why is it important to track your period? Applications and life hacks,
to help you take care of your health

The menstrual cycle, or rather its regularity, is one of the
indicators of women’s health. Correct count of cycle days
allows you to prepare for conception, as well as to detect in time
possible disorders in the reproductive system. To get it right
interpret the results, it is important for a woman to keep track of her
period. How to do this, we will try to tell in this
article.

The normal menstrual cycle is a complex change in
reproductive system of a woman that occur with regular
periodicity. Menstruation is characterized by discharge from
uterine cavity of blood clots, parts of the endometrium and other
components. In addition to the possibility of conception, the menstrual cycle
also performs a cleansing function for the body.

In the normal state, the cycle lasts from 21 to 34 days, and
the duration of bleeding should be from 3 to 7 days.
Childbearing age depends on each woman individually, and
menopause occurs at about 50-55 years.

Many problems in the reproductive system can signal a woman
in the form of cycle disorders, uneven menstruation and other failures.
In order to notice them in time, you should pay attention to
certain indicators. For example, too long or
short menstruation may indicate internal inflammatory
processes that require medical attention.

These indicators include the irregularity of menstruation in
result:

• infectious diseases
• chronic stress factors or disturbances in the work of the nervous
  systems
• hormonal disorders of the endocrine glands
• taking heavy medications, such as antibiotics
• the influence of bad habits, namely alcohol and tobacco
• onset of early menopause.

In addition, a visit to the gynecologist is definitely worth it if you
noticed a few manifestations from this list:

1. Absence of discharge for more than six months. The exception is
   pregnancy, menopause and childhood, in other cases
   considered a pathology
2. Rare discharge, that is, the cycle lasts more than 35 days
3. Frequent spotting, i.e. a cycle of less than 20 days
4. Too short or long periods, less than 3 or more than 7
   days
5. A meager blood volume should also alert – less than 25 ml
6. Abundant bleeding – more than 130 ml
7. Menses out of cycle
8. Discharge during pregnancy
9. Too painful critical days
10. The color of menstruation is grayish or whitish

What is a menstrual calendar for?

Calculating the next date of menstruation is not only useful, but also
convenient from a scheduling point of view. Knowing the exact date
you can schedule training sessions, meetings and any other
Events.

You can write down critical dates on a paper calendar, but
it is more convenient to do it with the help of applications. Today there are
various programs for conducting a cycle. The simplest offer
just enter the date and last monthly and average
cycle duration. The program will calculate everything itself, will make
forecast and write how many days are left until the start of the next
cycle.

Advanced versions make up a calendar for the whole year, with
indicating the desired dates of conception, graphs with changes in weight
and temperature. In addition, there are also the smallest settings in the form
indicating phases of mood, reminders to take COCs, etc. We
prepared some of the most convenient and simple free
applications that will help you create a calendar of critical
days.

Free calendar software

Life application. Work organized as
tracker, with the ability to mark the days of menstruation and
automatic calculation of ovulation. Allows you to mark the level
mood, indicate the days of sexual intercourse and active training according to
days. It can be noted a simple and convenient interface without complex
menu items and settings. Icons allow you to quickly navigate
and find the necessary data for both the partner and the woman herself.

Clue application. A simple application with a pleasant
interface in the form of clouds before menstruation. Ovulation period
allows you to follow the cycle. It is possible to connect
partner to the menstrual cycle schedule in order to follow
after the critical days. As a nice bonus
useful articles about women’s health and
recommendations. It is also possible to set a reminder for
ovulation and the imminent approach of menstruation.

Chatbot Telegram Solomia. Interesting channel,
which is a guide and calendar that leads
well-known sexologist-psychologist. With it, you can learn about
processes that occur in the female body during
critical days, get useful advice. Advice is given
how to prepare for the onset of menstruation, what kind of food
organize and what should be the rest. You can choose from
several topics for discussion, such as physiology, nutrition,
sex and sports.

P-Tracker application. Shareware
program, which is presented in two subscription options:
free with ads and paid without ads. Program
offers to track the menstrual cycle and do the necessary
calendar notes. The premium version additionally has
the ability to adjust daily activity, sleep, mood and
nutrition.

Menstruation and the menstrual cycle: what’s the difference?

Expert comment
Gynecologist Anastasia Degteva

“More than half of the inhabitants of the planet Earth have menstruation. If you have questions, you can ask any adult you trust. You can also talk to a gynecologist or pediatrician, and you can also watch an educational course on menstruation from Kotex.”

The menstrual cycle is a series of regularly repeating biological processes, which is one of the main differences between a woman and a man. The biological meaning of the menstrual cycle is to prepare the female orgasm for potential conception and pregnancy.

What is menstruation?

Menstruation is bleeding that usually occurs on a monthly basis in sexually mature women if they have not been pregnant.

During menstruation, the mucous membrane of the uterus, the endometrium, is shed, which is accompanied by bleeding.

Menstruation usually lasts 3 to 5 days. On average, the first menstruation, menarche, begins at 11-14 years of age. Approximately half of girls 12 years old are already on their period, however, doctors recognize the normal age of the onset of menstruation from 9up to 16 years old. From this point on, the female body is capable of fertilization and pregnancy. Around the age of 40-55, menstruation stops and menopause occurs.

What is the menstrual cycle?

If menstruation or periods come regularly, then they are called the menstrual cycle. However, the length of the menstrual cycle may vary slightly from month to month, this is also normal. A longer menstrual cycle is typical for adolescents, with age there is a tendency for a decrease in the duration of the cycle and a clearer regularity. Typically, the menstrual cycle lasts from 21 to 35 days.

The female body controls the menstrual cycle through a complex hormonal balance. The human body’s response to stress involves changes in hormone levels, which affect many bodily processes, and thus can affect the menstrual cycle.

Important: A regular menstrual cycle is a sign that the important organs of your body are functioning normally. That is why it is extremely important to monitor your cycle, not only when you are afraid or trying to get pregnant: any deviations from the usual in the cycle can be signs of some unusual processes in the body or diseases that are always better to exclude immediately, because if the concern turns out to be justified, treatment is always better to start as soon as possible!

What should be the menstrual cycle and how to calculate its length?

Unfortunately, a huge number of women, even today, do not have the opportunity to receive reliable scientific information about reproductive health, including menstruation. This topic is still taboo and indecent. However, knowing about your body structure and its processes is very important to maintain your health, this also applies to menstruation. To monitor your own health, you need to track the duration of your own cycle, and for this, mark the days of the beginning and the duration of menstruation in a calendar or a special application on your phone, which will allow you to draw conclusions about the regularity of menstruation in a couple of months.

Let’s see how to mark the menstrual cycle.

The first day of menstruation is considered the first day of the menstrual cycle.

The end of the menstrual cycle is celebrated on the first day of the next, that is, on the first day of the next menstrual bleeding.

The average menstrual cycle lasts 28 days, but the norms are variable: 21-35 days in adults and 21-45 days in adolescents 12-15 years old.

On average, menstruation in women lasts 3-5 days, but the norm applies to any number of days from 2 to 7. On average, the volume of menstrual bleeding is about 40-100 ml (this is about 8 used ordinary hygienic
pads or tampons), and the composition of menstrual blood, in addition to blood itself, includes mucous secretions of the cervix, vaginal glands and endometrial tissue.

Why is menstrual flow different from normal blood?

Menstrual flow is different from the blood that flows through our vessels: it does not clot, and it is darker: this is due to the fact that it contains enzymes that prevent its clotting – anticoagulants.

By the way, those clots that sometimes occur in women are caused precisely by the fact that the blood does not clot, but this is not at all a sign of some pathological processes in the body, it often happens on the days of the most profuse bleeding, and is often associated with stress, such as malnutrition.

Don’t be afraid to ask!

Unfortunately, the topic of menstruation in society is still considered taboo and shameful by many, and menstruation is often presented as something that needs to be hidden from everyone. However, even if you are embarrassed to ask a doctor something, then remember: women have periods for most of their lives, this is a normal biological process and in fact there is nothing shameful or dirty about them, so if you have something worries or you want to know if this is the case for others, then ask.

If someone shames you because you have your period, remember that this person is deeply wrong and he should be ashamed, not you.

Why are some people embarrassed to talk about menstruation?

The taboo of the topic of menstruation is also connected with the fact that for a long time menstruation was used by society in order to justify social inequality in the position of men and women, because a woman during menstruation was considered “dirty” in many cultures. This is due to the fact that in ancient times people did not understand what caused menstruation and for them this phenomenon was mysterious and incomprehensible.

Even in the twenty-first century, when the biological essence of menstruation has long been clear, many religions consider women during menstruation “unclean”: in Orthodoxy, for example, women are forbidden to participate in sacred sacraments, for example, take communion during menstruation, touch icons and prosphora, and even drink “holy” water, and in some parishes even go to church.