There’s more to your cycle than just your period. In fact, there are four phases of your menstrual cycle: menstrual, follicular, ovulatory, and luteal. Each phase is essential to your reproductive health, with shifting hormones influencing everything from your energy levels to your fertility—including when you can get pregnant during your cycle. Your brain, ovaries, and uterus work together, releasing different hormones at each phase of your cycle to prepare your body for the possibility of pregnancy. Understanding these phases isn’t just helpful for tracking your period; it’s also great for understanding your moods, learning how your body fluctuates, and it’s crucial if you’re trying to conceive.
- What and when is the menstrual phase?
- What is the follicular phase?
- When do you ovulate?
- When is the luteal phase?
What is the menstrual phase?
The menstrual phase kicks off your cycle and overlaps with the start of the follicular phase (we’ll get into that next). It begins on the first full day of your period and usually lasts 3 to 7 days, ending when your bleeding stops. During this phase, your uterine lining sheds, resulting in your period—a classic sign that you are not pregnant—and estrogen and progesterone are at their lowest, which can leave you feeling tired and moody.
What Is Normal Period Blood and Discharge? →
Menstrual phase and period symptoms:
- Cramping
- Bloating
- Acne flare-ups
- Mood swings
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Food cravings
What is the follicular phase?
The follicular phase lasts about 13 to 14 days and begins on the first day of your period, ending at ovulation (it overlaps with and contains your period). As your period wraps up, your body begins preparing for ovulation and pregnancy. During the follicular phase, your brain releases follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which prompts multiple follicles (tiny sacs in your ovaries containing immature eggs) to develop. In a spontaneous cycle (AKA, without fertility-clinic intervention), only one dominant follicle will fully mature and release an egg.
At the end of your period, your uterine lining starts thickening again to create a welcoming environment for a potential pregnancy, thanks to rising estrogen levels. As estrogen increases, you might your follicular phase mood gets a boost in energy, and even libido, and your skin might clear up if you suffer from hormonal acne.
Follicular phase symptoms:
- Period symptoms at the start
- Gradual energy increase
- Rising libido (hello, estrogen!)
- Glowing skin (thanks, again, estrogen!)
What and when is the ovulation phase?
The ovulation phase is the shortest, lasting about 16 to 32 hours, but it’s also the most crucial if you’re trying to get pregnant—it’s the window of time when you’re most fertile. As estrogen peaks, it triggers a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH), which tells your ovary to release an egg. Ideally, sperm will be waiting as the egg is released to fertilize it right away, which is why, if you’re trying to conceive, tracking ovulation is key—the egg has a small window of opportunity for fertilization. Ovulation tests measure LH in your urine and can help pinpoint ovulation, giving you the go-ahead to get busy. (Psst, Bird&Be Ovulation Tests can detect that LH surge with over 99.9% accuracy.)
Ovulation symptoms:
- Clear, slippery cervical mucus (similar to raw egg whites)
- Mild pelvic cramping
- Increased sex drive
- LH surge (noted on an ovulation test)
Even More Signs and Symptoms of Ovulation →
What is the luteal phase?
The luteal phase follows ovulation and lasts about 14 days, closing out your cycle before your next period begins. If the egg is fertilized and successfully implants, your body will start producing human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG—the hormone detected in pregnancy tests), and progesterone, which will prepare your body for pregnancy. If pregnancy doesn’t occur, estrogen and progesterone levels drop, triggering the menstrual phase and the beginning of a new cycle. This drop in hormones is what brings on classic PMS symptoms.
Symptoms of the luteal phase:
- Mood swings
- Irritability
- Breast tenderness
- Fatigue
- Food cravings
- Bloating
What Is a Luteal Phase Defect? →
Recap: 28-day menstrual cycle
Day 1 to 5: Menstrual phase
Day 1 to 14: Follicular phase
Day 14: Ovulatory phase
Day 15 to 28: Luteal phase
Don’t have a 28-day menstrual cycle?
If your cycle isn’t 28 days, you can still get a handle on your menstrual cycle phases. Day 1 of your cycle will always be the first day of full bleeding on your period (and the last day of your cycle will always be the day before you start bleeding again). By using an ovulation test, you can determine when you’re ovulating (usually the day or two after you note that surge), which is typically two weeks before your next expected period. Not everyone’s timeline is the same, and that’s not necessarily cause for concern, especially if you’re noting an LH surge and getting your periods regularly.
Your cycle doesn’t just impact your fertility; it affects your energy, mood, and overall health. Understanding what’s happening at each stage helps you stay in tune with your body, whether you’re tracking for pregnancy, managing PMS, or just trying to feel your best.
