Predicting
Ovulation & Fertility Periods
Menstruation is considered a
unique indicator of a
woman’s overall _____________.
Answer: Physical Health
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The menstrual cycle is viewed as
a reliable predictor of a
woman’s general health and
well-being.
The lack of or complete loss of
a woman’s cycle could indicate
issues with fertility, bone
health, heart disease, and
ovarian failure.
Menses
1. The periodic flow of blood and
mucosal tissue from the uterus.
2. The monthly flow of blood
and cellular debris from the
uterus that begins at puberty
and ceases at menopause. This
process is also referred to as
emmenia, a menstrual cycle or
period.
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If an ovum is not fertilized, or if the
fertilized ovum does not attach to
the uterine wall, the uterine lining
is not needed
The muscles of the uterus contract,
causing the lining to gradually
break down
The lining passes through the cervix
into the vagina and out through the
vaginal opening
4 to 7 days
Cycles Vary from female to female
Natural causes
1. Pregnancy
2. Breast-feeding
3. Menopause
Lifestyle factors
1.
Stress - Mental stress can temporarily
alter the functioning of your
hypothalamus — an area of your brain that
controls the hormones that regulate your
menstrual cycle. Ovulation and
menstruation may stop as a result.
Regular menstrual periods usually resume
after your stress decreases.
2.
Low body weight - Excessively low body
weight interrupts many hormonal
functions in your body, potentially halting
ovulation. Women who have an eating
disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia,
often stop having periods because of these
abnormal hormonal changes.
Lifestyle factors
3. Excessive exercise - Women who
participate in sports that require
rigorous training, such as dance, body
building, long-distance running,
cycling, and gymnastics may find their
menstrual cycle interrupted. Several
factors combine to contribute to the
loss of periods in athletes, including
low body fat, stress and high energy
expenditure.
Medications – Antipsychotics, Cancer
chemotherapy, Antidepressants, and
Blood pressure drugs
Contraceptives - Some women who take
hormonal birth control may not have
periods. Contraceptives that are
ingested, injected, absorbed, or implanted
(intrauterine & sub-dermal), may cause
amenorrhea. When hormonal
contraceptives are stopped, it may take
three to six months to resume regular
ovulation and menstruation cycles.
What is PMS?
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Psychotic Mood Shift
Puffy Mid-Section
Pardon My Sobbing
Pissy Mood Syndrome
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Premenstrual Syndrome
Most women have tender breasts, bloating,
and muscle aches a few days before they
start their menstrual cycle. These are
normal premenstrual symptoms. But when
they affect your daily life, they are called
premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMS can
affect your body as well as your mood.
Sometimes it can make you change the way
you act.
 PMS is tied to hormone changes that happen
during your menstrual cycle. Doctors don't
fully know why premenstrual symptoms are
worse in some women than in others. They do
know that for many women, PMS runs in the
family.
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PMS symptoms can affect your body, your mood, and
how you act in the days or week leading up to your
menstrual period.
Physical signs include:
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Acne
Bloating and tender breasts
Food cravings
Lack of energy
Cramps
Headaches
Low back pain
When you have PMS, you might also:
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Feel sad, angry, or anxious
Be less alert
Find it hard to focus on tasks
Want to withdraw from family and friends
Act in a forceful or hostile way (CRAZY)
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We have humor and the pleasure of
never personally experiencing PMS.
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What is TSS?
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Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) is a rare, but potentially
serious disease that has been associated with tampon use.
In rare cases, TSS can be fatal. TSS is believed to be
caused by toxin-producing strains of the staphylococcus
aureus bacterium.
What causes TSS?
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The bacterium that causes TSS is found most commonly on
the skin, in the nose, armpit, groin or vagina. In fact, about
one third of the population carry it without any problem
at all. However, in a very small number of people, certain
strains of the bacterium produce toxins that can cause
TSS. Most people have the antibodies in their bloodstream
to protect them from the toxin if it is produced, but many
do not.
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What is the link between TSS and tampon use?
 The link is not clearly understood. However, tampon research shows
that the risk of tampon-related TSS is associated with absorbency: the
higher the absorbency the higher the risk; the lower the absorbency,
the lower the risk. That is why a woman should always use the lowest
absorbency tampon for her menstrual flow.
What are the symptoms of TSS?
 Some of the symptoms are much the same as the flu, but they can
become serious very quickly. The warning signs of TSS are:
 Sudden high temperature (102 degrees F/38.9 degrees C or higher)
Vomiting
Diarrhea
A sunburn-like rash
Muscle aches
Dizziness
Fainting or feeling faint when standing up
If you have any of these symptoms and are wearing a tampon you should
remove the tampon immediately and contact your doctor for immediate
treatment. Tell the doctor that you have been using tampons and suspect
that you may have TSS. Don’t worry about being an alarmist. What's
important is to get speedy treatment.
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Calendar or Rhythm Method
Basal Body Temperature
Method
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Ovulation/Cervical Methods
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Rise in body temperature after ovulation
Sampling of cervical mucus and cervical
positioning
Ovulation Predictor Kits
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Combination of all methods or urine
sample tests
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Three Cycles
Initial Spotting
 Period Ends
 Possible Ovulation
 End of Cycle
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Use the calendar method to develop a
three month timeline that depicts the
following woman’s menstrual cycle.
Length of cycle: 28 days
 Duration of Period: 5 days
 Initial spotting : May 15th
 “Fertile Time” Possible Ovulation range: ???
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 Most women ovulate anywhere between Day 11
and Day 21of their cycle, counting from the
first day of the last menstrual period (LMP).
For this lesson we will use the cycle midpoint,
plus three days before and after as our
“Fertile Time.”
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Initial Spotting
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July 10
May 19
June 16
July 14
Possible Ovulation
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June 12
Period End
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May 15
May 25-31
June 22-28
July 20-26
July 9
Aug. 6
End of Cycle
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June 11