Menstruation

This article is only for general knowledge(Anatomy and Physiology), and it is not a medical advice.
17 Quizzes

#1. Fill up the blank. Rachel said to her father, "Don't be angry, my lord, that I cannot stand up in your presence; I'm having my ____________."

Answer: Period (Gen 31:35)

Rachel's words here are the only mention in Scripture of a typical monthly menstrual cycle, other than the ceremonial laws covering menstruation found in Leviticus and referred to again in Ezekiel.
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#2. Why blood became an important part of ceremonial law?

Blood was seen as a source of life and therefore anything surrounding it became important. Many women consider their monthly period, the discomfort, and the irritability often come along with it- a monthly trial- something women must bear. Men are spared from a monthly trial and considered lucky. However, it is only through this particular function of her body that a woman can reproduce and carry a child. Although at times messy, nuisance, or painful, only through this process the woman have the opportunity, afforded to no man, to bear a new life. And in doing so, she be uniquely linked to the Creator of life.
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#3. How many days the Hebrew woman was considered unclean at the time of her period?

Unclean for 7 days, the normal length of a woman's monthly period. She then customarily bathed in order to cleanse herself. The natural flow of a woman's period didn't require any special sacrifice to be cleansed, just merely bathing and waiting for a prescribed time was enough.
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#4. What is Menstruation and other associated bleeding problems?

(1)Menstruation is a woman's monthly bleeding, also called a period. When she menstruate, her body is shedding the lining of the uterus (womb). Menstrual blood flows from the uterus through the small opening in the cervix, and passes out of the body through the vagina. Most menstrual periods last from three to five days.but anywhere from 2 to 7 days is considered normal). The average blood loss during menstruation is 35 millilitres, but 10-80 mL considered normal.
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#5. What is the menstrual cycle?

Menstruation is part of the menstrual cycle, which prepares her body for pregnancy each month. A cycle is counted from the first day of one period to the first day of the next period. The average menstrual cycle is 28 days long. Cycles can range anywhere from 21 to 35 days in adults and from 21 to 45 days in young teens.

Body chemicals called hormones rise and fall during the month to make the menstrual cycle happen.
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#6. What happens during the menstrual cycle?

In the first half of the cycle, levels of estrogen* (the “female hormone”) start to rise and make the lining of the uterus (womb) grow and thicken. At the same time, an egg (ovum) in one of the ovaries starts to mature. At about day 14 of a typical 28-day cycle, the egg leaves the ovary. This is called ovulation.

After the egg has left the ovary it travels through the fallopian tube to the uterus. Hormone levels rise and help prepare the uterine lining for pregnancy. A woman is most likely to get pregnant during the three days before ovulation or on the day of ovulation. Warning: Keep in mind, women with cycles that are shorter or longer than average may ovulate earlier or later than day 14.

If the egg is fertilized by a man’s sperm cell and attaches to the uterine wall, the woman becomes pregnant. If the egg is not fertilized, it will break apart. If pregnancy does not occur, hormone levels drop, and the thickened lining of the uterus is shed during the menstrual period.
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#7. What is a typical menstrual period like?

During her period, the thickened uterine lining and extra blood are shed through the vaginal canal. Her period may not be the same every month and it may not be the same as other women's periods. Periods can be light, moderate, or heavy, and the length of the period also varies. While most periods last from three to five days, anywhere from two to seven days is normal. For the first few years after menstruation begins, longer cycles are common. A woman's cycle tends to shorten and become more regular with age. Most of the time, periods will be in the range of 21 to 45 days apart.
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#8. What kinds of problems do women have with their periods?

Women can have a range of problems with their periods, including pain, heavy bleeding, and skipped periods.

Amenorrhea — the lack of a menstrual period. This term is used to describe the absence of a period in:
young women who haven't started menstruating by age 15
women who used to have regular periods, but haven't had one for 90 days
young women who haven't had a period for 90 days, even if they haven't been menstruating for long
Causes can include pregnancy, breastfeeding, and extreme weight loss caused by serious illness, eating disorders, excessive exercising, or stress. Hormonal problems, such as those caused by poly cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or problems with the reproductive organs, may be involved. It is important to talk to a doctor.

Dysmenorrhea — painful periods, including severe cramps. When menstrual cramps occur in teens, the cause is too much of a chemical called prostaglandin. Most teens with dysmenorrhea do not have a serious disease even though the cramps can be severe. In older women, a disease or condition, such as uterine fibroid or endometriosis, sometimes causes the pain. For some women, using a heating pad or taking a warm bath helps ease their cramps. Some pain medicines available over the counter can help with these symptoms. If pain is not relieved by these medicines or the pain interferes with work or school, she should see a doctor. Treatment depends on what is causing the problem and how severe it is.
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#9. When does a girl usually get her first period?

In the United States, the average age is 12. This does not mean that all girls start at the same age. A girl can start her period anytime between the ages of 8 and 15. Usually, the first period starts about two years after breasts first start to grow. If a girl has not had her first period by age 15, or if it has been more than two to three years since breast growth started, she should see a doctor.
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#10. How long does a woman have periods?

Women usually have periods until menopause. Menopause occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, usually around age 50. Menopause means that a woman is no longer ovulating (producing eggs) and can no longer get pregnant. Like menstruation, menopause can vary from woman to woman and these changes may take several years to occur. The time when your body begins its move into menopause is called the menopausal transition. This can last anywhere from two to eight years. Some women have early menopause because of surgery or other treatment, illness, or other reasons. If a woman does not have a period for 90 days, she should see her doctor to check for pregnancy, early menopause, or other medical problems that can cause periods to stop or become irregular.
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#11. What is Menarche and Menopause?

Menarche is the time in a girl's life when menstruation first begins.
Menopause is the time in a woman's life when the function of the ovaries ceases. The average age of menopause is 51 years old.
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#12. What is premenstrual syndrome (PMS)?

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is a group of symptoms linked to the menstrual cycle. PMS symptoms occur in the week or two weeks before her period (menstruation or monthly bleeding). The symptoms usually go away after her period starts. PMS can affect menstruating women of any age. It is also different for each woman. PMS may be just a monthly bother or it may be so severe that it makes it hard to even get through the day. Monthly periods stop during menopause, bringing an end to PMS.
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#13. What causes PMS?

The causes of PMS are not clear. It is linked to the changing hormones during the menstrual cycle. Some women may be affected more than others by changing hormone levels during the menstrual cycle. Stress and emotional problems do not seem to cause PMS, but they may make it worse.
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#14. What is normal vaginal bleeding?

Normal vaginal bleeding is the periodic blood that flows as a discharge from the woman's uterus. Normal vaginal bleeding is also called menorrhea. The process by which menorrhea occurs is called menstruation.

Normal vaginal bleeding occurs as a result of cyclic hormonal changes. The ovaries are the main source of female hormones, which control the development of female body characteristics such as the breasts, body shape, and body hair. The hormones also regulate the menstrual cycle. The ovary is one of a pair of reproductive glands in women. They are located in the pelvis, one on each side of the uterus. Each ovary is about the size and shape of an almond. The ovaries produce eggs (ova) and female hormones. During each monthly menstrual cycle, an egg is released from one ovary. The egg travels from the ovary through a Fallopian tube to the uterus.

Unless pregnancy occurs, the cycle ends with the shedding of part of the inner lining of uterus, which results in menstruation. Although it is actually the end of the physical cycle, the first day of menstrual bleeding is designated as "day 1" of the menstrual cycle in medical jargon.

The time of the cycle during which menstruation occurs is referred to as menses. The menses occurs at approximately four week intervals, representing the menstrual cycle.
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#15. What is an abnormal vaginal bleeding?

Vaginal bleeding that is different from normal menstrual periods. It includes very heavy bleeding or unusually long periods, periods too close together, and bleeding between periods. In both teens and women nearing menopause, hormonal changes can cause long periods along with irregular cycles. Even if the cause is hormonal changes, treatment is available. These changes can also go along with other serious medical problems such as uterine fibroids, polyps, or even cancer. She should see a doctor if these changes occur. Treatment for abnormal bleeding depends on the cause.

The duration, interval, and amount of vaginal bleeding may suggest what type of abnormality is responsible for the bleeding.

An abnormal duration of menstrual bleeding can be either bleeding for too long of a period (hypermenorrhea), or too short of a period (hypomenorrhea).

The interval of the bleeding can be abnormal in several ways. A woman's menstrual periods can occur too frequently (polymenorrhea) or too seldom (oligomenorrhea). Additionally, the duration can vary excessively from cycle to cycle (metrorrhagia).

The amount (volume) of bleeding can also be abnormal. A woman can either have too much bleeding (menorrhagia) or too little volume (hypomenorrhea). The combination of excessive bleeding combined with bleeding outside of the expected time of menstruation is referred to as menometrorrhagia.
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#16. What happens due to Excessive Bleeding?

Anemia from excessive bleeding results when loss of red blood cells through bleeding exceeds production of new red blood cells.
When blood loss is rapid, blood pressure falls, become dizzy, even die.
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#17. What is a hemorrhage?

Bleeding, technically known as hemorrhaging, is loss of blood from the circulatory system. Rapid, profuse hemorrhage causes shock and may prove fatal if the circulating volume cannot be replaced in time. Arterial bleeding is potentially more serious than blood lost from a vein. When blood loss occurs gradually, people may be tired, short of breath, and pale. Slow, sustained bleeding may lead to anemia.

Probably, the woman in the story "The Woman with the issue of Blood(Luke 8:43-48; Mark 5:25-34; Matt 9:20-22)" may have had this slow sustained bleeding for an unusual period of 12 long years that would not stop and could not be stopped. She must have been anemic and very weak.
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Glossary:

1) estrogen = (Biochemistry) 1)any of several major female sex hormones produced primarily by the ovarian follicles of female mammals, capable of inducing estrus, developing and maintaining secondary female sex characteristics, and preparing the uterus for the reception of a fertilized egg.
2)used, esp. in synthetic form, as a component of oral contraceptives, in certain cancer treatments, and in other therapies.

2)testosterone = 1. Biochemistry. the sex hormone, C19H28O2, secreted by the testes, that stimulates the development of male sex organs, secondary sexual traits, and sperm.
2. Pharmacology. a commercially prepared form of this compound, originally isolated from bull's testes and now also produced synthetically, used in medicine chiefly for treatment of testosterone deficiency and for certain gynecological conditions.

5)Half blood (Law) = relationship through only one parent.
Whole blood = relationship through both father and mother. In American Law, blood includes both half blood, and whole blood.