Your Menstrual Cycle: The Sixth Vital Sign of Health

When doctors assess your health, they often look at your heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. This makes sense, as these are the most commonly used indicators to gauge your health. However, there's one vital sign that's rarely considered: your menstrual cycle. But bleeding each month offers a glimpse into your overall well-being and reproductive health. In this blog post, we'll delve deeper into this. We'll explain why your period is essential and the differences between a natural period and the monthly bleeding you experience when using hormonal contraception.

The six vital functions

First of all, what are your vital signs? Traditionally, there are five vital signs : body temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and pain level. The sixth—your menstrual cycle—is relatively new. What do your vital signs reveal about your health?

• Body temperature: This measures your ability to generate and dissipate heat. It may sound simple, but it's an indicator of the body's metabolic state and can provide information about an infection or inflammation.
• Pulse : Your pulse measures the number of heartbeats per minute. It reflects your heart's efficiency in pumping blood and can be an indicator of your cardiovascular health and fitness.
• Respiratory rate : The respiratory rate measures the number of breaths per minute. It provides information about lung function, overall cardiovascular health, and can indicate metabolic disorders.
• Blood pressure : Blood pressure measures the force of blood against the walls of your arteries. Your blood pressure is an important indicator of cardiovascular health and can help diagnose conditions such as hypertension.
• Pain level : Although not always included in traditional vital signs, pain is increasingly recognized as the fifth vital sign. Assessing pain level is important for managing pain and can provide insight into health problems.
• Menstrual health : Your menstrual health can be considered the sixth vital sign. Changes or irregularities in your menstrual cycle can indicate various health problems, including hormonal imbalances.

The importance of your menstrual cycle

From the moment you first get your period, it will continue to come, almost every month, for the rest of your fertile life. Every woman knows this, but few realize how important it is.

It's rarely talked about, and some women are even ashamed of it. But your period isn't a secret, and it doesn't have to be a taboo subject we whisper about. It's an incredibly important and fascinating function of the female body.

But what exactly happens during your period? Every month, your body releases an egg. If that egg isn't fertilized by sperm, your body sheds the lining of your uterus (the "nest"). And while we have our cycles to get pregnant, it's not just about that. Your cycle also signals your body's health, and your menstrual cycle can provide crucial insight into your health.

If your period is regular and not too painful, it's often a clear sign that your hormones are balanced and your endocrine system (all the glands and cells that produce and secrete hormones) is functioning properly.

But if things go wrong, like not menstruating or having a very heavy period, this could be your body's way of signaling that something is wrong. Think of issues like hormonal imbalance, thyroid problems, PCOS, or simply too much stress and too few nutrients.

So, listen to your cycle. Your period isn't just about cups and cramps; it's your body's way of saying, "Hey, I'm here, look at me!"

Why a monthly bleeding is important

Regular menstruation isn't just an indicator of your overall health; it also plays a crucial role in reproduction. Each month, the uterine lining thickens in preparation for a potential pregnancy.

If you don't conceive, your body sheds this built-up uterine lining: this is your period. It's a natural process to prevent the uterine lining from building up. This reduces the risk of infection or other complications. It's also a good way to gain insight into your fertility.

You can use your period to know when you're ovulating—important if you're trying to conceive. And even if you don't want to get pregnant, a healthy cycle is one where you ovulate.

Natural menstruation vs. hormonal conception

So bleeding is important. But what about when you use hormonal contraception? Women who use certain forms of hormonal contraception (such as the hormonal IUD) never bleed, and women who use the birth control pill only bleed when they're taking the placebo pill or during the week off. Is this healthy?

It is important to know the difference between a natural period and bleeding that occurs when you use hormonal contraception (withdrawal bleeding).

• Natural menstruation: Your natural cycle is the result of several hormones, primarily estrogen and progesterone. Your cycle consists of four phases : menstruation, follicular phase, ovulation phase, and luteal phase. During each phase, your hormones change, and this is important for your overall health and fertility. When you bleed during a natural cycle, your blood is made up of uterine lining, cervical mucus, and other substances.
• Withdrawal bleeding : Hormonal contraceptives like birth control pills, patches, and IUDs work by altering your hormone levels, preventing you from ovulating and changing your uterine lining. So, if you bleed during placebo days or when you're not taking the pill, it's not a real period: it's withdrawal bleeding, your body's response to the sudden drop in hormone levels when you're not taking the pill. This bleeding is often lighter and shorter than a natural period and doesn't serve the same physical purpose.

Is a withdrawal bleed necessary?

Withdrawal bleeding is usually shorter and lighter, starting two to three days after you've stopped taking the pill. It stops after four to six days. But here's the thing: withdrawal bleeding isn't medically necessary, unlike a real period.

Why is it helpful to have a monthly bleed? A withdrawal bleed can help you monitor your health. And if you stop taking the pill and don't have any bleeding, it could indicate a health problem or that you're pregnant. For some women, having this confirmed every month is reassuring.

But with some forms of hormonal contraception, you don't have any withdrawal bleeding at all. From a health perspective, this is fine, and helpful for some women, but it does make it harder to recognize early signs of health problems or pregnancy.

Read more about how contraception works here and view a blog about contraception without hormones here.

Signs of a healthy cycle

So, your body tells you with your cycle whether things are going well or not. So, what exactly does a normal, healthy menstrual cycle look like? Normally, your cycle lasts about 28 days, although a regular cycle can vary perfectly between 21-40 days. What's more important is consistency and regularity for each individual cycle. Sudden and significant changes in cycle length or other irregularities, such as heavy bleeding, severe pain, or missed periods, can indicate underlying health problems. A cycle begins with your period , which usually lasts 3-7 days. Your period should be moderate in volume —not excessively heavy or unusually light. Cramps may occur , but they shouldn't be too painful. Monitor your moods , as some fluctuations are normal, but they shouldn't fluctuate too much.

So don't just think about what you see (in terms of blood), but also about how you feel. A healthy cycle generally shouldn't involve excessive pain or extreme fatigue.

The bottom line? If you notice any extremes, it's best to consult a doctor. We often think that irregular periods are normal, and that heavy and painful bleeding is a given. That's not true – if this applies to you, contact a doctor. Not sure if your cycle is normal? Chat with us . We're happy to help.

Conclusion

Many people don't consider their period an important indicator of their health. But if you've read this blog post to the end, you'll know that it is. Congratulations! You're on your way to changing the narrative around menstrual health.

What's the next step? Pay attention to your cycle. You can use an app to track your monthly cycle and identify any irregularities or other notable signs.

If your heart rate or body temperature suddenly changed drastically, you'd rush to the doctor, right? Apply the same mentality when thinking about your menstrual cycle. If you notice anything unusual, don't hesitate to ask questions or seek help.