Page 88 - Cosmopolitan - USA (February 2020)

l i f e

Essentially, your
uterus chooses her

own adventure.

and reproductive
sciences at Yale School
of Medicine. Because “If, for example, your
“four weeks” is easier follicle-stimulating
to remember than “uh, hormone levels, which
24 to 38ish days”— tell ovaries to release
the real range, more estrogen to prep
according to the for ovulation, are
American College of elevated early in the
Obstetricians and cycle, you could
Gynecologists—the ovulate earlier than the
myth has lived on, from last month and have a
fifth grade sex ed to shorter cycle,” explains
right now. Dr. Eyvazzadeh.
That’s problematic if So if we’re gonna
you’re tracking your talk about “normal” at
cycle to not get preg- all, it’s all normal. The
only cycles that require
nant, sync your exer-
Basically
no one cise and diet to each MD intervention are
menstrual phase, or
ones that fall outside
just protect your under-
the 24- to 38-day
range or are a full
wear drawer. It may
also lead to panic if
your period doesn’t week shorter or longer
than the last one. Same
has a 28-day strike right on day 28. goes if you’ve got seri-
menstrual cycle “I’ve had patients ously heavy bleeding
or extreme pelvic pain
worried and anxious
because they think or you never get your
Brought to you by: they’re irregular when period at all.

The idea of a “normal” period is a lie. they aren’t,” says Everyone else: Start
reproductive endocri- thinking of your cycle
B y S U Z A N N A H W E I S S
nologist Aimee as that friend who
Eyvazzadeh, MD. always cancels. You’ll
else? Nearly 20 per-
catch up eventually—
If you’re not on
O one no longer cycle, meaning cycle length can also unreliable.
cent have a 30-day-or-
she’s just reliably
hormonal BC, your
vary month to month,
some months, they
kay, not,
like, no
don’t get a period
says Joyce Harper,
PhD, professor of
at all.
Periods are
one—there
The weird web of
University College
are some lies we’ve all bought reproductive science at really weird...
women out there who into might’ve stemmed London. (Essentially,
get their period exactly from old-school studies your uterus chooses her 7% 9%
every 28 days—but the that suggested the own adventure each have a cycle shorter
of women
vast majority? Nope. average cycle lasts time. Hormones have a 36- than 25 days.
Only 13 percent 28 days. Somewhere released by your brain to 50-day
have a precise four- down the line, though, control your cycle and cycle.
week cycle, according “average” became are impacted by all of
to new data published “normal,” says Mary the things, like age, 19%
in NPJ Digital Medi- Jane Minkin, MD, genetics, stress, body 65% have a
have a 31- to ALLIE HOLLOWAY.
cine. And guess what clinical professor of weight, and sleep.) cycle 35-day
obstetrics, gynecology, between cycle.
25 and
30 days.

80 Cosmopolitan Februar y 2020 SOURCE: NPJ DIGITAL MEDICINE, AUGUST 2019