Let’s talk about those phases! Phases?
Note: I will be using terms including “people/those who menstruate,” “those who experience periods,” “individuals” within this article. The terms “woman/women” “girls” “ladies” will not be used as they can be harmful and exclusive. To read more about the importance of using inclusive language in period conversations, click the link below!
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Welcome to the third phase in the menstrual cycle: the ovulatory phase! Many of you may be familiar with the term ovulation, but maybe you don’t know exactly how it works or its importance to the cycle. That’s why I’m here! I hope to be able to provide you with wisdom that brings you closer to understanding your own body or those around you. On my profile, there are three accompanying articles explaining the menstrual, follicular, and luteal phases. As always I send the reminder that together, we can build beautiful understanding communities, and that starts with openness and education. Let’s learn!
The Ovulatory Phase!
Welcome to the ovulatory phase, home to ovulation! Much about this phase concerns conceiving a baby and having sex, considering as this is the time of the cycle menstruating individuals are most likely to conceive. Though this won’t be the focus of this article, I highly recommend checking out Maisie Hill’s book Period Power if that topic resonates with you. Within this phase, oestrogen (the Beyoncé hormone as mentioned in my article on the follicular phase) reaches its peak.1 Surprisingly to me on this journey of re-education, I found out that ovulation only lasts for 1 day.2 During ovulation, the high surge of hormones causes the ovaries to release an egg into the fallopian tubes which begins to travel towards the uterus. Once that journey starts, the egg only stays fertile for 1 day.3
The ovulatory phase is the season of Summer–bright and hot, kinda steamy, and full of fun with that radiating glow. This is the best time to execute those plans that you scheduled during the follicular phase (Spring), hang out with friends and family, dance at club nights, and work on big creative projects. The majority of us have the most energy during this phase so let’s use it to our advantage! Though I prefer to focus on the lives of students outside of academics, I believe it is helpful to note that scheduling presentations or big assignments around your ovulatory phase is beneficial. Hill notes that the days leading up to ovulation, your oral ability is at its greatest, making this the ideal time to do that interview or that class presentation.4 It is also the ideal time to receive constructive feedback since we are more inclined to listen to the thoughts and suggestions of others without attaching our own emotions to them.5 If you’re wondering how to check when you’re ovulating, the telltale sign for me is a change in my cervical fluid. At some point of the month for years, my underwear would randomly turn into a slippery slope and I thought I was literally the only one experiencing this odd adventure. This was until I learned on a recent trip to Florida this past summer that my cousins experienced the same thing and it was because of ovulation – it took me over a decade to figure that out! Hill explains that this increase in cervical fluid and slipperiness is because of oestrogen reaching its maximum.6
As Hill likes to say, you’ve got superpowers in every phase, and those superpowers in the ovulatory phase are invincibility, productivity, expansion, connection & communication, and pleasure.7 Truly you’ve got it all – run the world, strut your stuff, get sh*t done, go on first dates, share yourself and ideas, and connect with community.8 For me, this is my newest territory. Tracking my period has been a practice of mine for over a decade and it has helped me understand my cycle and my body immensely. However, many apps for tracking your cycle ask you to track how you feel as well as bleeding criteria, and I didn’t totally understand why. Now I realize that tracking my mental/emotional state throughout the entire month gives me greater insight into my cycle – when do I go from ovulatory to luteal in terms of emotional change? For the past few months, I have begun to track ovulation but I have missed out on logging emotional and mental categories, which is a part of my journey that is just beginning. It’s never too late to start!
Summer has its dangers too! One that resonates with me is that since oestrogen is peaking at this time, we can feel restless and unable to concentrate as we approach ovulation.9 It is also the most sexually-charged moment of the cycle and it can feel uncomfortable to inhabit that sexual power for a number of reasons, which are all completely valid.10 Furthermore, even though this time of the month is the time to say “yes” to opportunities that come your way, we should be cautious about saying “yes” to everything. Think about if you are saying “yes” to things that you later in Autumn or Winter won’t be able to fulfill in a way that feels comfortable and true to your body.
I always like to mention that though this is the experience of many menstruating individuals, it cannot entirely encapsulate the experience of everyone. Listening to your body and understanding how you feel during each phase is crucial. Tracking my cycle has truly been life changing for me. I am still on my journey of learning about my body and re-educating myself on topics I never got the opportunity to learn about in school. Remember, it’s Summer! Have fun and put yourself out there and enjoy this phase of high energy and radiance. I’ll see you in Autumn!
– A fellow bleeder
References
[1]Hill, Maisie. “Don’t stop me now (Summer).” Essay. In Period Power, 110-133. London, United Kingdom: Green Tree, 2019.
[2] Zambon, Veronica. “What to Know about the Duration of Ovulation.” Medical News Today, June 9, 2023. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-long-does-ovulation-last#how-long-it-lasts
[3] Zambon, Veronica. “What to Know about the Duration of Ovulation.” Medical News Today, June 9, 2023. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-long-does-ovulation-last#how-long-it-lasts
[4] Hill, “Period Power,” 117.
[5] Hill, “Period Power,” 119.
[6] Hill “Period Power,” 112.
[7] Hill, “Period Power,” 112-113.
[8] Hill, “Period Power,” 112-113.
[9] Hill “Period Power,” 115.
[10] Hill, “Period Power,” 114.