As stated earlier, Menstruation is the most obvious stage in the cycle. For this reason, it is normally used to track and to determine a woman’s normal cycle.
Calculating total number of days in your menstrual cycle (watch my video below)
Note the first day you menstruated or had blood flow. Menstruation lasts for about three to seven days (normal). Count the number of days from the first day blood flowed to the next first day of blood flow; that is the number of days in the individual’s cycle.
For example, she had first blood flow on 4th January the flow ended on 9th (i.e., menstruation lasted for 5 days). On 1st February, she again started menstruation. From the 4th January to 1st February is 29 days. This means she had 29 days in her cycle. Track this for a number of times to note your consistent normal menstrual cycle. The first day of menstruation is the beginning of the cycle and ends on the next first day of menstruation.
Normal menstrual cycle should last between 22 and 35 to be considered normal. The commonest or average one lady is 28 days. Therefore, if your menses lasts less than 22 days and more than 34 days, consult a doctor to probe.
Menstrual flow may be light or heavy at start, colour can range between dark red or bright red. The flow usually has no foul smell except when it is exposed to air for a long time.
