Life Cycle of the Female Reproductive System

As you might have heard already, March is Women's History Month. This month we are diving into the journey of a woman as it relates to reproductive years and beyond. Typically, a woman's reproductive years can last from puberty to menopause and this is accompanied with many changes and transitions from one lifecycle to another.

At Kiira, we are focused on helping women transition through each of these life cycles, which includes understanding changes.

We know change is hard, but change is good! If anyone knows about change, women can raise their hand. Women experience change throughout their lives from childhood to their older adult life stages. Unfortunately, it is one of the “ready or not here it comes” types of change with little to no warning and you are along for the ride. Understanding body change can be very difficult and the feeling of being out of control with your own body can be very overwhelming as well.

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Essentially, two major change occur in the female reproductive system including puberty and perimenopause. Then, there are two phases in between the changes experienced for the majority of their life span including childbearing and menopause. During reproductive years, women can typically have high  levels of the hormones estrogen and progesterone, however toward menopause, these levels fall because they are no longer necessary to support reproduction which triggers menopause. Now let's dive into these stages individually.

Change 1: Puberty

Puberty is the first change in the female reproductive system and typically lasts 3-4 years for girls. This change signifies the establishment of physical sexual maturity in order to prepare for the childbearing phase of a woman’s life.  Puberty is an enormous transition for females and introduces a series of events throughout its course. Each puberty experience between females can produce different effects, but there is primary pattern.  The start of periods is one of the biggest changes of puberty. Periods typically start when children are 11-14½ years old, but it can be earlier or later. A period is the part of the menstrual cycle when a woman bleeds from her vagina for a few days. For most women this happens every 28 days or so, but it's common for periods to be more or less frequent than this, ranging from day 21 to day 40 of their menstrual cycle.

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Puberty consists of hormone changes that induce enhancement of breast tissue, the first menarche, ovarian enlargement, pubic hair growth, and bone growth. Each of these components are unique on their own but combined indicate a monumental change in a female’s life. Knowledge is a very powerful tool to young females experiencing the changes happening within their bodies and helping them understand these changes will help them cope.

Education on lifestyle modification that come with these changes including overall hygiene, use of feminine products, sexual health, and mood changes will be very beneficial. Using open discussion to promote communication should be highly encouraged and will aide young females in navigating this uncharted new territory for them.

Phase 1: Childbearing

Physical and mental development continue to blossom through this phase. The majority of women experience menstrual cycles on a regulated schedule to where it converts to an autopilot mode. The upside to such a regulated regimen is the gained understanding of your body and its reactions that help empower your overall body awareness.  Not every woman experiences this predictability due to a wide range of variables. If there are concerns or questions, it is always best to schedule an appointment and speak with a medical professional. They can determine a need for additional tests, further assessments, or answer questions about reproductive health.

The childbearing phase is typically when family planning and sexual health occur. Understanding topics related to STIs, pregnancy, contraception, and normal versus abnormal will be beneficial for physical and mental health wellbeing. Honesty with your healthcare providers about these topics and asking questions are strongly encouraged to ensure you are in the driver’s seat with your own body and health.

Change 2: Perimenopause

This is a transitional period before menopause. You might notice that the autopilot mode begins to deviate off course and new uncontrollable changes start. Similar to puberty, each of these experiences can be unique to the individual, but follow a primary pattern. This stage can last for several years and typically occurs in your late 40s. Monthly periods become less regular and women can experience other hormonal changes that are beginning to shifts. Hormonal changes can include night sweats, trouble sleeping, hot flashes, bone changes, and vaginal dryness. Oh, and of course mood changes are back in full swing for you to navigate through. The idea on the monthly cycle stopping seems to be a big win, but the other changes that co-inside with it, make it much less appealing. 

Phase 2: Menopause

If female reproductive organs are surgically removed, this process can happen abruptly at that time. The phase of menopause is the ceasing of the monthly cycle, which in turn marks the end of the reproductive years. Changes experienced in the perimenopause stage continue to happen, but women again gain body awareness to be gain control of them. Medications can be prescribed to help counteract some of these changes. As these changes become routine their progression can affect other body systems and functions. Bones and skin can become more fragile and lead to injuries. Urinary incontinence and leakage can occur as urinary control starts to decrease. Maxi-pads may end up back in your bathroom cabinet during this time. Uterine prolapses and rectoceles are also issues that can develop. Continued appointments with a medical professional are encouraged and surgical options may be available to assist with some of these discomforts.

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One might ask, what if these do not apply to me? Well, regardless of what stage you are in or changes you might be experiencing, its is always important to meet with or speak to a healthcare professional to really understand these changes because some symptoms might be truly unique to you. My advice is to embrace and enjoy all the changes as you glow into each beautiful lifecycle. That's all for now beauties. Stay beautiful, healthy and happy.