: The cycle is divided into four stages: menstruation, the follicular phase, ovulation, and the luteal phase. Personal Narrative: "The First Time"
: Common stories describe waking up to find "something wet and sticky" or seeing red in underwear, often leading to a mix of relief and nervousness. playing period
: If the egg is not fertilized, the body no longer needs that lining, and it is expelled—this is the menstrual flow . : The cycle is divided into four stages:
Many first-period stories involve a mix of surprise and the need for quick adaptation: Many first-period stories involve a mix of surprise
The physical process begins with the at the base of the brain. Around the ages of 11 to 17, this gland sends hormones to the ovaries, signaling them to mature an egg and the uterus to build up a thickened, velvety lining of blood and fluid.