WHAT'S HAPPENING INSIDE MY MENSTRUATION ?
What is Mean By This?
Menstruation is the periodical loss of blood from the uterus or
from any mucous membrane, occurring for the reason that no
fecundated ovum is present in uterus or tube, and may be divided
into three periods: the premenstrual, the menstrual, and the
postmeristrual.
During the premenstrual period, the ten days
immediately preceding the appearance of blood, the following
changes take place :
What Happens In Superficial Capillaries?
The superficial capillaries become greatly dilated, and serous infiltration of the endometrium takes place, which separates the meshes of the stroma, accompanied by a gradual but decided dilatation of all the blood vessels and lymph channels. There occur a growth of round cells in the interglandular tissue, and an entrance of leucocytes into the mucous membrane. The glands become larger and wider, being often filled with secretion.
How Does this effect the Layers Around ?
This swelling of the mucous membrane, the dilatation of the blood vessels, the production of round cells, and the growth of the superficial layer of the endometrium produce the so-called decidua menstrualis. Although in the connective tissue large cells, not to be distinguished from young stages of decidua cells, are found, it is to be noted that typical decidua cells do not, as a rule, develop at this time in the superficial layer. The endo- metrium is at this period from 6 to 7 millimetres in thickness.
The period during which blood is thrown out is the next, or
menstrual period. The superficial capillaries are greatly dilated,
and an exit of blood elements, not dependent on a bursting of the
capillaries, goes on for several days. The bleeding occurs partly
through diapedesis, and, in strong bleedings, through rhexis.
There is little or no destruction of the mucosa, only a very slight
fatty degeneration of the epithelium of the uppermost layer, so
that in the excreted blood relatively few epithelial cells are
found.
After This , What Changes Happen?
After menstruation, the uterus shows an almost continuous covering of epithelium, interrupted in spots, especially if pathological processes are present.
Most of the ciliated epithelium is preserved. The first stimulus to bleeding is due to contraction of the uterus, which at the height of congestion is possibly ac- companied by contractions of the tube.
Technical Changes in A Girl's Body During menstruation
- The uterus is larger and in the first few days following likewise soft and flabby.
- The flabbiness lasts longer than the bleeding.
- A spontaneous dilatation of the cervix canal takes place, and reaches its height on the third or fourth day.
- This dilatation takes place without regard to the amount of blood discharged, whether the menstruation be painful or painless.
- The cervix is hyperemic, the glands showing an increased secretion of mucus.
- The blood thrown off is mixed with the mucus of the uterus and
- cervix, and later with the acid secretion of the vagina, for this
- reason coagulating less easily than other blood.