It is not for nothing that the attention of all specialists in the field of gynecology is focused on maintaining the health of such an organ as the uterus and its cervix. After all, these changes in this organ can indicate not only the fact of pregnancy, the occurrence of ovulation, that the cycle is proceeding correctly, but also the presence of pathological diseases. The condition of the main organ of the female reproductive system, the cervix, is greatly influenced by: endometriosis, malignant neoplasms, and erosions. Therefore, a woman needs to check this organ of the reproductive system during the menstrual cycle and before ovulation.
Checking the uterus before menstruation allows a woman to control her reproductive health
What changes occur to the uterus during menstruation. Changes before, after and during menstruation. Diagnosis at home
Before the onset of menstruation, this main female organ undergoes certain changes under the influence of hormonal levels. It is normal if the organ is hard to the touch and dry before the onset of menstruation. The time when ovulation occurs is important: opening of the pharynx, looseness and its structure, readiness for fertilization. If pregnancy does not occur, then the critical days go by and the cycle continues.
Before the onset of menstruation, the uterus descends to its lowest position. And during ovulation for conception: the organ relaxes, hydration appears, and the pharynx of the cervical canal opens slightly. This organ before menstruation and if present pregnancy has two different types.
It is by the presence of these symptoms that the doctor can determine the time of pregnancy. In addition to the presence of looseness and a slightly open throat, fertilized the organ acquires a blue tint, since it is at this time that all muscle tissue is covered with additional vessels to ensure better blood circulation to the embryo. Most women who monitor their health and control their menstrual cycle are interested in how the main reproductive organ should look and palpate. It is not possible to conduct an independent examination at home, but palpation allows you to independently find out what the uterus feels like before menstruation and when the menstrual cycle is disrupted.
Only a doctor can completely examine the uterus, the inside of the cervix and the vagina.
What happens during
When menstruation occurs, the cervix opens slightly, which is reminiscent of the process during ovulation. But this process is not the onset of a period of readiness for conception, but implies readiness for the release of rejected epithelial tissue along with blood. Before menstruation, the uterus in a similar state creates a favorable environment for pathogenic bacteria and the occurrence of infection. That is why at this time it is not recommended:
- Take a hot bath.
- Swim in the pool.
- Swim in open waters.
- Perform sexual intercourse without using protective equipment.
- Do not douche; you can continue it after the end of menstruation.
- Do not use third-party objects to examine the vagina; this should not be done either before or after menstruation.
The main condition for this period is mandatory strict adherence to the rules of hygiene of the external genitalia. It is necessary to wash with water and a pH neutral hygiene product twice a day, and after passing a bowel movement.
During menstruation, women may experience antispasmodic pain in the uterus. These unpleasant sensations may be associated with epithelial rejection and bleeding, or may be a sign of pathological processes. That's why if present such symptoms, you should seek help from a specialist who will carry out the necessary diagnostic measures and prescribe the necessary treatment.
You should not take a hot bath immediately before your period.
After menstruation
If a woman does not have any pathological processes in the organs of the reproductive system, then during this period the uterus undergoes a cycle of changes leading up to the onset of conception. Immediately after the end of menstruation, the cervix of the uterus narrows. Together with this narrowing of the pharynx, the processes of enlargement and thickening of the endometrium begin in the uterine cavity, which will then help the future embryo receive all the necessary nutrients and securely attach to the wall of the uterus.
During this cycle of changes, the uterus is pulled up and positioned high. This period resembles the time before menstruation, as the cervix hardens and the surface becomes dry.
But after this has passed, the ovulation cycle begins, which helps to moisturize the cervix and loosen it. At this time, contraction of the uterus is characteristic. But if the organ continues to be in its previous form, this may indicate the presence of pregnancy or the presence of pathological neoplasms. Only a specialist can determine such disorders or the presence of pregnancy after a thorough examination. A woman will not be able to diagnose herself by observing the symptoms on her own. But by palpating the cervix, you can get an approximate picture of the condition of the organ.
Self-diagnosis
If a woman has any concerns about the condition of the uterus, then before going to the gynecologist, you can perform an independent examination. But before such a palpation session, you should carefully prepare: trim the nails that will be used for palpation and prepare rubber gloves in sterile packaging.
The procedure itself is performed while squatting, or in the position of one leg on the sofa.
It is difficult for a non-professional to determine the qualitative condition of the cervical canal and the opening of the pharynx, so it can be diagnosed only by descent or elevation. If the uterus is at the bottom and you can reach it with your middle finger, then this indicates the imminent onset of menstruation; if you can barely reach the cervix, then this position indicates the presence of pregnancy or the onset of ovulation. Palpation during menstruation is not recommended.
In adolescence, every girl begins her period, and with its beginning the menstrual cycle. From this age, young ladies need to regularly visit a gynecologist so that the doctor can monitor the condition of the reproductive organ.
Does the uterus enlarge before menstruation?
Before menstruation, the size of the uterus changes, which is due to the physiological characteristics of the female body, and an increase in its size before the onset of menstruation is acceptable. But the uterus also increases in size if pathological changes begin in the female genital area. This may be a menstrual disorder, sexually transmitted diseases, or the presence of a malignant neoplasm. The gynecologist knows exactly what a healthy uterus should look like at different periods of the menstrual cycle, so he will be able to determine whether there is a deviation. It should also be said that the cervix should be checked at least once a year, preferably during ovulation or before menstruation.
And to understand the reasons why the uterus enlarges before menstruation and how normal this is, you need to know what the menstrual cycle is.
About the menstrual cycle
The menstrual cycle should be understood as a period of time that lasts approximately a month when complex processes take place in a woman’s body aimed at preparing for conception. The menstrual cycle is characterized by different durations for different representatives of the fair sex. How many days does the menstrual cycle last? On average it is 21-35 days. The cycle begins on the first day of menstruation and ends on the first day of the next menstruation. A deviation of several days is considered normal.
There are certain indicators that characterize a normal menstrual cycle, namely: the regularity and duration of menstruation, the volume of discharge.
An important component of the menstrual cycle is menstruation. This is spotting that occurs every month from puberty until menopause. As a rule, girls have their first periods at the age of 11-16 years; within a year, menstruation becomes regular and the cycle normalizes. The last menstruation in women is approximately at the age of 50-52 years, when the production of sex hormones in the female body decreases and menopause occurs.
During pregnancy and breastfeeding, menstruation stops.
The entire menstrual cycle can be divided into several phases. The first phase is characterized by the production of sex hormones necessary for the maturation of the follicle. Afterwards, ovulation begins, occurring approximately in the middle of the cycle. A mature egg emerges from the follicle, and the third phase begins, characterized by changes in the membrane. If fertilization of the egg does not occur (there was no conception), the endometrium of the reproductive organ is rejected and excreted with secretions, and menstruation begins.
What's inside?
A woman's egg is released from the follicle every month and is ready to be fertilized by a sperm. If there was no sexual intercourse at this time, and therefore there was no fertilization, bleeding begins. Thanks to monthly bleeding, the body is cleansed and prepared for the next cycle.
When an unfertilized egg enters, the uterus is very sensitive to the effects of progestin hormones, which ensure conception and development of the fetus in the womb. During this period, many representatives of the fair sex may experience sudden changes in mood, increased irritability, so much so that it is difficult to control themselves, and health problems appear. As a rule, all the unpleasant symptoms of premenstrual syndrome end with the onset of menstruation.
The uterus enlarges before menstruation, the cervix of the organ descends and becomes soft. If there has been no conception, the cervix will be raised high and become hard. But, such a condition of the reproductive organ may indicate diseases of the genital area, so you cannot do without consulting a gynecologist. But, before going to the doctor, you can conduct a self-diagnosis of the uterus and its cervix.
How to perform self-diagnosis?
Of course, it is better for the diagnosis to be carried out by a specialist, but if you still decide to examine yourself for peace of mind, it is important to follow the rules.
- You need to understand that during the self-examination, your hands should be clean, cut your nails as short as possible, and wear a sterile glove.
- It is impossible to diagnose the vagina during menstruation and a few days before its onset.
- It is more convenient to carry out diagnostics in a sitting position; you can squat.
- Sharp and rough movements are unacceptable so as not to injure the vagina.
After a comfortable position has been adopted, the middle and ring fingers should be inserted into the vagina until they touch the cervix. If the middle finger rests easily on the neck of the organ, this indicates its lower position (the state before the onset of menstruation). If it is difficult to reach the cervix, this means that it has shrunk (this happens after menstruation). This way you can get an incomplete picture of the condition of the uterus. The thing is that the gynecologist not only palpates, but also visually examines the genitals. It is impossible to do this on your own.
From this we can conclude that only regular examinations by a gynecologist will help monitor the condition of the genital organs and promptly detect and eliminate problems.
It is not for nothing that gynecologists closely monitor the condition of the cervix - changes in this organ signal not only pregnancy, ovulation and the approach of menstruation, but also many infectious diseases and pathological abnormalities.
Typically, the condition of the cervix is affected by endometriosis, cancer and other malignant tumors. Therefore, it is recommended to check the organ before menstruation and during ovulation.
It is considered normal if the cervix is hard to the touch and dry before menstruation. During ovulation, on the contrary, it opens and becomes loose, preparing for fertilization. If pregnancy does not occur, then there will be critical days. The position of the cervix before menstruation is low. A completely different picture during ovulation and conception - the organ softens, becomes moist, and the pharynx opens slightly (pupil symptom). So the cervix before menstruation and during pregnancy are two different things. It is by these signs that a gynecologist can determine conception in the early stages. In addition, the fertilized uterus acquires a bluish tint, since during this period the number of vessels in the organ increases.
Also, many women are interested not only in what it feels like, but also in what the cervix looks like before menstruation. Of course, it is impossible to look into the vagina on your own and examine the organ, but you can determine its type by palpation - the uterus descends and can be easily palpated, and the pharynx contracts tightly. That is, if during ovulation the cervix looks like a tubercle with a dilated “pupil,” then before the critical days the “eye” of the organ is much smaller.
Cervix during menstruation
We found out what the condition of the cervix is before menstruation, now we will find out what it looks like directly on menstruation days. At this time, the pharynx expands slightly, as during ovulation, but the purpose of this opening is different - not readiness for fertilization, but the desire to erupt blood clots. This position of the cervix during menstruation creates fertile ground for the proliferation of bacteria and the addition of infection. That is why on critical days it is not recommended to swim in open water, visit the pool, have unprotected sex and insert foreign objects into the vagina - fingers, a speculum. Although the moderate mucous discharge that is observed during this period is designed to protect the woman from infection, it is still not worth the risk.
The condition of the cervix during menstruation requires maintaining external hygiene. Ideally, you should wash yourself twice a day, not counting the procedures after bowel movements. You cannot wipe the anus in a forward direction - such actions are fraught with infection. It is also strongly recommended not to carry out water procedures inside the vagina during this period - no douching or insertion of intimate hygiene products. Often during menstruation, women experience pain in the uterus. Most often they are associated with the rejection of blood clots. In this case, conventional antispasmodics help. But sometimes painful contractions of the cervix signal an infection or pathology in the development of the organ. Therefore, do not neglect routine examinations with a gynecologist, so as not to lead to infertility from a common illness.
By the way, it is not so much pain, which is often a sign of dysmenorrhea, as heavy discharge that warns of abnormalities - fibroids, endometriosis, bleeding disorders and acute infections. In any case, after your period, especially if the pain in the uterus has not stopped, you should consult a doctor and do an ultrasound. If the cause of discomfort is dysmenorrhea, then it makes sense, along with painkillers or contraceptives, to take a course of vitamins and Omega-3 complex. If the cause of the pain is a serious illness, you should immediately begin treatment prescribed by the gynecologist.
After menstruation
A healthy cervix after menstruation begins to prepare again for conception. Immediately after the end of the critical days, the pharynx narrows, because the bleeding has stopped. Simultaneously with the organ being pulled up, the endometrium begins to grow, into which a fertilized egg can be implanted during conception. In addition to its high location, the conditions of the cervix before and after menstruation are similar - the same dryness and tissue density.
But during the period of ovulation, the organ loosens again and begins to secrete mucus. The norm during this period is contraction of the uterus, but if it is still enlarged, then we can talk about pregnancy, a tumor or an infection.
There is no need to think that conception during menstruation is impossible - despite the reduced fertility of the organ, there is some probability of becoming pregnant. Therefore, if the uterus has not contracted after the critical days, then it is worth getting tested for hCG or having an ultrasound.
It’s another matter if you are not pregnant, but neoplasms are found on the cervix - we can talk about polyps, erosion or fibroids. However, only a gynecologist can determine whether the uterus is enlarged or not. The woman feels unlikely to be able to independently identify suspicious signs.
Naturally, there is a preliminary diagnosis method that is easy to apply at home. This is self-palpation of the cervix. The manipulation must be carried out extremely carefully.
If something is bothering you, it is easier to conduct a preliminary examination at home than to be nervous before going to the gynecologist. It is better to cut the nails on the index and middle fingers of your right hand and put on a sterile glove before starting palpation.
The easiest way to feel the uterus is while sitting on the toilet, squatting or placing one foot on the sofa, the edge of the bathtub, etc. You can try to take a position similar to the one you take in the gynecological chair.
So, insert two fingers into the vagina and feel the tubercle. This is quite easy, the main thing is not to make sudden movements to avoid injury to the organ. But determining the consistency of the cervix is not so easy if you are not a professional. Only the comparison method will help the amateur.
And yet, you can find out something on your own - if the middle finger literally rests on the cervix, it means that it is located quite low, as before menstruation. If you can barely reach it, then the uterus has contracted, as it should after menstruation. Remember, before starting and especially during menstrual periods, it is not recommended to palpate the organ.
What are the risks of self-examination?
If you are used to constantly palpating the cervix, refrain from manipulation at least 2-3 days before menstruation. Even the doctor will prefer to postpone the examination until the end of menstruation and here's why.
Most women wonder what the cervix should be like before menstruation. Knowing the answer to it allows you to independently determine the period of ovulation and the approach of menstruation. However, to maintain health, it is important to observe certain hygiene measures and undergo regular examinations by a gynecologist.
What does the cervix look like before menstruation?
The premenstrual period is characterized by certain changes in the female body and reproductive system. Before menstruation, the cervix drops, its edges become loose, and it itself is soft and slightly open. All practicing gynecologists know exactly how the cervix should correspond to a certain period of the menstrual cycle.
Shortly before menstruation, a woman’s body prepares to reject the old uterine epithelium and blood fibers, which is why the cervix smoothes out a little and opens slightly, allowing all secretions to leave the uterus. Thus, a complete menstrual cycle passes, and after the completion of menstruation and the ovulation period, menstruation begins again.
Features of the cervix during menstruation
Before menstruation, the cervix becomes loose and soft to the touch. It descends lower and slightly misses the tip of the finger (in women who have given birth this is more pronounced). That is why during menstruation you need to be especially careful about personal hygiene, use natural, comfortable underwear and regularly change your sanitary pad or tampon.
When the cervix is slightly open, there is a possibility of infections being introduced inside, which can cause the development of dangerous diseases or inflammation of the genital organs, which can subsequently cause adhesions in the fallopian tubes and lead to infertility.
Features of the cervix during gestation
During pregnancy, the cervix rises as high as possible in the vagina; upon examination, it can only be felt with a fingertip. It will be very hard and dense, and the hole will look like a small flat slit. Knowing what the cervix is like before menstruation, you can compare whether it is prepared for the beginning of the cycle.
During pregnancy, the length of the cervix also increases (becomes more than 2.5 cm). If it begins to decrease before the appointed time, it means that the risk of premature birth or spontaneous abortion increases.
How to conduct an inspection correctly
Before menstruation, the cervix becomes softer to the touch and does not provide reliable protection against infections, so the examination must be carried out carefully and all safety recommendations must be followed.
To avoid introducing infection into the uterus, you need to cut your legs short, wash your hands (it is better to wear sterile medical gloves) and insert two fingers into the vagina. Before menstruation, when the cervix is slightly lowered and slightly open, with the middle phalanx of the finger you can feel a small tubercle, in the center of which there is a small round hole.
If pregnancy occurs in the last cycle, then on the due date of the start of menstruation, the cervix will be located very high in the vagina. In addition, it will have a very hard and dense consistency and will not let your finger through even a millimeter (that is, the hole is tightly closed and represents a small gap).
Knowing what the cervix should be like before menstruation, you can easily determine its onset, the period of ovulation, and the presence of pregnancy. But you need to know that even an examination will not allow you to draw a final conclusion, since each female body is individual.
- Due to the slightly open opening, there is an increased risk of pathogenic bacteria entering the uterus, which can cause gynecological diseases, in particular, such as tubal adhesions, inflammation of the ovaries, which can ultimately lead to infertility in a woman.
- The position of the cervix before menstruation changes, and it lowers slightly into the vagina, so with a careless examination, you can easily injure the cervix, thereby causing the development of erosion, which, if there is any infection in the woman’s vagina, will cause a deterioration in the condition and, in some cases, contribute to the appearance of tumors.
- It is impossible to accurately assess the condition of the cervix on your own, since the gynecologist, in addition to his fingers, uses a special mirror for examination, which allows him to accurately determine the condition of the cervix.
- Even the most experienced doctor will never make a conclusion about an existing pregnancy only on the basis of an examination, since it is necessary to take into account other facts and individual characteristics of the body.
The cervix before menstruation only suggests the imminent onset of menstruation or the presence of pregnancy, which is a reason to undergo additional examinations. Most often this is a pregnancy test and a blood test for hCG.
Reasons for inspection
Regular examination is primarily necessary for the timely detection of developing tumors, malignant or benign, since even at an early stage of the development of the disease there are certain signs, and it is at this time that treatment can be most effectively carried out.
Since modern technologies have not yet reached all corners of the Earth and in some villages there are no ultrasound machines familiar to us, gynecologists, through examination, determine the condition of a woman’s reproductive system by the shape of the pharynx. The cervix before menstruation has the shape of a pupil, but if the shape changes, then we can conclude that there is a lack of estrogen or a dysfunction of the corpus luteum.
Examination during pregnancy
During pregnancy, an examination allows you to determine the likelihood of a miscarriage, since the cervix during this period should be long and dense, but if its length becomes less than 2.5 cm, the doctor should prescribe additional examinations or hospitalization of the pregnant woman to prevent premature birth or miscarriage.
Shortly before childbirth, examination of the cervix allows you to determine the readiness of a woman’s birth canal for the start of labor. At this time, the neck should be shortened, smoothed and allow 1-2 fingers into the pharynx.
The cervix before menstruation and during pregnancy has its own characteristics that allow doctors to determine a woman’s condition without conducting additional examinations, if they are not currently possible. The doctor can make a final conclusion only after a complete examination of the body.
The female reproductive system has a rather complex physiological component, which has a direct impact on the emotional and psychological sphere of the body. Therefore, it is quite natural that before menstruation, most beautiful ladies experience premenstrual syndrome, which affects both their physical and emotional state. Women become hot-tempered, irritable, they often experience mood swings, and at the physiological level there is a feeling of a bloated abdomen, which occurs when the uterus enlarges. Why does the genital organ enlarge, what is the reason? Is this a natural process or manifestations of pathological changes in the body? Let's sort it out in order.
Menstruation is one of the phases of the menstrual cycle, which is regulated by certain hormones, so everything that happens in the body during this period is under their control. Immediately before critical days, the production of progesterone increases and the production of estrogen and serotonin decreases. This is the period of the menstrual cycle during which, thanks to the hormone, the uterus is prepared for the implantation of a fertilized egg in it, namely, the retention of fluid in the body, from which most of the nutrients enter the reproductive organ. The physiological explanation for this process is quite reasonable: until the placenta is formed, the fertilized egg will be fed from the created reserves.
This is one of the main and natural reasons why the uterus enlarges before menstruation. In addition, you should know that in addition to the accumulation of fluid, progesterone also contributes to an increase in the thickness and friability of the endometrium. Therefore, ladies a few days before menstruation notice an increase in abdominal volume.
But the lack of serotonin and estrogen, in addition to affecting the size of the reproductive organ, causes many ladies to have an irrepressible desire to eat something sweet, especially during this period, there is a great craving for chocolate.
But then the moment comes when the egg has matured and is released to “meet” the sperm, but fertilization for certain reasons has not occurred, therefore, the body no longer needs to accumulate nutrients and thicken the endometrium, so there is a natural elimination of everything unnecessary that appears in the form of blood discharge from the vagina, during which the biological substance is removed.
In addition, the reproductive organ can be enlarged before menstruation in the event of pregnancy. This is also a completely natural process. Only in this case, menstruation does not occur, and the enlargement of the organ occurs as a result of the accumulation in it of the necessary microelements for the fertilized egg, which over time will be fixed in it and begin to develop, naturally increasing in size.
In addition, changes in the size of the reproductive organ before menstruation also occur when a woman has gynecological diseases, some of which she may not even be aware of. Among them are a number of benign neoplasms, most often diagnosed by doctors as fibroids or fibroids, as well as endometriosis. Therefore, if a woman feels an increase in the reproductive organ not only before menstruation, but also after it, then she needs to undergo an examination by a gynecologist. After all, a disease detected at an early stage is much more treatable.
How many days before menstruation does the uterus change in size?
Natural changes in the reproductive organ occur during the ovulatory phase, at a time when this organ is ready to receive a fertilized egg. For each representative of the fairer sex, this period is individual and it depends on what kind of menstrual cycle she has. It can be from twenty-five to thirty-five days and this is considered the norm. But medical research has proven that ovulation occurs on average on the fourteenth to sixteenth day of the cycle. It is during this period that an increase in the reproductive organ is observed. And many factors influence this. However, it should be understood that before the onset of menstruation, in every healthy and fertile woman, not only a change in the size of the uterus occurs, but also its prolapse and this is considered normal.
