It's called a menstrual period or flow of blood loss vaginally due to flaking of the endometrium, which occurs with approximately one month. The onset of menstruation marks the beginning of the reproductive life of women.
Lost approximately 130 ml of blood per cycle, with a range of 13 to 300 ml. Usually the bleeding, which did not coagulates unless it is very abundant, is more copious the second day.
It is considered the first day of bleeding as the first day of the menstrual cycle, which involves several elements, including the major hormones produced by ovaries and pituitary-estrogen, progesterone, follicle-stimulating and latinizante, and involved several organs , As the uterus, ovaries, the hypothalamus and pituitary, among others.


The menstrual cycle
The endometrium is the inner lining of the uterus. It consists of three layers: the first is to be eliminated with menstruation month to month, and regenerates in the same period, according to the phase of the cycle to it.
Based on the Endocrine developments, the menstrual cycle, which can be between 23 and 35 days were divided into three phases.
The follicular phase (ovulatory) begins the first day of bleeding and ends the day before the preovulatory increase of luteinizing hormone, which marks the beginning of the ovulatory phase. This is the most variable in terms of duration, as it is considered within the normal range that goes from 12 to 14 days. In this period of endometrial thickening occurs due to the elevation of estrogen and follicle-stimulating hormone, which regenerates completely within a period of between four and seven days after menstruation. Similarly stimulates the growth of a group of three to 30 follicles (eggs) that are recruited because of their rapid growth during the last days of the previous cycle. As the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone down, you select one of these follicles to ovulate, and when it matures, the others are eliminated.
Normally the ovulatory phase was introduced on June 14 of the cycle. Given the complex set of hormonal events that occur in it, is considered the ovulatory phase as the fertile phase of the menstrual cycle. Here is where the follicle or ovum becomes larger and protruding into the outer layer of the ovary, when broken, leads to ovulation, or the release of the egg by the ovary.
Postovulatory or luteal phase occurs in the second half of the menstrual cycle. During the same egg begins to move along the fallopian tube toward the uterus, leading to increased levels of progesterone and the coating helps prepare the uterus for a possible pregnancy. If a sperm fertilizes the egg, and it adheres to the wall of the uterus, the woman becomes pregnant. If the egg is not fertilized, it dissolves or is absorbed by the body, pregnancy does not occur, the levels of estrogen and progesterone fall, coating the spread of the uterus is released and menstruation low.

The organs of reproduction and the menstrual cycle
The cervix. During the follicular phase produced a progressive increase in the vascularization of cervical and cervical mucus secretion. The external cervical opening hole to reach a diameter of 3 mm at ovulation, then is reduced to 1 mm. The gradual increase in estrogen does increase of ten to 30 times the amount of cervical mucus, whose characteristics are clinically useful for evaluating the stage of the cycle and the hormonal status of the patient.
The elasticity of mucus increases just before ovulation, while during dormancy, and the influence of progesterone, thickens, it becomes less watery and loses its elasticity.
The vagina. When at the beginning of the follicular phase of ovarian secretion of estrogen is low, the vaginal epithelium is thin and pale, but as they begin to raise, it becomes more elastic, resistant and violet color.

Disorders or menstrual irregularities
Among the major menstrual disturbances are the following:
• amenorrhea, or absence of menstrual period, which can be:
Primary. This term is used to refer to the absence of the period in which young women at 16 years of age have not yet begun to menstruate. In this case you need to discard first the presence of congenital abnormalities or birth in the reproductive organs.
Secondary. It is the lack of menstruation in women who used to have it on a regular basis. Some of the causes of amenorrhea are normal physiological or, as pregnancy and lactation, while others are of extreme weight loss as a result of serious illnesses, eating disorders, excessive exercise or stress. It may also be related to problems of the reproductive organs or hormone from pituitary glands, thyroid, ovary or adrenal.
• Dysmenorrhea or menstrual cramps: These are periods
painful that include severe menstrual discomfort. In general, young women the pain is not due to any illness or medical condition known, but is caused by a hormone called prostaglandin that causes contractions of the uterus or excessive parent who become disabled. Some nonprescription painkillers can help relieve these symptoms. Sometimes a disease or medical condition, such as endometriosis and uterine myomas, are the cause of pain. Treatment depends on the origin of the problem and its severity.
• abnormal uterine bleeding or vaginal bleeding than normal menstrual periods. Includes bleeding very abundant or scarce, unusually long periods, too frequent or between periods. In adolescent girls and women who are approaching menopause, the hormonal imbalance problems often lead to these disorders, as well as irregular cycles. Other causes of abnormal bleeding is uterine fibroids and polyps, and the treatment will depend on its origin.
In short, we can say that menstruation is the part of the ovarian cycle in which the endometrium responds to the stimulus of estrogen in the ovulatory phase and the elimination of progesterone in the postovulatory when there is no pregnancy, and if the cycles are and regular ovulation occurs.
Not always the irregularities of the menstrual cycle are candidates for treatment, and the first intention was to discard some organic problem.
When do you see a doctor?
• If you are 16 years and has not yet begun to menstruate.
• If your period suddenly stops occur.
• If bleeding for more days than usual.
• If bleeding excessively.
• If bleeding more than just a few drops between periods.
• If you have severe pain during their period.

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• In recent years, increased cardiac ailments, smoking and alcoholism among the female gender.
• The human papillomavirus is the main risk factor for developing cervical cancer.
Who has assumed the role of women in society in recent years, which has diversified its business, has led it to adopt other habits to adapt to the fast pace of life today, but these are reflected in their physical and mental health.
Mexican women, traditionally healthy, has been plagued in recent decades by a significant increase of illnesses such as cervical and breast cancer, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, smoking and alcoholism.
The pressures of work, the demands of their schedules and the stress is experienced daily in big cities, as well as the need to obtain recognition of the work performed, also affect the poor quality of mental and emotional health of this sector population.


Against this background, specialists from the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) have been concerned by multi initiate actions aimed at preventing these illnesses with vocational guidance for the care of the most valuable thing: our health.
Among the most serious health problems is breast cancer. We present more often in people older than 60 years of age and to a lesser extent in women between 40 and 50 years, reported Dr. Gelasio Zarco Espinosa, head of the Department of Breast Tumors of the Oncology Hospital National Medical Center ( CMN) Siglo XXI.
Institutional figures indicate that smoking is a key determinant of cancers like breast, 60% of the over 8 thousand patients who receive care for carcinomas, are or were smokers.
Moreover, obesity has gained relevance as the cause of breast cancer, whose symptoms are inflammation of alert, swelled thousandth of the skin, sinking of the nipple secretion of fluid (without breastfeeding), color change in the complexion and presence of a mass without pain.
The exploration of the breasts regularly to detect any abnormality, practiced mastografía (annually, from age 45) and go to the doctor, are key points for the timely detection of this cancer.
Another condition that an increase is alarming cervical cancer, which in the opinion of specialists is the result of the increase in sexually transmitted diseases, particularly chronic infections of the human papillomavirus (HPV), which destroys the lining of organs female players and is the main cause of this cancer.
HPV infection is among the five diseases that are transmitted sexually mind more often. Of the hundred types of HPV that there are some 15 varieties are at high risk, with more likely to develop cancer, said Dr. Hector Meza Vazquez, Chief of Andrology of CMN Siglo XXI.
The presence of warts in the perianal area, pharynx or mouth, is the clearest sign that the woman has been infected by HPV, but the infection often has no visible manifestations. To detect chronic cases, which are those
the risk of developing cancer in the Social Security practiced smears and colposcopy studies, which can make the diagnosis and provide treatment precisely.
At the Institute is conducting various procedures to treat genital warts, such as cryosurgery (freezing to destroy the fabric), electrosurgery (cut with a hot wire), the laser and conventional surgery.
Another disease that affects women and that has increased, is the systemic arterial hypertension, known as "the silent murderer," because it generates no symptoms or discomfort, but it represents a serious risk that can lead to heart failure or kidney and , In extreme cases, heart attack.
Dr. Marco Antonio Ramos Corrales, head of the Coronary Unit of Hospital Specialty cmn of La Raza, announced that, on average, 2.6 women die from cardiovascular problems, mainly myocardial infarction and the formation of clots that obstruct blood vessels of the brain .
He warned that women are more at risk of losing their lives for heart failure, because the symptoms are not the common infarction (chest pain, intense and oppressive, who runs the arm, in addition to sweating and vomiting).
He noted that usually develop one or more atypical, as pain in the neck, jaw, at the mouth of the stomach and even come to faint.
Dr. Ramos pointed out that as these symptoms are not identified with damage to the heart, patients do not go to the doctor promptly. However, he said, has been scientifically proven that the opportune time to address these problems is at most 12 hours, since after the possibility of dying is located in six out of ten cases.
Exercise and have healthy eating habits, do not smoke or drink alcohol excessively, are part of recommendations to prevent the emergence of this disease.
Obesity is a major risk factor in most of these diseases, and is particularly linked to the sedentary lifestyle (lack of physical activity), the disproportionate food intake, stress and depression, among others, which go hand in hand with the diabetes, major health problem in Mexico, leading cause of death and first place in the diagnosis of IMSS.
The impact of diabetes goes beyond due to complications associated with chronic renal failure, diabetic retinopathy, which causes blindness, metabolic disorders and diabetic foot, which leads to worse to amputation of the limb.

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