At menarche, all women have 300000 to 500000 follicles in their ovaries. Every month, there will be some follicle development, of which only one high-quality follicle can fully mature and release an egg, while the rest will regress on their own. So, how big is the egg released?
During a woman's lifetime, only 400 to 500 follicles mature and are expelled. From the initial follicle growth to mature follicles, there are a total of 8 stages. It takes 10 days for the 6th stage follicle to grow to the 8th stage follicle, which happens to be the follicular phase of a menstrual cycle. Starting from 16mm, after 2-3 days, follicles will develop into 20mm follicles and be discharged. The size of follicle discharge varies depending on the individual, some may be discharged as long as 15mm, while others may need to grow up to 25mm. Follicle development is a continuous process, and the normal follicle diameter should be between 18-25mm.
So, when will the egg be released? Eggs are released approximately 14 days before the next menstrual period. The day when the egg is released is ovulation day. For safety reasons, we refer to the first 5 days, last 4 days, and a total of 10 days including ovulation day as the ovulation period. Women with abnormal menstrual cycles cannot use this method to predict when eggs will be released, but they can use methods such as measuring basal body temperature and observing cervical mucus to see if ovulation occurs. What does it feel like to release an egg?
1. Lower abdominal pain: When the egg is released, it needs to break through a thin membrane follicle that wraps around the surface. A small amount of fluid inside the follicle will flow into the lowest part of the pelvic cavity, causing a small amount of bleeding. At this point, you will feel pain in one side of your lower abdomen, which will subside after a few hours.
2. Increased vaginal discharge: There is a significant increase in vaginal discharge, which appears watery, transparent, and clear. Women may feel damp and slippery in their genital area, and there will be egg white sticky strips when wiping with toilet paper.
3. Ovulation bleeding: After the follicle is discharged, the level of estrogen drops sharply, causing local rupture and shedding of the endometrium, resulting in a breakthrough small amount of bleeding. The amount of bleeding during ovulation is minimal, usually stopping on its own within 2-3 days and lasting up to 7 days.
4. Slightly higher body temperature: When the egg is released, the body temperature is slightly higher, but the change is not significant, usually fluctuating around 0.5 degrees Celsius.
5. Breast swelling and pain: During ovulation, the level of estrogen in the body increases, leading to breast hyperplasia and tissue swelling between the breasts, resulting in breast swelling and pain.
