menstruation
Not to be confused with defloration
Menstruation also known as "periods," is the shedding of the uterine lining (endometrium) when an egg is not fertilized at the end of the cycle for a potential pregnancy. It occurs on a regular basis in reproductive-age females of certain mammal species. Overt menstruation (bleeding from the uterus through the vagina) is found primarily in humans and close evolutionary relatives such as chimpanzees. Menstruation generally indicates that pregnancy is possible.
Menstruation can be ceased via an hysterectomy, oophorectomy, high testosterone levels or menopause where pregnancy is no longer viable.
See also
The following tags implicate this tag: menstrual_cramps (learn more).
