The human body is elegantly designed. So complex, so efficient. The menstrual cycle succeeds beautifully in nurturing an egg for fertilization and development into a fetus, and, if fertilization doesn't happen, in cleansing your body and preparing it to start the cycle anew.

If an egg is fertilized, though, what happens? Does the menstrual cycle go away? When does it come back? Read on for answers to some common questions about menstruation and pregnancy. Of course, if you need to know more, you should ask an authority -- your gynecologist or obstetrician would be a good place to start.

Q.		When during the menstrual cycle can I (or can't) get pregnant?
A.		You're most fertile at about the midpoint of your menstrual cycle. In a regular 28-day cycle, that would be about two weeks before your period starts. Of course, since most menstrual cycles aren't perfectly regular, it's kind of hard to predict this timing in real life. But the midpoint of the cycle is when an egg is released from one of your ovaries into one of your fallopian tubes, through which it travels toward your uterus.
		Right around this time, from just before the release of the egg to the time when it arrives in your uterus, is when you're most likely to get pregnant. You're least likely to get pregnant during menstruation, when the egg is being flushed from the body. However, it's important to remember that you can get pregnant anytime -- even during your period.
Q.		What happens to my period during pregnancy?
A.		The uterus gets totally focused on protecting and nourishing the growing fetus. This means it can't receive eggs as usual. So, figuratively speaking, it sends out a busy signal. During pregnancy, your body temporarily halts ovulation and stops shedding the lining of the uterus. As a result, you don't have your period. After your baby is born, your body's natural cycle of ovulation returns, and your period returns as well.
Q.		How soon after childbirth will my period return?
A.		As soon as your body has readjusted to not having a little bundle of joy inside it, ovulation will kick right back in and your menstrual cycle will return. For some women, this happens only weeks after giving birth; for others, it takes months. Rest assured that even though pregnancy is a very complicated process, most women's bodies recover quickly and with impunity. The human body...it's pure poetry.