A few weeks ago, I asked my Instagram community what kind of content would be most useful for your real-life English journey. One of you wrote in and asked: “Could you talk about menstruation, pregnancy, and perimenopause?” So I decided to do a English for Women only video with female topics.
I thought, “Yes, absolutely!”I am a very open person, and let’s face it—as women, we need to talk about these things. Whether you need to tell a friend why you’re feeling sluggish or discuss past pregnancies, knowing the natural, everyday vocabulary for these topics is incredibly empowering.
If you usually watch my videos, you might notice that my husband and regular sidekick, Calvin, isn’t here with me today. That is because today’s topic is strictly for the ladies!
Today, we are breaking down the casual slang and exact terms native speakers use for these three phases of life.
1. Talking About Your Period (Menstruation)
Let’s start with the basics. If you are currently experiencing your monthly cycle, you can say:
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“I’m on my period right now.”(In fact, I actually am while writing this! )
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“I have my period.”
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“It’s that time of the month again.”(This is a very common, slightly indirect idiom ).
A typical period lasts up to a max (maximum) of one week. Your body goes through four distinct phases every month. First is the menstrual phase when you bleed. During this time, you might feel cramps (stomach pain) , feel fatigued (very tired) , or get cravings—like my unstoppable urge to eat chocolate! You might also feel bloated, which is that uncomfortable, heavy feeling in your stomach.
Next comes the follicular phase (where your energy improves) , the ovulation phase (when an egg is released) , and the luteal phase (where you might experience breast tenderness or irritability right before the cycle restarts).
Period Care Products to Know:
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Panty liners: Very thin pads used for light days.
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Pads with “wings”: Thicker pads with sticky sides that wrap underneath your underwear to hold them securely.
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Tampons: Cotton plugs inserted to absorb flow.
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Menstruation cup: A small, reusable silicone cup. I’ve used one for almost ten years and love how comfortable and eco-friendly it is!
2. Navigating Pregnancy in English
Pregnancy is when a baby is growing inside a woman’s womb. If you are learning English, you will hear a lot of fun, real-life idioms for this!
Instead of just saying “she is pregnant,” native speakers often say:
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“She has a bun in the oven.” (A classic, sweet idiom).
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“She’s expecting.”
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“She’s preggers.” (Very casual slang).
When your belly starts to get bigger, you can say, “I’m finally showing!”If someone asks you, “When are you due?”, they are asking for your due date—the estimated day your baby will be born.
Pregnancy is divided into three-month periods called trimesters. Throughout these nine months, you will take prenatal vitamins to stay healthy and get an ultrasound (where the doctor uses a cold gel on your belly and a monitor so you can see the baby and hear their heartbeat).
Giving Birth: Key Vocabulary
When the baby is ready to come, you go into labor. You will feel contractions (the tightening of the muscles to push the baby out). If you feel false contractions early on, we call those Braxton-Hicks.
When the fluid sac around the baby breaks, you say, “My water broke!”—and that means it’s time to head to the hospital! Some women give birth naturally, some choose an epidural (medicine injected into your back to block the pain) , and others have a C-section (cesarean), which is a surgery where the doctor safely takes the baby out through the stomach.
3. What is Perimenopause?
As women, our bodies continue to change as we get older. Perimenopause is the transition phase that happens before menopause. It can start as early as your late thirties.
During this time, your hormones shift, and you might experience:
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Irregular periods: When your monthly cycle stops being predictable.
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Hot flashes: Sudden, intense waves of heat that make you break out in a sweat, day or night.
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Mood changes: Feeling emotionally up and down.
Eventually, this leads to menopause, which is officially when your period stops for good.
Vocabulary Breakdown
To help you remember, here are 7 key terms from today’s lesson that you can practice using this week:
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To be on one’s period (idiom): The casual, everyday way to say you are currently menstruating.
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Cramps (noun): Pain in the lower stomach area experienced during a period.
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Bloated (adjective): An uncomfortable feeling of being swollen or full in the stomach.
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To have a bun in the oven (idiom): A friendly, casual slang phrase meaning to be pregnant.
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Due date (noun): The date a pregnant woman is expected to give birth.
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To go into labor (verb phrase): The physical process of delivering a baby.
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Hot flash (noun): A sudden, temporary feeling of intense body heat, common during perimenopause.
I hope this vocabulary helps you feel confident when chatting with sisters, friends, or doctors!
If you want to practice your reading and listening skills further, don’t forget to check out my real-life dialogue and short story e-books or physical books on Amazon. They all come with free audio!
What is a common idiom for being pregnant in your native language? Let me know in the comments below! See you real soon!
