Part II: Menstrual Cycle

Facts about You As a fetus, you have more than 7 million eggs! At birth, 1-2 million are left At puberty, about 300,000 are left. Only eggs ever mature… Compare to men: Men don’t produce sperm until puberty Can produce up to 300 million per per day!!!!!!!!!!! More than a quadrillion in a lifetime! 1,000,000,000,000

How Eggs Begin… Eggs begin as follicles Follicle: cluster of cells that surround an egg  Function: to help an egg mature  Location: in the ovaries Egg

Menstrual Cycle Average cycle = 28 days 1 egg per cycle 4 parts in cycle: 1. Menstruation (Flow Phase) 2. Follicular Phase 3. Ovulation 4. Luteal Phase

Menstruation (Flow Phase) Starts on Day 1 (approx. 5 days) Uterine lining shed  Known as: period, Aunt Flow, that time of the month, etc. Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) & Luteinizing Hormone (LH) levels rise  Begins to prepare/develop new follicle  Follicle will release the egg

FSH LH We are here. Flow Phase

Follicular Phase Day 6 to 14 Estrogen is released  Prepare lining of uterus  Causes FSH to start to decrease  LH levels remain low Follicle is getting ready to release an egg

FSH LH We are here. Follicular Phase. Estrogen

Ovulation Around day 14 The release of an egg from the ovary Peak of LH triggers the release  FSH also has small peak  Estrogen decreases Follicle ruptures to release the egg

FSH LH We are here. Ovulation Estrogen

Luteal Phase Immediately after ovulation (14 days long) FSH, LH decrease Estrogen remains Ruptured follicle becomes corpus luteum This produces progesterone

FSH LH We are here. Luteal Phase. Estrogen Progesterone

Thickens & maintains uterine lining Stimulates growth and development of blood supply Prepares you for pregnancy If no pregnancy, levels drop! Cycle ends! Period begins again.

Menopause Permanent stopping of the menstrual cycle  Production of estrogen drops, Ovulation & Menstruation stops Triggered by:  Age (usually occurs around age 50)  genetics  Environment (smoking, drinking, stress, emotional abuse, etc) Symptoms:  Hot flashes/night sweats, fatigue, sleep problems  depression, mood swings  weight increase  vaginal dryness

Menstrual Symptoms Cramps!  Cause: contraction of uterus & movement of clots through cervix Headaches/Dizziness  Cause: sudden drop in hormones, loss of blood Bloating  Cause: sudden change in hormones Mood Swings  Cause: change in hormones Breast tenderness  Cause: progesterone Acne  Cause: increase in estrogen

PMDD Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Might have heard it on commercials? Very severe disorder Symptoms are similar to what we all feel but much more severe  Have to be debilitating enough to interfere with your ability to carry on with social or job-related activities. Often accompanied by suicidal thoughts

Other Female Reproductive Issues Cervical Cancer  Can be ID’ed by Pap Smear  Pap Smear: doctor takes a small sample of cells  Treatable  Preventable: vaccine Ovarian Cancer  The “silent killer”  usually, few symptoms until its too late  Treatment: can include Hysterectomy (removal of organs)  Spreads easily Uterine Cancer  Symptoms include irregular bleeding  Treatment: Hysterectomy

Activity As a table Draw the menstrual cycle on the poster paper Show thickness of the uterine lining and draw follicle/egg/corpus luteum Include & Label:  Estrogen  Progesterone  FSH  LH  Ovulation  The phases