1. The Ovarian Cycle

3. Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Ovarian Axis

4. The Follicular Phase

6. HYPOTHALAMUS
GnRH
ANTERIOR PITUITARY
FSH LH
OVARY
Follicle
Estrogens

7. Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
Stimulates growth of follicles
Follicles produce ESTROGEN (Estradiol)

8. Follicular Development

10. OVULATION

11. OVULATION
A human egg is caught on camera as it emerges from a woman’s ovary. It is one in a series of the clearest ever images of the ovulation process and was
accidentally snapped by surgeon Jacques Donnez, of the Catholic University of Louvain in Brussels, as he performed a hysterectomy. The yellowish egg (about
the size of this dot ·) is seen exiting a red, fluid-filled follicle on the surface of the 45-year-old woman’s ovary.
Ovulation took a full 15 minutes — much slower than the sudden ‘explosive’process suggested by some theories.
Although human ovulation has never been seen in such detail before, it is a process that occurs at least once a month in fertile women. On release, an oocyte travels
along a fallopian tube to the uterus. These rare images, which appeared in New Scientist magazine last week, will be published in the journal Fertility
and Sterility (J.-C. Lousse and J. Donnez doi: /j.fertnstert ).

12. Ovulation

14. The Luteal Phase

18. What is Estrogen Doing?
Stimulates growth of cells in the lining of the uterus, the cervix and the vagina
Causes breast to be more receptive to progesterone
Causes changes in cervical mucous

19. Changes in Cervix and Cervical Mucous
Around ovulation:
Cervix opens
Fibers line up under influence of estrogen permitting sperm to get through

20. Changes in Cervix and Cervical Mucous
After ovulation
Cervix closes
Fibers of mucous tangle up

21. What about Progesterone?
Secreted by the Corpus Luteum after ovulation

22. What about Progesterone?
Helps with the functioning of lining of the uterus (in preparation for fertilization)
Prepares breasts for possible pregnancy
Signals the pituitary to stop producing LH

24. What Triggers Menstruation?
No fertilization
Corpus Luteum regresses after about 12 days
Progesterone & estrogen products drop off sharply
Endometrium sloughs off

25. What happens if fertilization does occur?
Corpus luteum remains active
Progesterone levels remain high  uterine lining remains strong
Implantation occurs
hCG from fetus takes over

26. What is the hormonal signature of the….
Follicular phase
Low E, low P
High E levels, low P levels
High P levels
High LH, decreasing E, low P

27. What is the hormonal signature of the….
Luteal phase
Low E, low P
High E levels, low P levels
High P levels
High LH, decreasing E, low P

28. What is the hormonal signature of the….
First day of menstrual bleeding
Low E, low P
High E levels, low P levels
High P levels
High LH, decreasing E, low P

29. What is the hormonal signature of the….
Peri-ovulatory period
Low E, low P
High E levels, low P levels
High P levels
High LH, decreasing E, low P