Anatomy Female Part 2

Question 1

What is the duration of a female’s reproductive cycle?

Answer 1

24-36 days

- Assume duration is 28 days

Question 2

What are the four phases of a female’s reproductive cycle?

Answer 2

• Menstrual phase
• Pre-ovulatory phase
• Ovulation
• Post-ovulatory phase

Question 3

How long does the menstrual phase last?

Answer 3

Days 1-5

Question 4

What happens during menstrual phase?

Answer 4

Endometrium sloughs off due to oxygen deprivation to the cells from declining level of ovarian hormones

Question 5

Menstrual flow from the uterus is what volume?

Answer 5

50-150 mL consisting of blood and tissue cells from endometrium

Question 6

How long does the pre-ovulatory phase last?

Answer 6

Days 6-13 in a 28 day cycle

* cycle accounts for most variation in cycle length *

Question 7

What happens in the ovaries during the pre-ovulatory phase?

Answer 7

• Single follicle becomes dominant follicle
• Dominant follicle reaches maturation (Graafian follicle)
• During maturation, follicle continues to produce estrogen due to increased LH

Question 8

With reference to ovarian cycle, what is the follicular phase?

Answer 8

Combination of menstrual and pre-ovulatory phase because ovarian follicles are growing and developing

Question 9

What happens in the uterus during the pre-ovulatory phase?

Answer 9

• Estrogen produced by growing follicles repair endometrium

Question 10

When does ovulation occur in a 28 day reproductive cycle?

Answer 10

Day 14

Question 11

What happens during ovulation?

Answer 11

• High levels of estrogen exert a positive feedback effect
• High level of estrogen stimulates hypothalamus to release more GNRH and anterior pituitary to produce more LH
• Surge of LH ruptures mature follicle and expulsion of secondary oocyte

Question 12

How long does the post-ovulatory phase in a 28 day cycle?

Answer 12

Lasts days 15-28

* most constant in duration

Question 13

What happens in the ovaries during the post-ovulatory phase if the oocyte is not fertilized?

Answer 13

• Corpus luteum only lasts 2 weeks and degenerates into corpus albicans
• Hormone levels decrease, increasing GnRH, FSH, and LH due to loss of negative feedback suppression
• Follicular growth resumes and new ovarian cycle begins

Question 14

What happens in the ovaries during the post-ovulatory phase if the oocyte is fertilized?

Answer 14

• Corpus luteum persists beyond 2 weeks
• “Rescued” from degeneration by hCG
• hCG stimulates secretory activity of corpus luteum

Question 15

Where/when is hCG produced?

Answer 15

Produced by the embryo beginning about 8 days after fertilization

Question 16

What happens in the uterus during post-ovulatory phase?

Answer 16

• Progesterone and estrogen produced by corpus luteum promote growth of endometrial glands
• Endometrial glands secrete glycogen and vascularization/thickening of endometrium

Question 17

When does the preparatory changes in the uterus peak during post-ovulatory phase?

Answer 17

About one week after ovulation