B3.2.3 - The Menstrual Cycle Flashcards
What is the menstrual cycle?
A monthly cycle during which a woman’s body gets ready for pregnancy
How long does the menstrual cycle last?
Around 28 days
How often does the uterus start to thicken?
Each month
What also occurs once the lining of a uterus thickens?
An egg starts to mature in one of the ovaries
After how long is the egg released from the ovaries?
Approximately 14 days
What is ovulation?
The process of the egg maturing and getting released from the ovaries
How does the egg become fertilised?
It is penetrated by a sperm cell
What happens if the egg is fertilised once released from the ovary?
It may implant into the uterus lining, where it is protected and receives nutrients and oxygen from the mother
What happens when the egg is not fertilised after getting released from the ovary?
The uterus lining and egg are removed from the body
What is it called when the uterus lining and egg are removed from the body?
Period / menstruation
What is the entrance to the uterus called?
Cervix
What does the vagina do?
Receives sperm from the penis during sexual intercourse
How does the egg travel from the ovaries to the uterus?
It travels through the Fallopian tube/ oviduct
What are the 4 hormones that are made in the pituitary gland and the ovaries that control the menstrual cycle?
Follicle-stimulating hormones
Oestrogen
Luteinising Hormone
Progesterone
What do Follicle-stimulating hormones do?
They are secreted by the pituitary gland and travel to the ovaries where it caused an egg to mature. They also stimulate the ovaries to produce oestrogen
