Female Hormones and the Follicular phase + Luteal Phase + Uterine Cycle

Question 1

Describe oestrogen levels throughout follicular + luteal phase

Answer 1

• low but gradually increases during follicular phase (also during menses + proliferative phase)
• peaks at period between follicular + luteal phase (also right before secretory phase)
• peak at ovulation
• decreases during first half of secretory phase
• small peak again as corpus luteum matures
• decreases again as corpus luteum disintegrates
• dominant hormone in follicular phase

Question 2

Describe progesterone levels throughout the ovarian + menstrual cycle

Answer 2

• low throughout follicular phase (during menses + proliferative phase)
• increases during first half of secretory phase to a peak as corpus luteum matures
• decreases as corpus luteum disintegrates
• dominant hormone in luteal phase

Question 3

Describe levels of LH and FSH throughout ovarian + menstrual cycle

Answer 3

• FSH level high during follicular phase
• rapid increase + peak at ovulation, then rapid decrease
• gradually decreases throughout whole cycle
• increase at end of luteal phase to prepare for new ovarian cycle + menses
• LH level low during follicular phase
• rapid increase + peak during ovulation
• rapid decrease
• dominant hormone in luteal phase but still low

Question 4

What happens to body temperature during the cycle?

Answer 4

• During follicular phase, oestrogen dominant, basal body temp slightly lower
• body temp declines at ovulation
• rise in temp over next day
• basal body temp highest during luteal phase when progesterone dominates

Question 5

Which hormone stimulates follicular development?

Answer 5

FSH (from anterior pituitary)

Question 6

What are the functions of oestrogen?

Answer 6

• stimulating bone + muscle growth
• maintaining female secondary sex characteristics (body hair deposition, location of adipose tissue deposits)
• affecting CNS activity (in hypothalamus, increases sex drive)
• maintaining functional accessory reproductive glands + organs
• initiating growth + repair of endometrium

Question 7

Which hypothalamic hormone stimulates FSH and LH release from anterior pituitary gland?

Answer 7

GnRH

Question 8

Which hormone inhibits LH secretion?

Answer 8

Oestrogen
(until it builds up to a certain amount, at which point it starts to positively feedback on LH production + causes LH surge -> ovulation)

Question 9

Where is oestrogen secreted from?

Answer 9

Granulosa cells of follicles

+ corpus luteum

Question 10

Where is progesterone secreted from?

Answer 10

Corpus luteum

Question 11

Which hormone surges during ovulation? What other processes does this trigger?

Answer 11

LH

• completion of meiosis I by primary oocyte
• rupture of follicular wall
• promote progesterone secretion
• promote formation of corpus luteum

Question 12

What is the main function of progesterone?

Answer 12

Continue prep of uterus for pregnancy by enhancing blood supply to functional zone + stimulating secretion of endometrial glands

Question 13

What happens to levels of oestrogen + progesterone levels to cause menses?

Answer 13

Levels drop