Menstrual Cycle Flashcards
State the stages of the menstrual cycle
Stage 1: Day 1-4, lining of the uterus breaks down
Stage 2: Day 4-14, lining of the uterus builds up
Stage 3: Day 14- egg is released
Stage 4: (from 14-28) the lining of the uterus is maintained, from day 28 onwards the next cycle occurs
Explain the role of hormones in the menstrual cycle
FSH is produced by the pituitary gland and causes one of the eggs to mature in the ovaries, it then stimulates the ovaries to produce oestrogen.
Oestrogen is produced in the ovaries and causes the pituitary to produce LH, it inhibits the further release of FSH.
LH is produced in the pituitary gland and stimulates the release of an egg at around the middle of the cycle.
What is the rule of progesterone in the menstrual cycle?
Progesterone is secreted by the ovaries and maintains the lining of the uterus during the middle part of the menstrual cycle (and during pregnancy)
How can oestrogen be used to reduce fertility?
Oestrogen can prevent the release of an egg. If oestrogen is taken every day to keep the level of it very high, it inhibits the production of FSH and after a while the egg development and production stop
How can progesterone reduce fertility?
It stimulates the production of thick cervical mucus which prevents sperm getting through and reaching an egg
What is the pill?
An oral contraceptive which contains high levels of oestrogen and progesterone
What are pros of the pill?
The pill is over 99% effective at preventing pregnancy and it reduces the risk of getting some types of cancer
What are the cons of the pill?
It isnt 100% effective
It can cause side effects like headaches, nausea and irregular menstrual bleeding
It doesn’t protect against STD’s
How can you increase levels of fertility?
Some women have FSH and LH injected into them to stimulate egg release in the ovaries
What are the pros of increasing fertility?
It can help women get pregnant
What are the cons of increasing fertility?
It doesn’t always work- women may have to do it many times which can be expensive
Too many eggs could be stimulated, resulting in unexpected multiple pregnancies
What is IVF?
Collecting eggs from a woman’s ovaries and fertilising them in a lab using a mans sperm, which are then grown into embryos
What happens during IVF after the embryo is formed?
One or two of them are transferred into the woman’s uterus to improve the chance of pregnancy. FHS and LH are given before the egg collection to stimulate egg production.
What are the pros of IVF?
It can give an infertile couple a child
What are the cons of IVF?
Some woman have a strong reaction to hormones (vomiting, abdominal pain)
There have been reports of increased risk of cancer due to the hormonal treatment
Multiple births can happen which is risky for the mother and babies (higher chance of miscarriage, still birth)
