Menstrual Cycle

Facts about You As a fetus, you have more than 7 million eggs! At birth, 1-2 million are left At puberty, about 300,000 are left. Only 300-400 eggs ever mature… Compare to men: Men don’t produce sperm until puberty Can produce up to 300 million sperm per day!!!!!!!!!!! More than a quadrillion in a lifetime! 1,000,000,000,000

How Eggs Begin… Egg Eggs begins within follicles Follicle: cluster of cells that surround an egg Function: to help an egg mature Location: in the ovaries Egg

Menstrual Cycle Average cycle = 28 days 1 egg per cycle 4 parts in cycle: Menstruation (Flow Phase) Follicular Phase Ovulation Luteal Phase

Menstruation (Flow Phase) Starts on Day 1 (approx. 5 days) Uterine lining shed Low levels of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Leutenizing Hormone (LH) released Hypothalamus stimulates pituitary gland to release them Begins to prepare/develop new follicle

Follicular Phase Day 6 to 14 Estrogen is released Prepare lining of uterus Causes FSH to start to decrease LH levels remain low Follicle is getting ready to release an egg

Ovulation Around day 14 Estrogen reaches max level Triggers peak of LH Follicle ruptures to release the egg

Luteal Phase This produces progesterone Immediately after ovulation (14 days long) FSH, LH, and estrogen decrease Ruptured follicle becomes corpus luteum This produces progesterone

Progesterone Thickens & maintains uterine lining Stimulates growth and development of blood supply Prepares you for pregnancy If no pregnancy, levels drop! Cycle ends! Period begins again.

Menopause Permanent stopping of the menstrual cycle Triggered by: Production of estrogen drops, ovulation & menstruation stops Triggered by: Age (usually occurs around age 50) genetics environment (smoking, drinking, stress, emotional abuse, etc) Symptoms: hot flashes, fatigue, sleep problems depression, mood swings weight increase vaginal dryness

Menstrual Symptoms Cramps! Headaches/Dizziness Bloating Mood Swings Cause: contraction of uterus & movement of clots through cervix Headaches/Dizziness Cause: sudden drop in hormones, loss of blood Bloating Cause: sudden change in hormones Mood Swings Cause: change in hormones Breast tenderness Cause: progesterone Acne Cause: increase in estrogen

PMDD Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder Might have heard it on commercials? Very severe disorder Symptoms are similar to what we all feel but much more severe Have to be debilitating enough to interfere with your ability to carry on with social or job-related activities. Often accompanied by suicidal thoughts

Other Female Reproductive Issues Cervical Cancer Can be ID’ed by Pap Smear Pap Smear: doctor takes a small sample of cells Treatable Preventable: vaccine Ovarian Cancer The “silent killer” → usually, few symptoms until its too late Treatment: can include Hysterectomy (removal of organs) Spreads easily Uterine Cancer Symptoms include irregular bleeding Treatment: Hysterectomy