FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE(OVARIAN) CYCLE

Menstrual cycle​ or​ ​Period:

In the females, there is a monthly discharge of blood

and cell debris through vagina. This is called ​menstruation. ​The
bleeding occurs for 4-5 days. This period is called ​menstrual period.
This period is the beginning of a 28 days long cycle, called ​menstrual
cycle.
● Menstrual cycle in female, start immediately after the ​onset of
puberty
● The onset of menstruation (i.e first menstruation) is known as
menarche. ​It usually occurs at an age between 10-14 years.
● During 45-50 years of age, menstruation is stop, due to inactivity
of ovary. This stoppage of menstruation is called ​menopause​.
Mechanism of menstruation:

The menstrual cycle, can be divided into three phases---

1-Bleeding phase
2-Proliferating phase
3- secretory phase

1- Bleeding phase:​ .
● The duration of this phase is about 4 to 5 days.
● This phase is characterised by bleeding through vagina.
● The ​First day of bleeding​ is counted as ​first day of menstrual
cycle.​ By 5th days, bleeding usually stopped and ovary starts
forming the fresh ​Graafian follicles.
● If there is no fertilization​, then the degenerated debris of
endometrium and blood from ruptured capillaries are expelled
 out from uterus, through vagina (​due to fall in the LH and
progesterone levels​.)
2- proliferative phase:
● The duration of this phase is about 6th to 14th days.
● This phase is characterised by,
-rapid proliferation of uterine endometrium and
-growth and development of Graafian follicles.
This occurs under the effects of high doses of ​FSH​ ​and
increasing levels of ​Estrogens ​(secreted by Graafian follicles)
● By 14th days, the growth of Graafian follicle is completed and on
14th days, ​Ovulation​ occurs.
3- Secretory phase​:
● The duration of this phase is about 15th to 28th days of
menstrual cycle.
● From 15th day(​after ovulation​), the proliferation of endometrium
stops.
● In this phase, endometrium become highly vascular and
glandular which secrete more and more mucus (uterine milk).
● The remains Graafian follicle develop into ​Corpus luteum,
which secretes ​progesterone​.
● The released ovum (after ovulation), is picked up by fallopian
tube. Here, if sperms are available, fertilization occurs.
● The uterus now wait for the fertilised egg by about 21th days of
menstrual cycle. If fertilization does not occur, then endometrium
of uterus undergoes ​degeneration.
● This degeneration occur upto the 28th days of the menstrual
cycle. Now bleeding phase again start, which marks the onset of
new menstrual cycle​.
Note- ​if fertilization occurs, then endometrium does not degenerate,
through out the pregnancy period (9 month), due to high levels of
progesterone. Therefore, ​during pregnancy, there is no
menstruation​.