MENSTRUAL

CYCLE
COMPLETE THE CHART
LET’S PLAY A GAME:
FACT OR BLUFF
 ACTIVITY 1: THINK-PAIR-DRAW AND
SHARE
INSTRUCTION: STUDENTS WILL BE GROUPED INTO
TWO. THEY WILL ILLUSTRATE THE FEEDBACK
MECHANISM IN THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE USING
DIAGRAM. CHOSEN PAIRS WILL PRESENT THEIR
WORK.
CRITERIA:
ACCURACY- 10PTS.
TEAMWORK- 5 PTS.
PRESENTATION-10 PTS.

TOTAL: 25 PTS.
FROM THE ACTIVITY…
1. WHAT EVENT IS CHARACTERIZED BY THE BREAKING
DOWN OF THE ENDOMETRIUM?
2. WHAT HAPPENS TO THE ENDOMETRIUM AS IT
PREPARES FOR THE FERTILIZED EGG TO ATTACH TO
IT?
3. WHAT BREAKS DOWN DURING MENSTRUATION?
4. WHAT SUBSTANCE IS CONTROLLED THROUGH THE
FEEDBACK MECHANISM IN THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE?
5. HOW DOES THE LEVEL OF ONE HORMONE INFLUENCE
THE OTHER HORMONE?
THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE
REFERS TO THE MONTHLY SHEDDING OF
UTERINE LINING OR ENDOMETRIUM WITH
SOME BLOOD WHICH IS RELEASE THROUGH
THE VAGINA FOR A PERIOD OF THREE TO FIVE
DAYS. THE AVERAGE MENSTRUAL CYCLE IS 28
DAYS LONG; HOWEVER, A CYCLE IN SOME
WOMEN CAN BE AS SHORT AS 21 DAYS OR AS
LONG AS 39 DAYS.
PHASES OF THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE
1. FOLLICULAR PHASE.
IN THIS PHASE, ESTROGEN LEVEL RISES
WHICH CAUSES THE LINING OF THE UTERUS
TO GROW AND THICKEN. IT IS ALSO IN THIS
PHASE THAT THE HORMONE, FSH CAUSES A
FOLLICLE (A SMALL SACS FILLED WITH FLUID
IN THE OVARY) TO GROW. DURING DAYS 10
TO 14, ONLY ONE FOLLICLE RELEASES A
FULLY MATURE EGG (OVUM).
SUB-PHASES/EVENTS:
a. MENSTRUATION- IT IS THE TIME WHEN
THE LINING OF THE UTERUS IS SHED OUT
THROUGH THE VAGINA IF PREGNANCY
HAS NOT OCCURRED. MOST WOMEN
BLEED FOR THREE TO FIVE DAYS.
b. OVULATION- IS THE TIME WHEN A MATURE
OVUM OR EGG CELL FROM THE OVARY IS
RELEASED.
2. LUTEAL PHASE
IN THIS PHASE, PROGESTERONE LEVEL RISES TO HELP
PREPARE THE ENDOMETRIUM FOR PREGNANCY. IF THE
EGG BECOMES FERTILIZED BY A SPERM AND ATTACHES
ITSELF TO THE UTERINE WALL, THE WOMAN BECOMES
PREGNANT. IF THE PREGNANCY DOES NOT OCCUR;
ESTROGEN AND PROGESTERONE LEVELS DROP AND
THE THICKENED LINING OF THE UTERUS IS SHED
DURING THE MENSTRUAL PERIOD. THIS PHASE OCCURS
ON DAY 15 TO 28 OF THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE.
 FEEDBACK MECHANISMS IN THE
FEMALE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

A FEEDBACK MECHANISM IS THE PROCESS

THROUGH WHICH THE LEVEL OF ONE SUBSTANCE
(HORMONE) INFLUENCES THE LEVEL OF ANOTHER
SUBSTANCE (HORMONE). THE DIAGRAM BELOW
SHOWS THE FEEDBACK MECHANISMS IN THE
MENSTRUAL CYCLE.
POSITIVE FEEDBACK
DURING DAYS 12-14, ESTROGEN PROVIDES
POSITIVE FEEDBACK TO THE HYPOTHALAMUS AND
PITUITARY GLAND. THIS CAUSES A RAPID RISE IN THE
PRODUCTION OF ESTROGEN BY THE OVARIES AND
LEADS TO OVULATION.
THE POSITIVE FEEDBACK IS THE EFFECT OF LH ON
ESTROGEN. MORE LH LEADS TO MORE ESTROGEN
RELEASE
NEGATIVE FEEDBACK
 ESTROGEN STIMULATES THE RELEASE OF LH
FROM THE PITUITARY GLAND, WHICH CONTROLS
THE PRODUCTION OF PROGESTERONE OF THE
OVARIES.
 THE HIGH LEVEL OF PROGESTERONE INHIBITS
THE FURTHER RELEASE OF LH. AS THE
PROGESTERONE LEVEL RISES, IT CIRCULATES
AROUND THE BODY IN THE BLOOD.
NEGATIVE FEEDBACK
THE INCREASED LEVELS OF HORMONES GIVE
NEGATIVE FEEDBACK TO THE HYPOTHALAMUS AND
PITUITARY GLAND TO DECREASE OR EVEN STOP THE
PRODUCTION OF HORMONES.

THE ESTROGEN AND PROGESTERONE PROVIDE

FEEDBACK TO THE HYPOTHALAMUS AND PITUITARY
GLAND KEEPING THEIR LEVELS MORE OR LESS
CONSTANT DURING MOST OF THE MENSTRUAL
CYCLE.
ASK THE STUDENTS:

1. WHO DO WOMEN MENSTRUATE?

2. WHEN CAN WOMEN GET PREGNANT IN THE
MENSTRUAL CYCLE?
3. HOW MENSTRUAL CYCLE AFFECTS THE WOMAN’S
FERTILITY?

4. IN WHAT WAY YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY

WHEN YOU HAVE MENSTRUATION?
ASSIGNMENT:
CUT AN OLD CALENDAR WITH 31 DAYS.
ASSUME THAT THE FIRST DAY OF
MENSTRUATION IS THE 12TH DAY OF THE
MONTH. MARK BLUE ON THE DAYS THAT
BELONGS TO MENSTRUATION PHASE, BLACK
ON FOLLICULAR PHASE, RED ON OVULATORY
PERIOD AND GREEN ON LUTEAL PHASE.