32 Questions
What is the main function of the female gonad (ovary)?
Hormone production and gametogenesis
Where does fertilization primarily occur in the female reproductive system?
Oviducts
What is the function of the fimbriae in the female reproductive system?
Sweeping action to pick up ovulated oocyte
Which part of the uterus is responsible for nourishing the embryo and is shed during the menstrual cycle when no embryo is present?
Endometrium
What hormone prevents the breakdown of the corpus luteum to maintain high progesterone levels required for pregnancy?
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)
Which hormone stimulates follicles to grow and produce 17-β estradiol during the follicular phase?
Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
What triggers ovulation mid-cycle?
Luteinizing Hormone (LH) surge
Which hormone differentiates the endometrium into a secretory structure during the luteal phase?
Progesterone
What hormone is responsible for the proliferation of the endometrium during the follicular phase?
17-β Estradiol
What hormone maintains the corpus luteum to secrete progesterone and maintain pregnancy?
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)
Which hormone is responsible for the growth and production of 17-β estradiol during the follicular phase?
Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
What hormone prevents the switch to positive feedback of the HPO axis at the end of the follicular phase?
Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG)
What does Sophia Wallace propose considering female sexual organs as?
Distal vagina clitoral complex
According to Dr. Helen O’Connell, what is important to understand about the clitoris?
Its full structure
What is the smallest functional unit of the ovary?
Follicle
Where are the follicles located within the ovary?
Outer layer (cortex)
What hormones are involved in ovarian sex steroid biosynthesis?
Estradiol and progesterone
How do sex steroids circulate in the blood?
Bound to carrier proteins and in 'free' form
What is the aim of the menstrual cycle?
Develop one follicle to maturity and prepare the uterus for potential pregnancy
What does the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle involve?
Follicle development and ovulation
What characterizes the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle?
Presence of corpus luteum and hormonal changes
What hormonal changes occur throughout the menstrual cycle?
Role of FSH, LH, estradiol, and inhibin in follicular development and ovulation
What happens approximately 24-36 hours after the LH surge?
Ovulation
What is the role of the corpus luteum after ovulation?
Secretes high amounts of progesterone and some estrogen
What happens if the ovulated oocyte has not been fertilized?
The corpus luteum degenerates within about 14 days
What does the HPO axis involve during the luteal phase?
Negative feedback of progesterone and estradiol on the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary
What are the shifts in the menstrual cycle primarily associated with?
Hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (H-P-O) axis
When does the fertile window occur?
Approximately 5 days prior to ovulation and one day following ovulation
How do hormonal oral contraceptives prevent ovulation?
Maintaining continuous low levels of ovarian hormones to keep the HPO axis in negative feedback mode
Where does fertilization typically occur?
In the oviducts
How is pregnancy established?
Through the implantation of the blastocyst in the uterine wall
What does the production of hCG indicate?
That the embryo is in the uterus and it plays a role in maintaining pregnancy
Study Notes
Menstrual Cycle and Fertility
- Ovulation occurs approximately 24-36 hours after the LH surge, leading to the release of the oocyte from the follicle.
- After ovulation, the emptied follicle is converted into a corpus luteum, which secretes high amounts of progesterone and some estrogen.
- The corpus luteum degenerates within about 14 days if the ovulated oocyte has not been fertilized.
- The HPO axis during the luteal phase involves negative feedback of progesterone and estradiol on the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary.
- The menstrual cycle involves shifts in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (H-P-O) axis, with changes in FSH/LH levels and plasma estrogen levels.
- Uterine changes occur across the menstrual cycle, with the uterus in the menstrual phase during the first ~5 days of the follicular phase of the ovary, followed by the proliferative and secretory phases.
- The end of the luteal phase is marked by a decrease in progesterone and estradiol, leading to the breakdown of the endometrial layer and the onset of menstruation.
- The fertile window includes the period approximately 5 days prior to ovulation and one day following ovulation, with spermatozoa able to live within the female reproductive tract for around 5 days and the oocyte for 12-24 hours.
- Hormonal oral contraceptives work by maintaining continuous low levels of ovarian hormones to keep the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis in negative feedback mode, preventing ovulation and fertilization through various mechanisms.
- Fertilization typically occurs in the oviducts, with the union of the ovum and spermatozoa forming a zygote that undergoes mitotic divisions and travels down the oviduct before reaching the uterine cavity in the blastocyst stage.
- Pregnancy is established through the implantation of the blastocyst in the uterine wall, with the trophoblast producing human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) that can be detected in maternal circulation and urine to confirm pregnancy.
- The production of hCG indicates that the embryo is in the uterus, and it plays a role in maintaining pregnancy.
Test your knowledge of the menstrual cycle and fertility with this quiz. Explore topics like ovulation, hormonal changes, uterine phases, fertile window, fertilization, and pregnancy establishment. Brush up on the HPO axis, contraceptive mechanisms, and hCG production.
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