The menstrual cycle is a monthly process in which a woman's body prepares for potential pregnancy. It is divided into three phases: the follicular phase, ovulat...
The menstrual cycle is a monthly process in which a woman's body prepares for potential pregnancy. It is divided into three phases: the follicular phase, ovulation, and luteal phase.
During the follicular phase, the ovaries mature and produce an egg. This phase typically lasts from day 1 to day 14. If fertilization does not occur, the egg is released from the ovary during ovulation.
The luteal phase begins after ovulation and lasts until the next period begins. During this phase, the corpus luteum, a small gland that forms on the ovary after ovulation, produces progesterone, a hormone that helps to maintain the uterine lining. If pregnancy does not occur, the corpus luteum regresses and is replaced by the corpus albicans, a structure that helps to maintain the uterine lining during pregnancy.
The menstrual cycle is a complex and essential process that helps to maintain fertility. Hormonal changes throughout the cycle prepare the body for potential pregnancy and shed the uterine lining if pregnancy does not occur