Pregnancy is directly related to the menstrual cycle. If the menstrual cycle is normal, regular, it contributes to the rapid fertility Conception - as the emerging life   the child's pregnancy and normal natural childbirth. When the menstrual cycle problems and pregnancy.

The phases of the menstrual cycle: the first phase

The first phase of the menstrual cycle is provided by the pituitary follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which stimulates egg maturation in the ovaries and the secretion of female hormones estrogen follicle epithelial cells (bubble), in which the egg matures.

FSH deficiency and estrogen may be the reason that the egg can not be fully ripe, then no ovulation (yield mature egg from an ovary) and begins the second phase of the menstrual cycle. After this phase takes place under the influence of progesterone - a female sex hormone, which is produced by a temporary endocrine gland - the corpus luteum, formed at the site of the ruptured follicle. And as the follicle does not burst, the corpus luteum is not formed and the second phase of the menstrual cycle does not occur. This cycle is called a single-phase or anovulatory. If you do not ovulate, and it is impossible to conceive a child.

Anovulatory cycles can occur and normal - it happens during the formation of the menstrual cycle during adolescence, when the complete oocyte maturation in the body produces not enough estrogen. But over time, this cycle becomes a normal, two-phase.

Anovulatory menstrual cycle can also be after the birth, if a woman breastfeeds a child. In this case, the pituitary gland secretes the hormone prolactin, which stimulates lactation (secretion of breast milk), but inhibits the secretion of FSH. Since FSH is produced is not enough, the egg matures and is not fully released from the ovary (ovulation does not occur), it undergoes reverse development in the ovary and the process causes changes in the uterus to the rejection of its internal mucosa - comes menstrualnopodobnoe bleeding. That is recovered menstruation after childbirth, but if a woman is breastfeeding regularly, they are single phase, anovulatory character. This may continue until the child lures. As soon as breastfeeding becomes less regular (and the first solid foods First solid foods: cook or buy?   a child who is breastfed Breastfeeding: notes Is introduced into the 5 - 6 months) anovulatory menstrual cycle is replaced by a normal, two-phase.

During the first phase of the menstrual cycle in the uterus grows mucosa, it appears the cancer - the uterus prepares to receive a fertilized egg. At the end of the first phase of the menstrual cycle oocyte matures and enters this signal in the cerebral cortex and from there to the hypothalamus. Hypothalamus using their secretion of hormones, and acts on the pituitary gland therein is reversed output hormones FSH secretion decreases abruptly begins secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH), which will be high throughout the second phase. The release of LH in the blood starts per day - two before ovulation and that this hormone promotes the release of an egg from the ovary. Egg is released from the ovary and enters first into the abdominal cavity, and then into the fallopian tube and starts to move along it towards the uterus.

The egg lives only a day, and then, if it is not fertilized by sperm, the egg dies, goes into the uterus and removed from the body along with the rejects mucosa during menstruation. If fertilization occurred, the fertilized egg (embryo) continues to move in the fallopian tube, about a week after fertilization, it enters the uterus, it is embedded in the mucous membrane and begins to develop there. At the site of attachment of the shell of the ovum to the uterine wall develop blood vessels, and begins to form the placenta.

The phases of the menstrual cycle: second phase

The second phase of the menstrual cycle occurs under the influence of LH, which stimulates the production of on-site ruptured follicle corpus luteum and secretion of female hormones last progesterone and estrogen. Under the influence of progesterone the mucous membrane of the uterus ceases to grow and begins to secrete mucus. But the main task of progesterone is the suppression of muscle contractions of the uterus. If pregnancy does not occur, the corpus luteum gradually atrophies (shrinks), hormones decreases, causing zapustevanie small blood vessels in the lining of the uterus and its rejection by the action of muscle contraction, which is accompanied by bleeding - menstruation.

If pregnancy occurs, the corpus luteum of menstruation grows and becomes a corpus luteum of pregnancy, which secretes progesterone has much more - is needed to protect the fetus from premature muscle contractions of the uterus. Subsequently, the function of hormone production will take the placenta. If progesterone during pregnancy is produced is insufficient, this may lead to premature abortion - miscarriage.

The menstrual cycle and pregnancy are linked inextricably.

Galina Romanenko

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