Phases of the Menstrual Cycle Cyclic Changes in the Ovaries

The duration of the menstrual cycle is typically about 28 days. Since it is a cycle, there is no beginning or end, and the changes that occur are generally gradual. It is convenient, however, to call the first day of menstruation "day one" of the cycle, because the flow of menstrual blood is the most apparent of the changes that occur. It is also convenient to divide the cycle into phases based on changes that occur in the ovary and in the endometrium. The ovaries are in the follicular phase from the first day of menstruation until the day of ovulation. After ovulation, the ovaries are in the luteal phase until the first day of menstruation. The cyclic changes that occur in the endometrium are called the menstrual, proliferative, and secretory phases. These will be discussed separately. It should be noted that the time frames used for the following discussion are only averages. Individual cycles may exhibit considerable variation.

Follicular Phase

Menstruation lasts from day 1 to day 4 or 5 of the average cycle. During this time the secretions of ovarian steroid hormones are at their lowest, and the ovaries contain only primary follicles. During the follicular phase of the ovaries, which lasts from day 1 to about day 13 of the cycle (this duration is highly variable), some of the primary follicles grow, develop vesicles, and become secondary follicles. Toward the end of the follicular phase, one follicle in one ovary reaches maturity and becomes a graafian follicle. As follicles grow, the granulosa cells secrete an increasing amount of estradiol (the principal estrogen), which reaches its highest concentration in the blood at about day 12 of the cycle, 2 days before ovulation.

The growth of the follicles and the secretion of estradiol are stimulated by, and dependent upon, FSH secreted from the anterior pituitary. The amount of FSH secreted during the early follicular phase is believed to be slightly greater than the amount secreted in the late follicular phase (fig. 20.34), although this can vary from cycle to cycle. FSH stimulates the production of FSH receptors in the granulosa cells, so that the follicles become increasingly sensitive to a given amount of FSH. This increased sensitivity is augmented by estradiol, which also stimulates the production of new FSH receptors in the follicles. As a result, the stimulatory effect of FSH on the follicles increases despite the fact that FSH levels in the blood do not increase throughout the follicular phase. Toward the end of the follicular phase, FSH and estradiol also stimulate the production of LH receptors in the graafian follicle. This prepares the graafian follicle for the next major event in the cycle.

The rapid rise in estradiol secretion from the granulosa cells during the follicular phase acts on the hypothalamus to increase the frequency of GnRH pulses. In addition, estradiol augments the ability of the pituitary to respond to GnRH with an increase in LH secretion. As a result of this stimulatory, or positive feedback, effect of estradiol on the pituitary, there is an increase in LH secretion in the late follicular phase that culminates in an LH surge (fig. 20.34).

Fsh Estradiol Menstrual Cycle

Before After

Days from LH peak

■ Figure 20.34 Hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle.

Sample values are indicated for LH, FSH, progesterone, and estradiol during the menstrual cycle. The midcycle peak of LH is used as a reference day. (IU = international unit.)

The LH surge begins about 24 hours before ovulation and reaches its peak about 16 hours before ovulation. It is this surge that acts to trigger ovulation. Since GnRH stimulates the anterior pituitary to secrete both FSH and LH, there is a simultaneous, smaller surge in FSH secretion. Some investigators believe that this midcycle peak in FSH acts as a stimulus for the development of new follicles for the next month's cycle.


Under the influence of FSH stimulation, the graafian follicle grows so large that it becomes a thin-walled "blister" on the surface of the ovary. The growth of the follicle is accompanied by a rapid increase in the rate of estradiol secretion. This rapid increase in estradiol, in turn, triggers the LH surge at about day 13. Finally, the surge in LH secretion causes the wall of the graafian follicle to rupture at about day 14 (fig. 20.35, top). In the course of ovulation, a secondary oocyte, arrested at metaphase II of meiosis, is released from the ovary and swept by cilia into a uterine tube. The ovulated oocyte is still surrounded by a zona pellucida and corona radiata as it begins its journey to the uterus.

Ovulation occurs, therefore, as a result of the sequential effects of FSH and LH on the ovarian follicles. By means of the positive feedback effect of estradiol on LH secretion, the follicle in a sense sets the time for its own ovulation. This is because ovulation is triggered by an LH surge, and the LH surge is triggered by increased estradiol secretion that occurs while the follicle grows. In this way, the graafian follicle is not normally ovulated until it has reached the proper size and degree of maturation.

Luteal Phase

After ovulation, the empty follicle is stimulated by LH to become a new structure—the corpus luteum (fig. 20.36). This change in structure is accompanied by a change in function. Whereas the developing follicles secrete only estradiol, the corpus luteum secretes both estradiol and progesterone. Progesterone levels in the blood are negligible before ovulation but rise rapidly to a peak level during the luteal phase, approximately one week after ovulation (see figs. 20.34 and 20.35).

The high levels of progesterone combined with estradiol during the luteal phase exert an inhibitory, or negative feedback, effect on FSH and LH secretion. There is also evidence that the corpus luteum produces inhibin during the luteal phase, which may help to suppress FSH secretion or action. This serves to retard development of new follicles, so that further ovulation does not normally occur during that cycle. In this way, multiple ovulations (and possible pregnancies) on succeeding days of the cycle are prevented.

However, new follicles start to develop toward the end of one cycle in preparation for the next. This may be due to a decreased production of inhibin toward the end of the luteal phase. Estrogen and progesterone levels also fall during the late luteal phase (starting about day 22) because the corpus luteum regresses and stops functioning. In lower mammals, the decline in corpus luteum function is caused by a hormone called luteo-lysin, secreted by the uterus. There is evidence that the luteo-lysin in humans may be prostaglandin F2a (see figs. 2.23 and 11.34), but the mechanisms of corpus luteum regression in humans is still incompletely understood. Luteolysis (breakdown of the corpus luteum) can be prevented by high levels of LH, but LH levels remain low during the luteal phase as a result of negative feedback exerted by ovarian steroids. In a sense, therefore, the corpus causes its own demise.

With the declining function of the corpus luteum, estrogen and progesterone fall to very low levels by day 28 of the cycle. The withdrawal of ovarian steroids causes menstruation and permits a new cycle of follicle development to progress.

Fox: Human Physiology, I 20. Reproduction I Text I I © The McGraw-Hill

Eighth Edition Companies, 2003

Ovarian cycle

Developing follicle iy iuiii^ic te m iy iuiii^ic te m

Cyclic Changes The Ovary

LH Early corpus luteum

Corpus luteum regresses

Follicular phase


Luteal phase

Follicular Phase The Menstrual Cycle
■i H' V;

Menstruation Proliferative phase Secretory phase

■ Figure 20.35 The cycle of ovulation and menstruation. The downward arrows indicate the effects of the hormones.


Luteal Phase

■ Figure 20.36 A corpus luteum in a human ovary. This structure is formed from the empty graafian follicle following ovulation.

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  • Jamila
    What phase of the ovarian cycle is most variable?
    8 years ago
  • Daavid
    What changes occur during menstrual phase in the ovaries?
    8 years ago
  • brodie
    Why does the fsh levels remain low during the luteal phase?
    8 years ago
  • thorsten
    When does estradiol peak in menstrual cycle?
    8 years ago
  • Petra
    What occurs in ovary at end of follicular phase?
    8 years ago
  • katina
    Why is fsh so low during the luteal phase of the ovarium cycle?
    8 years ago
  • jodi jones
    What is midcycle peak, follicular phase, luteal phase?
    8 years ago
  • topias
    Is the luteal phase the cyclic time?
    8 years ago
  • myrtle
    Is proliferative and secretory phase of cycle variable?
    8 years ago
  • Bernd Fassbinder
    Why is fsh low during the luteal phSe?
    8 years ago
  • Kirk
    Which ovarian cells secrete estrogen?
    8 years ago
  • ENZO
    Why is lh level low during luteal phase?
    8 years ago
  • paul
    What events occur during the follicle phase of the menstrual cycle?
    8 years ago
  • Aurelio
    What should estrogen levels be during follicular phase?
    8 years ago
  • veera
    Why do levels of estrogen and progesterone finally decrease near the end of the luteal phase?
    8 years ago
  • Hiewan
    What phase is estradiol secreted in?
    8 years ago
    What is happening in the ovaries during luteal phase?
    8 years ago
  • marco
    What phase does estrodial secretion rise?
    8 years ago
  • grossman
    Can plan b one step stop the lh surge?
    8 years ago
  • Consolata
    What are normal estrogen blood levels during luteal cypcle?
    8 years ago
  • Rasmus
    What are the functions of fsh and lh during the follicular phase and luteal phase of the cycle?
    8 years ago
  • stephan
    What changes occur during the luteal/secretory phase?
    8 years ago
  • Alem Eyob
    What are ovarian follicle sizes in the menstrual phase?
    7 years ago
    What should fsh level be during menstrual cycle?
    7 years ago
    What if there is a large follicle in the ovary during the menstrual cycle?
    7 years ago
  • phillipp
    What are changes that occur in the ovaries as a result of rising fsh levels?
    7 years ago
  • isaura
    What should estradiol levels be during follicular stage?
    7 years ago
  • ulrich trommler
    Does the ovaries change in size during menstrual cycle?
    7 years ago
  • lola
    Why does FSH production stop before ovulation and start again on day 1 of the cycle?
    7 years ago
  • maire
    Why is fsh so low during the luteal pahse/?
    6 years ago
  • keegan
    Which phase of the menstrual cycle is the most variable?
    6 years ago
  • heidi
    Does meiosis occur in the follicular phase?
    6 years ago
  • LISA
    Which phase is variable secretory or follicular?
    6 years ago
  • birgit
    What are the changes that occur to the ovary during each phase of the menstrual cycle?
    6 years ago
  • Riccardo
    Are ovaries stimulated during the follicular phase of the mensrual cycle?
    6 years ago
  • sarah
    Why does rising levels of oestrogen negatively inhibit in follicular phase?
    6 years ago
  • Temshe
    When is midcycle peak in menstrual phases?
    6 years ago
  • osman
    How is it possible for FSH and LH to organize their secretion during the menstrual cycle?
    5 years ago
  • rowan
    How is GnRH possible to organize secretion during themensturl cycle?
    4 years ago
  • kim
    Why does FSH production stops before ovulation and starts again on day 1 of the cycle?
    4 years ago
  • silvia
    Where does meiosis occur during menstruation?
    3 years ago
  • demsas
    What to eat during mensrual period?
    2 years ago
  • vivian
    When will the lh secretion is on peak in menstrual cycle?
    2 years ago
    How are the ovarian and the essence of the cyclic changes in adults?
    2 years ago
  • ali
    What is the number of changes occur in ovary during menstrual cycle?
    1 year ago
  • Thorsten
    Why do granulosa cells change over the cycle?
    5 months ago
  • piia-noora
    What are the cyclal changes in menstrual cycle?
    3 months ago
  • Andrea Hofmann
    What initiates GnRH to initiate menstrual cycle?
    2 months ago

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