Education
- When a woman is born, her ovaries will already contain all of the eggs she will need in a lifetime.
- Once puberty arrives, she will begin to ovulate, which involves a very intricate and detailed process involving many hormones.
- The hypothalamus is an area which is very deep in the center of our brains. This area is responsible for making a hormone called Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH).
- GnRH will target the pituitary gland (a pea-sized structure deep in the middle our our brains, and induce the release of FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone).
- FSH will target the ovaries and stimulate a few eggs to begin to grow and mature each month.
- The eggs will mature within a fluid filled sac called a "follicle", which is often referred to as a "functional cyst" on ultrasound.
- One follicle will generally win out and become the "dominant follicle".
- The developing follicles will synthesize and secrete hormones, estrogen is the predominant hormone secreted in during this "pre-ovulatory phase, also known as the pre-Peak phase or follicular phase.
- Estrogen will in turn target the endometrium and build up the layer. Estrogen will also target the cervix and induce the production of cervical mucus, which is a healthy state will become stretchy, clear and/or lubricative.
- We call this "the mucus build-up" in the Creighton Model System (CrMS) of charting.
- The "Peak Day" is the last day of "10", "K" OR "L" and will occur in very close proximity to when the woman ovulates.
- Once ovulation occurs, ie: when the egg ruptures from the fluid-filled follicle, the follicle itself will change in structure and function.
- The follicle will become a new structure called the "corpus luteum" which will predominantly secrete progesterone.
- The progesterone will target the cervix and cause the mucus to become thicker and or dryer and it will be more hostile to sperm.
- The progesterone will also target the endometrium and cause glands to form that will secrete nutritious substances to help foster the implantation and growth if a baby is conceived and implants into the endometrial well.
- Some women will be found to have low progesterone in the post-Peak phase, also called the post-ovulatory phase or the luteal phase.
- This is referred to as a "Luteal Phase Deficiency".
- Low progesterone can contribute to many reproductive and pregnancy problems such as: Infertility & Recurrent Pregnancy Loss (RPL), PCOS, endometriosis and when a woman has entered into her perimenopause & menopause state of life.