Feedback Mechanism
Feedback Mechanism
Feedback Mechanism
Lecture 3
1. General Considerations
• About 300,000 to 400,000 immature oocytes
per ovary are present at birth (were formed
during the first 5 months of intrauterine life.,
a process known as oogenesis). Many of
these oocytes, however, degenerate and
atrophy ( a process called atresia). Only
about 300 to 400 mature during the entire
reproductive cycle of women.
• Menstruation is ushered in by the menarche -
very first menstruation in girls. And ends with
menopause (permanent cessation of
menstruation, i.e., there are no more
functioning oocytes in the ovaries). The age of
onset and termination vary widely on
heredity, racial background, nutrition and
even climate
• Normal period (days when there is menstrual
flow) lasts for 3 to 6 days, menstrual cycle
(from the first day of menstrual period up to
the first day of the next menstrual period) may
be anywhere from 25 to 35 days, but accepted
average length is 28 days.
• Anovulatory stage after menarche
are not unusual because immaturity
of the feedback mechanism.
• Anovulatory stage also occur during
pregnancy, lactation, and related
disease condition.
• Associated terms
- Amenorrhea temporary cessation of
menstrual flow
- Oligomenorrhea – markedly diminished
menstrual flow, nearing amenorrhea
- Menorrhagia – excessive bleeding during
regular menstruation
Metrorrhagia is bleeding at
completely irregular intervals
- Polymenorrhea is frequent
menstruation occurring at intervals
less than 3 weeks
- Dysmenorrhea is painful
menstruation
• Body Structures Involved
- Hypothalamus
- Anterior pituitary gland
- Ovary
- uterus
• Hormones which regulate cyclic
activities
- Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
- Luteinizing Hormone (LH)
Effects of Estrogen in the body
- Inhibits production of LH
- Increases endometrial tortuosity
- Increases endometrial secretions
- Inhibits uterine motility
- Decreases muscle tone of
gastrointestinal and urinary tract
- Increases musculoskeletal motility
- Facilitates transport of the fertilized
ovum through the Fallopian tubes
- Decreases renal threshold of lactose
and dextrose
- Increases fibrinogen levels; decreases
hemoglobin and hematocrit
- Increases body temperature after ovulation.
Just before ovulation basal temperature
decreases slightly (because of low
progesterone level in the blood) and then
increases slightly a day after ovulation
(because of the presence of progesterone)
Additional Information
1. When the ovary releases the mature ovum
on the day of ovulation, sometime a certain
degree of pain in either the right or left lower
quadrant is felt by the woman. This sensation
is normal and termed Mittelschmerz.
2. The first 14 days of the menstrual cycle is a
very variable period. The last 14 days of the
menstrual cycle is a fixed period-exactly 2
weeks after ovulation, menstruation will occur
(unless a pregnancy has taken place) because
the corpus luteum has a life span of only 2
weeks
Implication: when given options regarding the
exact date of ovulation, choose two weeks
before menstruation.
3. In a 26-day cycle, ovulation takes place on the
12th day. In a 28-day cycle, ovulation takes
place on the 14th day. In a 32-day cycle,
ovulation takes place on the 18th day (Subtract
14 days from the cycle)
4. Menstruation does not occur during
pregnancy because progesterone does
not decrease in amount. Corpus luteum
continues to produce progesterone until
the placenta takes over the production
of hormones by the 8th week of
pregnancy.
5. Menstruation can occur even without
ovulation (as in women taking oral
contraceptives). Ovulation can likewise
occur even without menstruation (as in
lactating mothers).
THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE