Ovulation is a period in the menstrual cycle, which is very significant because women are most fertile during this period. If you are trying to conceive, it is ideal to have intercourse during this period and if you are avoiding conception, it is ideal to avoid ovulation period all together. Claim Your 20 Free Pregnancy Tests – Click Here
Whatever it may be, it is important to know as much as possible about ovulation so that you know how your body works. This will also help you get pregnant. You can use an ovulation calendar, provided you have regular periods, in order to determine when you are ovulating.
Ovulation is basically the process in which the mature ovum is released for fertilization into the oviduct by the pre-ovulatory follicle. During this time FSH or the Follicle Stimulating Hormone and LH or the Luteinizing Hormone are required.
The LH is actually required even for ovum maturation. After this there is a resting stage and then meiosis occurs. The germinal vesicle or the oocyte nucleus undergoes germinal vesicle breakdown, meiotic metaphase, and other changes. Here, meiosis is arrested and will not proceed unless the egg is fertilized.
A hole is formed on the surface of the ovary during ovulation and this is a very dramatic change. This hole is where the ovum is implanted once it is fertilized. Here again, LH is required. Because the LH increases, prostaglandin and progesterone are also released in response.
2 weeks following ovulation, this hormone is released in significant amounts. This hormone is extremely important for the thickening of the endometrium, which is nutrient-rich. This is a step to prepare it for the fertilized egg. Progesterone also works on the breasts and stimulates the process of lactation or the formation of milk.
This is produced right before ovulation and is required by the uterus to rebuild its endometrium lining.
These are also very important because of their role as feedback controls. They tell the brain hormones about the regulation of LH and FSH. It is thanks to these two sex hormones that the levels of LH and FSH are increased and decreased according to the requirements.
These hormones are made using cholesterol in the ovaries. Even testosterone is derived in a similar process. After that, the progesterone and testosterone are converted into estrogen. All the testosterone and only a part of progesterone are converted because progesterone is also needed but testosterone is not.
After ovulation, more progesterone is made so that it can be converted to estrogen. Thus, more amounts of this sex hormone are produced after ovulation.
As aforementioned, this hormone is very important. The surge of this hormone is thanks to the rise in estradiol, which is secreted by the pre-ovulatory follicle. LH is produced about 36 hours before ovulation and its levels will give you precise results about ovulation timing. LH not just stimulates luteinization but also stimulates progesterone syntheses. LH also works to stimulate the continuation of meiosis and ovum release.
It is thought that when FSH levels rise during the rise in LH, the hormone works to free the ovum so that it proceeds to the fallopian tube. Progesterone is also responsible for the increase in levels of FSH during the cycle.
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