26/06/2019
The Success of the Pill
The female reproductive system goes through a cycle that can last up to 28 days or one month and begins at puberty and ends with menopause this is known as the menstrual cycle. This cycle describes the forever occuring changes in the female reproductive system in order to make pregnancy possible (unknown, 2017). The cycle starts with menstruation where the lining of the uterine shreds, this is often referred to as the menstrual bleed or having your period. Then the system goes through the follicular phase where the hypothalamus sends a signal to the pituitary gland in order to send a follicle stimulating hormones (FSH) (Unknown, 2017). This triggers the ovaries to produce up to 20 follicles containing immature ovum, however, only one follicle usually survives to maturity. This phase prompts the thickening, or the uterine lining also known as endometrium in order to prepare for fertilisation. The next phase is ovulation where higher levels of estrogen which is signaled by the matured follicle in order to release the follicle. the pituitary gland produces luteinising hormone (LH) along with FSH to trigger ovulation within the two days (J. Jailes, 2019). The follicles further released into the fallopian tube, where the small fimbriae sweep the ovum towards the uterus. If the ovum isn’t fertilized by a sperm within 24 hours the ovum will die. Next is the Luteal phase when the follicle becomes a corpus luteum which creates the hormone progesterone. However, if the follicle is fertilized the ovum will implant into the uterine lining. without the progesterone the uterus is unable to maintain the thickness of the lining and menstruation occurs. the hormones FSH and LH are released from the anterior pituitary gland which acts on stimulating the follicular growth in the ovaries, stimulates estrogen secretion from the follicles development, causes ovulation and results in the formation of corpus luteum (J. Jailes, 2019). Compared to the hormones estrogen and progesterone which are released from the ovaries and act on the preparation for pregnancy, by thickening the uterine lining (endometrium), inhibits FSH and LH for most of the cycle and stimulates FSH and LH released for pre-ovulation.
If the egg is fertilized the reproductive system goes through four phases which prepare and kick start pregnancy for women. The first phase being the zygotic phase which is when the zygote which is the diploid cell formed by two haploid gametes from both the mother (eggs) and farther (sperm) fusing together to form the zygote ( The second phase is the Blastocyst phase were a singled-cell zygote starts to divide into a solid ball of cells. The ball later becomes hollow ball of cells known as a blastocyst, which attaches its self to the lining of the uterus (Unknown, 2019). Next is the embryonic phase which is where the internal organs and external features specifically the heart, brain and spinal cord emerge and the arms and legs st...
