Every woman who has ever been interested in the peculiarities of the reproductive system, which nature has endowed her with, knows about the most important role of follicles. It is they who, maturing in the ovaries, lead to ovulation and make it possible to become pregnant.
You have also probably heard that the number of follicles in the female body is limited — that is why, after reaching a certain age, women can no longer have children (with menopause, the ovaries cease to stimulate the development of follicles).
To accurately calculate the timing of ovulation, you need to know in some detail about the mechanism of maturation of follicles in the ovaries, and also understand why this system can fail. Read about all this in the article estet-portal.com.
How should ovarian follicles mature
As we said a little higher, the supply of follicles given to each woman by nature is not only individual (someone may have higher or lower fertility than others), but, alas, it is also limited. Moreover, this amount is laid even before the birth of the girl (during the formation of the fetus in the mother's womb) and it is impossible to change it throughout life.
On average, this number can be about half a million cells, but you should not deceive yourself — not all of them go to work. By the end of puberty, the girl has no more than 40 thousand left (give or take), but not even all of them will have time to mature throughout her life.
On average, only half a thousand follicles from the entire innate reserve go through all the stages of maturation in the ovaries — the rest "fade out" even before the start of the active growth phase (this phenomenon is called atresia).
Maturation of follicles — very difficult and multi-stage process. The slightest hormonal failure can disrupt harmony. But more on that later.
Stages of follicle maturation:
1. The first week of the menstrual cycle.
Under hormonal influence, a dozen follicles begin to mature at the same time, of which only the strongest (dominant) remains, which, during ovulation, will give rise to an egg ready for conception. Follicles of a few millimeters are clearly visible on ultrasound at the end of the first week of the cycle.
2. The growth of the dominant follicle.
It adds 2 millimeters in diameter every day.
3. Ovulation.
After the follicle reaches a diameter of about 2 centimeters, it bursts, releasing a mature egg, which is ovulation.
If the cycle is stable and without failures, then ovulation occurs approximately on the 13-15th day of the menstrual cycle. At this time, the highest chances of pregnancy with unprotected sex.
Knowing your cycle (if it is regular, of course), it is easy to independently trace the stages of maturation of follicles to determine ovulation and identify deviations in order to contact doctors in time for a comprehensive examination.
It is also useful for women who plan to conceive and calculate the timing of ovulation to know some typical signs of its onset. However, remember that all the signs listed below are individual and may not be observed in all women.
Signs of ovulation:
- With daily measurement of rectal temperature, you can notice that on the day of ovulation itself, it may decrease, and then rise again.
- The level of luteinizing hormone rises sharply in the blood ( LG). Its level can be determined using special tests for determining ovulation, which are sold in pharmacies and are similar in principle to tests for determining pregnancy.
- The amount of mucous discharge from the vagina may increase.
- May hurt or pull the lower abdomen ( but the pain should never be sharp!).
Possible pathologies of maturation of follicles in the ovaries
If the maturation process is disturbed, unfortunately, this often means infertility. However, in many cases, this is a process that is amenable to hormonal correction and medical assistance, so do not rush to lose heart.
But it is not worth delaying contacting specialists (gynecologists and endocrinologists) who will accurately find out the causes and eliminate them.
Possible causes of absent or defective follicle maturation:
- Ovarian dysfunction.
- Endocrine disorders.
- Pelvic inflammatory disease.
- Sexual infections.
- Neoplasms (not only in the pelvis, but also in the hypothalamus or pituitary gland).
- Early menopause.
- Emotional instability provoked by constant stress or depression can also give a hormonal surge and, as a result, cause reproductive dysfunction.
Due to one of these reasons, it is even possible that there are no follicles in the ovaries. With defects in the maturation process, the follicle freezes at some phase of growth or, moreover, begins to "fade out"; before the final maturation, or cannot grow to the desired size, or even does not burst, not releasing a mature egg outside. Also, a pathology is considered too early, or vice versa, delayed maturation of the follicle.
As we wrote, by the time of ovulation, only one follicle matures. However, in rare cases, two follicles can mature at the same time. This is not a pathology, as it increases the chances not only for the success of the conception itself, but also for the appearance of two children at once.
By the way, this often happens during the IVF procedure. Many of the defects in follicular maturation (and hence infertility) are treated with hormone therapy that stimulates ovulation by causing follicles to grow in the ovaries.
However, in order to choose the right drugs, the doctor will first have to conduct a comprehensive and comprehensive examination of the patient. Health to you, dear readers!
Read also: Infertility in women: diagnosis is not a sentence
Add a comment