The Menstrual Cycle

The Menstrual Cycle The menstrual cycle can be divided up into 4 stages; Menstrual Follicular Ovulatory Luteal (often know as the Secretory stage) The entire cycle usually lasts 28 days. It can however last for as little time as 21 days or as many as 31. The only interval which is fairly constant in all women is the time from ovulation to the start of menstruation which is almost always 14 or 15 days. For simplicity sake, I have used the …

…uterus making it contract. In order for the mother to produce milk for her child (Lactation) a hormone called Prolactin is made by the pituitary gland during and after pregnancy. This combined with HCS is released when the baby suckles the nipple. The sustained manufacturing of these hormones is dependant on continued suckling The hormone Oxytocin again works here as a stimulation . It enables the contraction of the cells in the breast to release milk.