San Francisco de Paula, Science Department.
  • Department Home page
    • The International Baccalaureate
    • Conceptual learning
    • How will I be assessed?
    • Primary Science Club
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  • MYP Year 6
    • Yr 6 Syllabus & Assessment
    • Contents >
      • Unit 1: Introduction to investigation >
        • How to write Lab Reports
      • Unit 2: Living things
      • Unit 3: Classification of living things
      • Unit 4: Fungi, Protists and Bacteria
      • Unit 5: Nutrition I
    • Laboratory and Tasks
  • MYP Year 7
    • Yr 7 Syllabus & Assessment
    • Contents >
      • 7º PAI en español
      • Unit 1 - What do scientists do? >
        • How to write a lab report
        • SI Units
      • Unit 2 - The Earth in the Universe
      • Unit 3: How can we study living things >
        • Unit 3a - Living things
        • Unit 3b - The Diversity of Life >
          • Monera
          • Protists
          • Fungi
          • The Plant Kingdom
          • The Animal Kingdom
      • Unit 4 - Ecosystems & Biodiversity
      • Unit 5: The systems of the Earth >
        • Unit 5a - The Geosphere and the Atmosphere
        • Unit 5b - The hydrosphere and the Biosphere
      • Unit 6: Our changing home >
        • Unit 6a: Internal Geodynamics
        • Unit 6b: External Geodynamics
    • Laboratory & Tasks
  • MYP Year 8
    • Yr8 Syllabus & Assessment
    • Contents >
      • Units 1, 2 and 3 - Measuring Matters >
        • Unit 1 Physical quantities and Scientific Activity >
          • Converting Units
        • Unit 2 Matter and its Properties
        • Unit 3 Pure Substances and Mixtures >
          • Concentration and units (g/L, % mass)
      • Units 4 and 5 - Chemical Cooking >
        • Models of the Atom
        • Electronic structure of matter.
        • Periodic table (distribution of elements).
        • Chemical formulation
        • Molecular mass
        • Moles
        • Types of reactions
        • Lavoisier's law: Balancing of equations
        • Reaction rates: Factors that affect the speed of a reaction
      • Units 6, 7 and 8 - Move It! >
        • Unit 6 - Motion (URM)
        • Unit 6 - Motion (UARM)
        • Unit 7 - Forces and Mass
        • Unit 8 - Energy and Transformations
    • Laboratory & Tasks >
      • How to write a lab report
  • MYP Year 9
    • Yr9 Syllabus & Assessment
    • Contents >
      • Unit 1 and 2 - Health and Illness >
        • Unit 1 - Chemical formulation revision
        • Unit 1 - Human cells: levels of organisation
        • Unit 2 - Health and types of diseases
        • Unit 2 - Preventing diseases
        • Unit 2 - The Immune System
        • Transplants
        • Unit 2 - Addictive substances and associated substances
        • Complete Unit 1 and 2 - Health and Illness
      • Unit 3 - Nutrition >
        • Nutrition and nutrients
        • The Mediterranean diet
        • The anatomy and physiology of the digestive system
        • The anatomy and physiology of the circulatory system >
          • Revision quizzes
        • The anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system
        • The anatomy and physiology of the excretory system
        • Nutrition Documentaries
      • Unit 4 - Interaction and Coordination >
        • The function and anatomy of the nervous system
        • The endocrine system
      • Unit 5 - The reproductive system >
        • Anatomy and physiology of the human reproductive system.
        • Gametogenesis
        • Menstrual cycle
        • Fertilization and gestation
        • Infertility, contraception and STDs
      • Unit 6 and 7 - Genetics >
        • I: DNA and genetic modification
        • II: Mendelian genetics
        • III. Cells and Inheritance
        • Cellular reproduction: Mitosis and meiosis
      • Unit 8 - Evolution >
        • Evolutionary theories
        • Evolution Simulators
      • Unit 9 - Ecology and the environment >
        • Ecology
    • Laboratory & Tasks
  • MYP Year 10
    • Yr10 Syllabus
    • Contents >
      • Unit 0 - Formulation
      • Unit 1 - Scientific Activity
      • Unit 2 - Kinetic theory
      • The Atmosphere
      • Unit 3 - Mixtures and pures substances: Colligative properties
      • Unit 4 - The structure of matter
      • Unit 5 - Stoichiometry
      • Unit 6 - Redox Reactions
      • Unit 7 - Movement
      • Unit 8 - Forces
      • Unit 9 - Electricity
      • Unit 10 - Energy
    • Revision
    • Assessments and Lab Sessionss >
      • Assessments >
        • Criterion D - Water crisis
      • Session 1 - Paper balls
      • Sessions 2 - Properties of substances
      • Session 3 - Preparing a Schlenk tube
      • Session 4 - Gas constant
      • Session 5 - Colligative properties
      • Session 6 - Job´s method
      • Session 7 - Redox titration
      • Session 8 - UARM
      • Session 9 - Hooke´s Law
    • PISA questions
  • DP Biology SL
    • Contents >
      • Topic 1: Cell biology >
        • 1.1 Introduction to cells
        • 1.2 Ultrastructure of cells
        • 1.3 Membrane structure
        • 1.4 Membrane transport
        • 1.5 The origin of cells
        • 1.6 Cell division
      • Topic 2: Molecular biology >
        • 2.1 Molecules to metabolism
        • 2.2 Water
        • 2.3 Carbohydrates and lipids
        • 2.4 Proteins
        • 2.5 Enzymes
        • 2.6 Structure of DNA and RNA
        • 2.7 DNA replication, transcription and translation
        • 2.8 Cell respiration
        • 2.9 Photosynthesis
      • Topic 3: Genetics >
        • 3.1 Genes
        • 3.2 Chromosomes
        • 3.3 Meiosis
        • 3.4 Inheritance
        • 3.5 Genetic modification and biotechnology
      • Topic 4: Ecology >
        • 4.1 Species, communities and ecosystems
        • 4.2 Energy flow
        • 4.3 Carbon cycling
        • 4.4 Climate change
      • C: Ecology and conservation >
        • C.1 Species and communities
        • C.2 Communities and ecosystems
        • C.3 Impacts of humans on ecosystems
        • C.4 Conservation of biodiversity
      • Topic 5: Evolution and biodiversity >
        • 5.1 Evidence for evolution
        • 5.2 Natural selection
        • 5.3 Classification of biodiversity
        • 5.4 Cladistics
      • Topic 6: Human physiology >
        • 6.1 Digestion and absorption
        • 6.2 The blood system
        • 6.3 Defence against infectious disease
        • 6.4 Gas exchange
        • 6.5 Neurons and synapses
        • 6.6 Hormones, homeostasis and reproduction
    • Labs >
      • Statistical analysis
    • Previous to 2015 >
      • Topic 1: Statistical analysis
      • Topic 2: Cells >
        • 2.1 Cell theory
        • 2.2 Prokaryotic cells
        • 2.3 Eukaryotic cells
        • 2.4 Membranes
        • 2.5 Cell division
      • Option F: Microbes and biotechnology >
        • F1 Diversity of microbes
        • F2 Microbes and the environment
        • F3 Microbes and biotechnology
        • F4 Microbes and food production
      • Topic 5: Ecology and evolution >
        • 5.1 Communities and ecosystems
        • 5.2 The greenhouse effect
        • 5.3 Populations
        • 5.4 Evolution
        • 5.5 Classification
      • Option D: Evolution >
        • D1 Origin of life on Earth
        • D2 Species and speciation
        • D3 Human evolution
      • Topic 3: The chemistry of life >
        • 3.1 Chemical elements and water
        • 3.2 Carbohydrates, lipids and proteins
        • 3.3 DNA structure
        • 3.4 DNA replication
        • 3.5 Transcription and translation
        • 3.6 Enzymes
        • 3.7 Cell respiration
        • 3.8 Photosynthesis
        • TO DELETE
      • Topic 4: Genetics >
        • 4.1 Chromosomes, genes, alleles and mutations
        • 4.2 Meiosis
        • 4.3 Theoretical genetics
        • 4.4 Genetic engineering and biotechnology
      • Topic 6: Human health and physiology >
        • 6.1 Digestion
        • 6.2 The transport system
        • 6.3 Defence against infectious disease
        • 6.4 Gas exchange
        • 6.5 Nerves, hormones and homeostasis
        • 6.6 Reproduction
    • Tasks >
      • Databases
    • Documents
    • DP Biology Resources
    • Interesting links
  • Biología 12º
    • Bloque 1. Bioquímica
    • Bloque 2. Biología celular
    • Bloque 3. Genética y evolución
    • Bloque 4. Microbiología y biotecnología
    • Bloque 5. Inmunología
  • IB Biología NS
  • IB Chemistry HL
    • Contents >
      • Year 1 >
        • Topic 0 - Formulation
        • Topic 1 - Stoichiometric relationships
        • Topic 2 and 12 - Atomic structure
        • Topic 3 and 13 - Periodicity
        • Topic 4 and 14 - Chemical structure and bonding
        • Topic 5 and 15 - Energetics
        • Topic 10 and 20 - Organic chemistry
      • Year 2 >
        • Topic 6 and 16 - Chemical kinetics
        • Topic 7 and 17 - Equilibrium
        • Topic 8 and 18 - Acids and bases
        • Topic 9 and 19 - Redox processes
        • Topic 11 and 21 - Measurement and data processing
        • Option D - Medicinal chemistry
    • Lab work >
      • SFP Campus lab reports
      • Internal assessment structure
      • Internal Assessment examples
    • Nature of science
    • General revision
    • Selectividad
    • General information
    • Extended Essay
  • Other resources for students
    • Science Fair
    • Science essays >
      • How to Reference
    • Chemical formulation
    • Laboratory >
      • How to write a lab report
      • Microscopy
      • Excel for graphs and calculations >
        • Calculate the mean and SD
        • Drawing graphs
        • Add error bars to excel graphs
      • Lab videos!
    • Further Reading >
      • Women In Science
      • Infographics
    • Proyecto integrado
  • Department Home page
    • The International Baccalaureate
    • Conceptual learning
    • How will I be assessed?
    • Primary Science Club
    • Science Activities Noticeboard
  • MYP Year 6
    • Yr 6 Syllabus & Assessment
    • Contents >
      • Unit 1: Introduction to investigation >
        • How to write Lab Reports
      • Unit 2: Living things
      • Unit 3: Classification of living things
      • Unit 4: Fungi, Protists and Bacteria
      • Unit 5: Nutrition I
    • Laboratory and Tasks
  • MYP Year 7
    • Yr 7 Syllabus & Assessment
    • Contents >
      • 7º PAI en español
      • Unit 1 - What do scientists do? >
        • How to write a lab report
        • SI Units
      • Unit 2 - The Earth in the Universe
      • Unit 3: How can we study living things >
        • Unit 3a - Living things
        • Unit 3b - The Diversity of Life >
          • Monera
          • Protists
          • Fungi
          • The Plant Kingdom
          • The Animal Kingdom
      • Unit 4 - Ecosystems & Biodiversity
      • Unit 5: The systems of the Earth >
        • Unit 5a - The Geosphere and the Atmosphere
        • Unit 5b - The hydrosphere and the Biosphere
      • Unit 6: Our changing home >
        • Unit 6a: Internal Geodynamics
        • Unit 6b: External Geodynamics
    • Laboratory & Tasks
  • MYP Year 8
    • Yr8 Syllabus & Assessment
    • Contents >
      • Units 1, 2 and 3 - Measuring Matters >
        • Unit 1 Physical quantities and Scientific Activity >
          • Converting Units
        • Unit 2 Matter and its Properties
        • Unit 3 Pure Substances and Mixtures >
          • Concentration and units (g/L, % mass)
      • Units 4 and 5 - Chemical Cooking >
        • Models of the Atom
        • Electronic structure of matter.
        • Periodic table (distribution of elements).
        • Chemical formulation
        • Molecular mass
        • Moles
        • Types of reactions
        • Lavoisier's law: Balancing of equations
        • Reaction rates: Factors that affect the speed of a reaction
      • Units 6, 7 and 8 - Move It! >
        • Unit 6 - Motion (URM)
        • Unit 6 - Motion (UARM)
        • Unit 7 - Forces and Mass
        • Unit 8 - Energy and Transformations
    • Laboratory & Tasks >
      • How to write a lab report
  • MYP Year 9
    • Yr9 Syllabus & Assessment
    • Contents >
      • Unit 1 and 2 - Health and Illness >
        • Unit 1 - Chemical formulation revision
        • Unit 1 - Human cells: levels of organisation
        • Unit 2 - Health and types of diseases
        • Unit 2 - Preventing diseases
        • Unit 2 - The Immune System
        • Transplants
        • Unit 2 - Addictive substances and associated substances
        • Complete Unit 1 and 2 - Health and Illness
      • Unit 3 - Nutrition >
        • Nutrition and nutrients
        • The Mediterranean diet
        • The anatomy and physiology of the digestive system
        • The anatomy and physiology of the circulatory system >
          • Revision quizzes
        • The anatomy and physiology of the respiratory system
        • The anatomy and physiology of the excretory system
        • Nutrition Documentaries
      • Unit 4 - Interaction and Coordination >
        • The function and anatomy of the nervous system
        • The endocrine system
      • Unit 5 - The reproductive system >
        • Anatomy and physiology of the human reproductive system.
        • Gametogenesis
        • Menstrual cycle
        • Fertilization and gestation
        • Infertility, contraception and STDs
      • Unit 6 and 7 - Genetics >
        • I: DNA and genetic modification
        • II: Mendelian genetics
        • III. Cells and Inheritance
        • Cellular reproduction: Mitosis and meiosis
      • Unit 8 - Evolution >
        • Evolutionary theories
        • Evolution Simulators
      • Unit 9 - Ecology and the environment >
        • Ecology
    • Laboratory & Tasks
  • MYP Year 10
    • Yr10 Syllabus
    • Contents >
      • Unit 0 - Formulation
      • Unit 1 - Scientific Activity
      • Unit 2 - Kinetic theory
      • The Atmosphere
      • Unit 3 - Mixtures and pures substances: Colligative properties
      • Unit 4 - The structure of matter
      • Unit 5 - Stoichiometry
      • Unit 6 - Redox Reactions
      • Unit 7 - Movement
      • Unit 8 - Forces
      • Unit 9 - Electricity
      • Unit 10 - Energy
    • Revision
    • Assessments and Lab Sessionss >
      • Assessments >
        • Criterion D - Water crisis
      • Session 1 - Paper balls
      • Sessions 2 - Properties of substances
      • Session 3 - Preparing a Schlenk tube
      • Session 4 - Gas constant
      • Session 5 - Colligative properties
      • Session 6 - Job´s method
      • Session 7 - Redox titration
      • Session 8 - UARM
      • Session 9 - Hooke´s Law
    • PISA questions
  • DP Biology SL
    • Contents >
      • Topic 1: Cell biology >
        • 1.1 Introduction to cells
        • 1.2 Ultrastructure of cells
        • 1.3 Membrane structure
        • 1.4 Membrane transport
        • 1.5 The origin of cells
        • 1.6 Cell division
      • Topic 2: Molecular biology >
        • 2.1 Molecules to metabolism
        • 2.2 Water
        • 2.3 Carbohydrates and lipids
        • 2.4 Proteins
        • 2.5 Enzymes
        • 2.6 Structure of DNA and RNA
        • 2.7 DNA replication, transcription and translation
        • 2.8 Cell respiration
        • 2.9 Photosynthesis
      • Topic 3: Genetics >
        • 3.1 Genes
        • 3.2 Chromosomes
        • 3.3 Meiosis
        • 3.4 Inheritance
        • 3.5 Genetic modification and biotechnology
      • Topic 4: Ecology >
        • 4.1 Species, communities and ecosystems
        • 4.2 Energy flow
        • 4.3 Carbon cycling
        • 4.4 Climate change
      • C: Ecology and conservation >
        • C.1 Species and communities
        • C.2 Communities and ecosystems
        • C.3 Impacts of humans on ecosystems
        • C.4 Conservation of biodiversity
      • Topic 5: Evolution and biodiversity >
        • 5.1 Evidence for evolution
        • 5.2 Natural selection
        • 5.3 Classification of biodiversity
        • 5.4 Cladistics
      • Topic 6: Human physiology >
        • 6.1 Digestion and absorption
        • 6.2 The blood system
        • 6.3 Defence against infectious disease
        • 6.4 Gas exchange
        • 6.5 Neurons and synapses
        • 6.6 Hormones, homeostasis and reproduction
    • Labs >
      • Statistical analysis
    • Previous to 2015 >
      • Topic 1: Statistical analysis
      • Topic 2: Cells >
        • 2.1 Cell theory
        • 2.2 Prokaryotic cells
        • 2.3 Eukaryotic cells
        • 2.4 Membranes
        • 2.5 Cell division
      • Option F: Microbes and biotechnology >
        • F1 Diversity of microbes
        • F2 Microbes and the environment
        • F3 Microbes and biotechnology
        • F4 Microbes and food production
      • Topic 5: Ecology and evolution >
        • 5.1 Communities and ecosystems
        • 5.2 The greenhouse effect
        • 5.3 Populations
        • 5.4 Evolution
        • 5.5 Classification
      • Option D: Evolution >
        • D1 Origin of life on Earth
        • D2 Species and speciation
        • D3 Human evolution
      • Topic 3: The chemistry of life >
        • 3.1 Chemical elements and water
        • 3.2 Carbohydrates, lipids and proteins
        • 3.3 DNA structure
        • 3.4 DNA replication
        • 3.5 Transcription and translation
        • 3.6 Enzymes
        • 3.7 Cell respiration
        • 3.8 Photosynthesis
        • TO DELETE
      • Topic 4: Genetics >
        • 4.1 Chromosomes, genes, alleles and mutations
        • 4.2 Meiosis
        • 4.3 Theoretical genetics
        • 4.4 Genetic engineering and biotechnology
      • Topic 6: Human health and physiology >
        • 6.1 Digestion
        • 6.2 The transport system
        • 6.3 Defence against infectious disease
        • 6.4 Gas exchange
        • 6.5 Nerves, hormones and homeostasis
        • 6.6 Reproduction
    • Tasks >
      • Databases
    • Documents
    • DP Biology Resources
    • Interesting links
  • Biología 12º
    • Bloque 1. Bioquímica
    • Bloque 2. Biología celular
    • Bloque 3. Genética y evolución
    • Bloque 4. Microbiología y biotecnología
    • Bloque 5. Inmunología
  • IB Biología NS
  • IB Chemistry HL
    • Contents >
      • Year 1 >
        • Topic 0 - Formulation
        • Topic 1 - Stoichiometric relationships
        • Topic 2 and 12 - Atomic structure
        • Topic 3 and 13 - Periodicity
        • Topic 4 and 14 - Chemical structure and bonding
        • Topic 5 and 15 - Energetics
        • Topic 10 and 20 - Organic chemistry
      • Year 2 >
        • Topic 6 and 16 - Chemical kinetics
        • Topic 7 and 17 - Equilibrium
        • Topic 8 and 18 - Acids and bases
        • Topic 9 and 19 - Redox processes
        • Topic 11 and 21 - Measurement and data processing
        • Option D - Medicinal chemistry
    • Lab work >
      • SFP Campus lab reports
      • Internal assessment structure
      • Internal Assessment examples
    • Nature of science
    • General revision
    • Selectividad
    • General information
    • Extended Essay
  • Other resources for students
    • Science Fair
    • Science essays >
      • How to Reference
    • Chemical formulation
    • Laboratory >
      • How to write a lab report
      • Microscopy
      • Excel for graphs and calculations >
        • Calculate the mean and SD
        • Drawing graphs
        • Add error bars to excel graphs
      • Lab videos!
    • Further Reading >
      • Women In Science
      • Infographics
    • Proyecto integrado
San Francisco de Paula, Science Department.

The menstrual cycle

Some animations

Female system and the menstual cycle
Female reproductive system with clear explanation on the hormones of the menstrual cycle

Hormones affect the wall of the uterus
 
During the menstrual cycle, the wall of the uterus goes through four phases under the influence of two hormones, oestrogen and progesterone. During the first phase, which lasts about five days, the lining of the uterus is shed, accompanied by a loss of blood. This time is a woman’s period or more correctly the menstrual phase or menstruation. The other phases of the cycle prepare the uterus to receive and protect a zygote:
 
Menstruation: The uterus lining is shed. Blood and fragments of tissue leave the body through the vagina. Menstruation is triggered by a decrease in the concentration of progesterone. This phase last from 3 - 7 days.
Make sure to understand this graph fully. Know the moment at which which hormone is active and the function of it. (So for FSH, LH, Estrogens ad Progesterone)
​Repair phase: More blood vessels grow in the lining of the uterus, and the lining thickens and becomes more stable. These changes are triggered by an increase in the concentration of oestrogen, produced by the ovaries. This phase lasts about 10-11 days.
 
Following the development of a Graafian follicle (see ovarian cycle) an egg is released into the oviduct. Ovulation occurs at the peak of oestrogen concentration and is triggered by a hormone from the pituitary gland. (The release of the ovum is accompanied by a slight increase in temperature. Some women are actually aware of the moment of ovulation).
Receptive phase: The lining of the uterus and its blood vessels are now well developed. If fertilisation has occurred the embryo can become implanted. This optimum set of conditions for implantation remains from 6-7 days after ovulation, and is maintained by an increasing concentration of progesterone (released by the corpus luteum; see ovarian cycle).
 
Premenstrual phase: The uterus lining degenerates as the progesterone concentration starts to fall unless embryo implantation has occurred, in which case progesterone (from the corpus luteum) keeps the lining intact to begin pregnancy. This is the last few days before menstruation.
Picture
Picture
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