Menopause And Hormone During Women Life Stages

Puberty, perimenopause, menopause, post-menopause ... The women life is physiological marked with different changes. While hormones play an important place in our daily lives, what do you know exactly about these substances?

If you thought that only teenagers are governed by their hormones, know that this influence continues throughout your life too.

The four stages of hormonal life

The female body changes with age and many of these changes are directly related to hormones influence, this rate varies during different stages of life. The influence of hormones is dormant during childhood and they start between 9 and 13 years.

Puberty: The breasts begin to form (breast bud). The pubic hair appear and between one and four years later, come the first period that mark the entrance into puberty. This period ends with the complete maturation of genitals.

Perimenopause: This transition reflects the approach of menopause. The period become less regular and the first symptoms of menopause may appear (hot flashes, night sweats ...). This period is between 2 and 4 years before the latest rules and is still one year after stopping them.

Menopause: Entering menopause is marked by the latest rules. Nobody knows with certainty that this is the last after a year without menstruation.

Post-menopause: the period after menopause and continues until the end of life. Pregnancies are impossible.

But what are the mysterious conductors that punctuate the lives of women?

The secrets circuits of hormonal system

Without claiming to explain all the hormonal mechanisms of our body, i will present some highlights. In this hormonal system, several bodies take the spotlight.

The ovaries are two small oval bodies located on both sides of the uterus. At birth, they contain 700 000 follicles. Only 400 to 500 of them will be matured and bond actually an egg during the menstrual cycle. The maturation of these follicles is linked to the production of estrogen.

But the real conductor of this system lies in the head. At the base of the brain, the hypothalamus is a small gland, this is the key to the whole system. Stimulated by the central nervous system, stimulates the hypothalamus, pituitary hormones through Gn RH. In turn, the front part of the pituitary hormone follicular stimulation product (FSH) and the luteinizing hormone (LH). Acting together, these two hormones in turn stimulate the maturation of one of ovarian follicles, which will give an egg. As the maturation of the egg, the quantities of estrogen and progesterone increase. These hormones will cause the thickness of the uterine epithelium, which is preparing to welcome and nurture the fertilized egg after conception. The maximum rate of estrogen is reached a day before ovulation. It is the LH hormone that triggers ovulation around the 14th day. Caution, however, this can vary so contraceptive methods based on this schedule are not reliable. If there is no fertilization, the hormone levels fall, the uterine wall is necrosis, is off and the period are triggered while rebuilding the wall is being .

With the approach of perimenopause, the hormone levels fluctuate without following any rhythm. On the other hand, the pituitary gland release more FSH hormone to maintain the smooth functioning of ovaries, which themselves become resistant to this hormone. The period become unpredictable, both in pace and their volume. Your doctor can then prescribe you the FSH. But the rate of this hormone is very volatile during perimenopause. After the absence of your menstrual period for a year and with a high rate of FSH, it can diagnose menopause. Attention, less than a year after the last menstrual period, getting pregnant is always possible.