Menstrual Cycle : Preovulatory Phase

The preovulatory phase

The preovulatory phase (before the egg cell is released) is next and starts as soon as bleeding (the menstrual period) has ended. During the preovulatory phase the uterine lining thickens with an increased numbers of blood vessels. The lining of the uterus needs to prepare itself for the possibility of supporting a fertilised egg. An egg is also ripening in one of the ovaries in preparation for ovulation.

Source : http://www.babymed.com/fertility-101-lesson-02-menstrual-cycle-and-period

Follicle phase known also as pre-ovulatory phase can have different length. The length differs between women and it changes with age. Differences between your cycles are also possible mainly due to the change of climate, stress, illness, lack of sleep, crash diet; then your ovulation may be postponed and the pre-ovulatory phase lasts longer.

The estrogen has the dominant role in this phase. It causes the given changes within the woman’s reproductive organs.

Under the influence of estrogens mucous membranes start growing. The cervix opens, gets softer and moves to high position at the same time secreting the cervical fluid.

The estrogen released by the developing follicles, and later by the dominant follicle, causes the lining of the uterus, the endometrium, to grow and thicken in preparation of implantation of a fertilized egg.

From the view point of couple’s fertility we can observe 2 stages :

relatively infertile phase;

combined fertile phase;

Relatively infertile phase starts at the beginning of the cycle (i.e. from the first day of menstrual period) and usually has different length. During that phase the cervix is closed, hard and low situated. The cervical fluid isn’t produced.

The environment in the vaginal tract is acidic so that it is a protection against pathogenic bacteria, viruses and mycotic fungus. It is also hostile environment for sperm, as the sperm cells need alkaline solution to survive. It means that after intercourse the sperms cells die in a few hours.

With the rise of the estrogen level the fertile phase begins. The egg matures in the ovary, the cervix starts opening, it moves up and softens. The appearing cervical fluid changes the vagina’s environment to an alkaline solution that enables the sperm cells to survive and get into the women’s genital tract.

At the beginning the cervical fluid is thick, white and non-transparent but with the estrogen rise it becomes transparent, tensile and smooth.

Thick cervical fluid is a kind of net which is hard to go through and sperm cells are being selected – the damaged and poor developed are kept away. The more watery and tensile the cervical fluid is the more sperm cells can go through it. The more fertile characteristic the cervical fluid is the better environment for sperm it becomes. As it is nutritious and enables the greater mobility.

Kredit : http://go28days.com/help/cycle_vs_fertility

*sedang menghampiri Preovulatory Phase. Jadi, rilek2 saja utk menanti ovulation phase. Huhu