Womens Health Blog

Menstruation is the result of complete interaction between hypothalamus, pituitary gland, ovaries, and the uterus lining. Hypothalamus is a part of the brain which controls many involuntary movements, endocrine glands, and body functions such as temperature, sleep and appetite. Pituitary gland is a small gland attached to the hypothalamus and secretes many hormones. The hypothalamus receives stimulation from the environment in the form of nutrition, stress, emotion, light, smell, sound, etc. This stimulation results in secretion of a hormone called the Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH). The GnRH stimulates the pituitary to secrete another hormone called the gonadotropin. Gonads are sexual organs (ovaries in the females and testes in the males) and the hormones which stimulate these organs are called gonadotropins. The gonadotropins in the females stimulate the ovary to develop an egg. The process of ripening of an egg in the ovary is called ovulation. Gonadotropins also stimulate the ovaries to secrete female hormones, oestrogen and progesterone. These hormones stimulate the uterus lining to prepare it for pregnancy. They also give feedback to the hypothalamus and the pituitary to keep gonadotropins at the right level. If pregnancy does not occur, the uterus lining is shed as menstruation..

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