The human reproductive process is an intricate system dependant on the health of the male and female reproductive organs and hormone systems. Women are born with approximately 1-2 million eggs and at puberty have 200,000 to 400,000 eggs that are matured during the menstrual cycle. Several eggs mature and one is ovulated each cycle, while the others regress. Therefore, when all of the eggs a woman is born with are depleted, she becomes menopausal. Due to hormonal changes resulting form the aging ovary, she often experiences symptoms associated with diminished estrogen production.. The female reproductive cycles is dependant on five hormones functioning properly. In the mean time, intercourse has occurred and sperm travel to the fallopian tube, an egg can fertilize in the fallopian tube. An egg can survive in the fallopian tube approximately 12-24 hours prior to fertilization.
Sperm can remain for up to five days and fertilize the egg at any point during that time. If fertilization occurs, the resulting embryo begins to grow by cell division. In about 5 days the embryo, now a blastocyst, enters the uterus. Progesterone produced by the corpus luteum, along with the estrogen produced by the ovary in the follicular phase, nourish the endometrial lining in anticipation of receiving an embryo. If the embryo implants and begins to grow, BhCG (pregnancy hormone) is produced. If the embryo fails to implant in the endometrial lining the ovary stops production of progesterone, the estrogen drops and the endometrial lining is shed as menstrual flow and cycle begins again.
