The Menstrual Cycle: A Visual Explainer
A single clean diagram tracing the four hormonal phases of the menstrual cycle, from the uterine lining shedding to the corpus luteum sustaining it.
📌 Revision Pointers
Menstrual phase (Days 1–5): falling estrogen and progesterone cause the uterine lining to shed.
Follicular phase (Days 1–13): FSH matures an ovarian follicle; its estrogen rebuilds the lining.
Ovulation (~Day 14): an LH surge ruptures the mature follicle, releasing the egg.
Luteal phase (Days 15–28): the corpus luteum secretes progesterone to sustain the lining; without fertilisation it degrades and the cycle restarts.
Trace the hormonal journey of the menstrual cycle in four phases — menstrual, follicular, ovulatory and luteal — driven by the hypothalamus–pituitary–ovary axis.
💭 Conclusion
The hormonal control of this cycle is a high-yield NCERT Biology concept, frequently tested in UPSC Prelims and linked to GS Paper III (Science) and Paper II (Women's health and welfare).