Estrogen & progesterone

Osmosis from Elsevier2 minutes read

Estrogen and progesterone are essential female sex hormones produced by the ovaries, influencing the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause, with estrogen dominant in the follicular phase and progesterone dominant in the luteal phase. These hormones, derived from cholesterol, have systemic effects on the body, impacting puberty, reproductive organs, bone density, cardiovascular health, and skin elasticity throughout a woman's life.

Insights

  • Estrogen and progesterone are the main female sex hormones, with estrogen dominant in the follicular phase and progesterone dominant in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. They are crucial for puberty, pregnancy, and menopause, impacting reproductive organ maturation, secondary sex characteristics, bone density, cardiovascular health, and skin elasticity.
  • Estrogen and progesterone are steroid hormones derived from cholesterol, with enzymes converting it into pregnenolone, progesterone, and ultimately into estrogen. The placenta secretes estriol and progesterone during pregnancy, preparing the body for lactation. Menopause leads to decreased estradiol levels, making estrone the dominant estrogen produced by the body.

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Recent questions

  • What are the main female sex hormones?

    Estrogen and progesterone

  • How many types of estrogens are synthesized by the female body?

    Three

  • What is the average duration of the menstrual cycle?

    28 days

  • How are estrogen and progesterone produced in the body?

    From cholesterol

  • What are the key roles of estrogen and progesterone in the body?

    Affect puberty, pregnancy, and menopause

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Summary

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Female sex hormones: Estrogen and Progesterone

  • Estrogen and progesterone are the main female sex hormones, primarily produced by the ovaries, with three types of estrogens synthesized by the female body: estradiol, estrone, and estriol.
  • The menstrual cycle, lasting 28 days on average, involves a surge of FSH and LH on day 14, leading to ovulation, with estrogen dominant in the follicular phase and progesterone dominant in the luteal phase.
  • Both estrogen and progesterone are steroid hormones produced from cholesterol, with various enzymes converting cholesterol into pregnenolone, progesterone, and ultimately into estrogen, which has systemic effects on the body.
  • During pregnancy, the placenta secretes estriol and progesterone, preparing the body for lactation, while menopause leads to a decrease in estradiol levels, with estrone becoming the dominant estrogen produced by the body.
  • Estrogen and progesterone play crucial roles in puberty, pregnancy, and menopause, affecting the maturation of female reproductive organs, secondary sex characteristics, bone density, cardiovascular health, and skin elasticity.
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