Hormones are chemical messengers found in the body. In the reproductive systems of people with vulvas, they regulate everything from libido to the menstrual cycle. In addition, synthetic hormones can be administered to people with vulvas who have natural hormonal imbalances, though they are primarily used as a form of contraception, or birth control.1 Hormones…
Tag: egg
The Menstrual Cycle
The menstrual cycle is an automatic and self-regulating process during which the female body undergoes physiological and hormonal changes over the course of 24 to 42 days. This process plays an integral role in to the overall health and function of the female reproductive system and fosters the growth of fertilized ovum into developing fetuses….
Overview of the Reproductive System: People with Vaginas
Note: This article was previously titled ‘An Overview of the Female Reproductive System.’ We have changed the language from ‘female’ to ‘people with vaginas’ in the title and throughout the article to be more inclusive, as not all people who identify as women or female have vaginas and not all people with vaginas identify as…
The Ovaries and the Ovum
The ovaries are the female gonads, or sex glands. These glands carry out two important functions: ovulation, and the production and secretion of sex hormones. Ovulation is the process of releasing an ovum, or egg, to prepare a female for possible implantation and consequent impregnation. Sex hormones regulate the process which dictates ovulation, known as…
Biological Steps to Becoming Pregnant
There are many steps that must occur for a female to become pregnant. Understanding the process of how pregnancy occurs can be beneficial both for those who are trying to become pregnant, and those who wish to avoid pregnancy. For those that wish to avoid pregnancy, we highly recommend using both a barrier method of…
Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)
Assisted reproductive technology (ART), is a class of medical treatments and procedures used to help people dealing with various forms of infertility conceive a child.1 There are various forms, and as every person’s situation is different, the specifics are best to be discussed with a medical provider and/or fertility specialist. If you would like to…
Ectopic Pregnancy
An ectopic pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg does not attach itself to the inner lining of the uterus where it normally would, and instead attaches to a different location. The embryo often attaches itself along the reproductive tract in the fallopian tubes, thus resulting in a tubal pregnancy. Fallopian tubes are far too narrow…