How Hormones Control the Process
The hormone interaction follows a precise pattern that's brilliant in its complexity. FSH from your pituitary gland travels to your ovaries, causing egg maturation and triggering oestrogen production.
Rising oestrogen levels create a feedback loop - they stop FSH production whilst simultaneously triggering LH release. This LH surge around day 14 causes ovulation, after which your ovary switches to producing progesterone.
Progesterone keeps the uterus lining thick and blocks further FSH and LH release, preventing additional eggs from developing. However, if fertilisation doesn't occur, progesterone levels plummet, causing the uterine lining to shed as your period begins.
Exam Tip: When reading hormone graphs, look for FSH rising first, then oestrogen, followed by the LH peak at ovulation, and finally progesterone's rise and fall.