For women who plan to get pregnant, knowing when ovulation will occur is critical. According to "Comprehensive Gynecology," the chance of getting pregnant peaks when intercourse occurs on the day of ovulation or up to 2 days before ovulation....
Your doctor may prescribe low-dose birth control pills to treat PCOS. The contraceptive pill balances your body's estrogen and progesterone levels and lowers the output of male hormones that contribute to facial hair, acne and other PCOS...
The American Pregnancy Association says that ovulation predictor tests and fertility monitors help determine expected ovulation by identifying luteinizing hormone (LH) in the urine. Other monitors test for an increase in electrolytes in saliva,...
Menstrual cycles are controlled from beginning to end by hormones. Different female hormones are responsible for recruiting, maturing and releasing oocytes, or eggs, so they're ready to be fertilized by sperm. Four hormones are responsible for...
The male reproductive system depends upon the action of many different hormones or chemicals, produced by various body glands and enter systemic circulation. Some of these hormones, called "tropic" hormones, cause other hormones to release. Other...
Progesterone is a steroid hormone involved in the fertility cycle of a woman. During ovulation, progesterone is produced by the ovary and is responsible for the maintenance of a pregnancy. Following conception, moderate levels of luteinizing...
Vitex agnus-castus goes by many names, such as agnus castus, chaste tree, vitex, and chasteberry. Native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean region and cultivated in China, this herb has appeared in literature since ancient times. Women can...
Hormones are substances produced by the body that have chemical effects on other parts of the body. Women produce hormones, such as estradiol, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and progesterone. Certain hormones rise at...
The abbreviation hCG is short for human chorionic gonadotropin. It is a hormone produced by a developing embryo during pregnancy. The hormone has an important role in both the detection and the maintenance of pregnancy. Pregnant women have very...
Progesterone plays an important role in women's health. Natural levels of this hormone change across the menstrual cycle, and they dramatically increase during pregnancy. Older women often experience a reduction in circulating progesterone. This...
Many women struggle with hormonal problems. A younger woman may have irregular menstrual cycles, and an older women may experience hot flashes. Prescription medications can rectify these problems, but such drugs often cause unwanted side effects....
Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not produce enough thyroid hormones. These hormones help to maintain a healthy body weight by facilitating the binding of insulin to cell receptors. When the thyroid gland becomes...
Soy products contain estrogen-like compounds that your body processes much like its own estrogen. Intake of soy has varying effects on the women who consume it. Some find it helps their menstrual, infertility and menopausal conditions, while...
Leuprolide acetate (Lupron) is an injectible gonadtropin releasing hormone (GnRH) analog, which means it works against the affects of GnRH. Since GnRH stimulates the release of the hormones LH (luteinizing hormone) and FSH (follicle stimulating...
Testosterone is a hormone, one of a group of chemicals produced by your body to regulate the function of body organs such as the brain, bones, muscles, heart and blood vessels. While it's commonly known as the "male hormone" that regulates sexual...
Testosterone is a type of male hormone called an androgen that is essential for men and women. Although many people think of testosterone as predominantly affecting men, women need testosterone to build the bones and muscles, distribute fat,...
Puberty is the term for the hormonal, physical and cognitive changes that bring children into adulthood. It is caused by changes in the secretion of the master reproductive hormone called gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH), which triggers a...
While testosterone is commonly referred to as the "male hormone," it's produced naturally by both males and females throughout their lifespan. Normal testosterone levels ensure that the brain, muscles, heart, blood vessels and bones develop and...
Adrenaline and testosterone are both human hormones. Adrenaline, the common name for epinephrine, is a stress hormone produced in similar quantities in both men and women. Testosterone is classically considered a "male" hormone, although it's...
Abnormal bleeding between periods can occur at any point in a woman's reproductive years. This bleeding can be caused by abnormalities in the uterus, ovaries, vagina and brain. Many of these abnormalities are caused by hormonal imbalances or may...
Menopause signals the end of a woman's fertility, generally marked by 12 continuous months without menstruation. The age of menopause varies from one woman to another, typically occurring between 45 and 55, according to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical...
It is certainly possible to get pregnant at age 38; the March of Dimes, or MOD, reports that 20 percent of new mothers today are 35 or older. However, women over 35 are faced with some distinct challenges, not only in achieving pregnancy but in...
Vitex, also known as chasteberry, is an herb used in alternative medicine to treat a number of female reproductive disorders. Vitex has different effects at different doses. While some studies note an improvement in the depression sometimes...
Anabolics or anabolic steroids have a variety of side effects on different organ systems. Dr. Harm Kuipers, Department of Physiology, University of Limburg, Netherlands says that the frequency and severity of the side effects varies according to...
Premenstrual syndrome, more commonly called PMS, refers to a group of symptoms that can occur one to two weeks before you start your period. These symptoms vary among women, but they usually go away when your period begins. Although the exact...
Bloody discharge after exercise is abnormal. It is usually caused by the stress exerted on the body resulting in a hormonal imbalance. Diet, level of activity and body fat can also play a contributing role in the occurrence of a bloody discharge...
The Cleveland Clinic defines a healthy menstrual cycle as between 21 and 35 days long. Lifestyle factors such as nutrition, stress levels and exercise affect hormone production, regulation of ovulation and menstrual cycle length. Irregular...
Treating the symptoms of the type of precocious puberty that occurs in children with McCune-Albright syndrome can be difficult. Most often seen in girls, the cause of early puberty in MAS is very different from that of other disorders that...
Winstrol, brand name of Stanozolol, is an anabolic steroid derived from testosterone. Doctors prescribe Winstrol to treat a range of conditions including anemia, osteoporosis and angioedema. Winstrol can cause side effects among women, some of...
