Medically, we refer to four phases of the menstrual cycle: menstruation, follicular phase, ovulation, and luteal phase. But we can technically divide it into just two phases: the follicular phase and the luteal phase. To better understand this process, it is important to know the following: a female baby is born with approximately one million eggs. By the time they reach reproductive age and start menstruation, they only have about 300,000 eggs left and will ovulate 400 to 600 times in a reproductive lifespan. Of that original one million, just 11 to 20 primary oocytes (or immature eggs) will begin to develop in the follicular phase—this maturation process is triggered by the follicle-stimulating hormone. Approximately 11 to 20 follicles develop during this follicular phase. During this development, one oocyte will become more dominant than the rest and will eventually be released—that is precisely when someone can become pregnant. There’s also an increase in the luteinizing hormone (LH), which slightly peaks at the end of the follicular phase. This occurs directly before ovulation and is what stimulates the release of the mature egg. And of course, as I always say, limit refined sugars and processed foods, and if you eat cheese or butter, opt for the organic options from grass-fed cows. Eliminating exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals to the best of your ability, upping vitamin D levels, improving your exercise regimen, and managing your stress level can help significantly in regulating the follicular phase.
