What is the follicular phase?

The follicle has a certain follicular phase, which is time-limited, and when it occurs, our body will also have certain obvious symptoms. Everyone should be familiar with the physiological reaction of menstruation, but the follicular phase is still different from our menstrual cycle. Pregnancy is also related to the follicular phase. Many people may not understand the follicular phase, so what is the follicular phase?

The follicular phase is when the follicles develop and mature. During the development process, the primordial follicle goes through different development stages of primary follicles and secondary follicles, and finally becomes a mature follicle.

The follicular phase starts from the day the last menstrual period stops and ends on the day of ovulation, lasting 10-12 days. During this stage, the granulosa cells of the follicles produce estrogen under the action of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Under the action of estrogen, the endometrium proliferates rapidly, blood vessels proliferate, and the glands widen and lengthen, but no secretion occurs. At the end of this period, the ovary releases an egg. If the egg matures but cannot be released for some reason, it will enter the next stage.

From the perspective of contraception, each menstrual cycle of a woman can be divided into the menstrual period, ovulation period and safe period. It is easier to get pregnant during ovulation period, while having sex during follicular phase and luteal phase is relatively safe. However, the follicular phase is not the same as the safe period. The traditional safe period is the seven days before menstruation and the eight days after menstruation. The follicular phase refers to the 3rd to 14th day of the menstrual cycle, which generally lasts for 10 days. If a woman's menstrual cycle is irregular or ovulation occurs early, pregnancy is possible even if she has sex during the follicular phase. So the follicular phase is not absolutely safe.

Generally speaking, the chance of pregnancy during the follicular phase is not high, but factors such as emotions, medications, environment, and climate can affect ovulation, resulting in early or unexpected ovulation, so having sex during the follicular phase is not 100% safe. Having sex during the follicular phase may lead to pregnancy, so women who do not want to have children are advised to raise their awareness of contraception and choose an effective contraceptive method that suits them and can be used for a long time, such as combined short-acting oral contraceptives, intrauterine devices, etc., to protect themselves and their fertility.

The physiological functions of the ovaries undergo cyclical changes and can generally be divided into three stages: the follicular phase, ovulation phase, and luteal phase. The follicular phase is the stage when the follicles develop and mature. During the development process, the primitive follicles go through different development stages, including primary follicles and stimulated follicles, and finally become mature follicles. The follicular phase is from the day the last menstrual period stops to the day of ovulation, which is usually 10-12 days.

During this phase, the granulosa cells of the follicle produce estrogen under the action of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone. Under the action of estrogen, the endometrium will rapidly proliferate, blood vessels will proliferate, and the glands will widen and lengthen, but they will not secrete. At the end of this period, the ovaries will ovulate. If the egg cell is mature but cannot be expelled for some reason, the next period will begin.

<<: How to improve the quality of ovarian follicles

>>: Delayed menstruation with brown discharge