Phys Chapter81: Female Physiology Before Pregnancy and Female Hormones

Reproduction in a female begins with the development of ova in the ovaries

In the middle of each monthly sexual cycle, a single ovum is expelled from an ovarian follicle into the
abdominal cavity near the open fimbriated ends of the two fallopian tubes into the uterus
- If its been fertilized by sperm, it implants in the uterus, where it develops into a fetus, a
placenta, and fetal membranes
During fetal life, the outer surface of its ovary is covered by a germinal epithelium, which is derived from
the epithelium of the germinal ridges
As a female fetus develops, primordial ova differentiate from the germinal epithelium and migrate
into the ovarian cortex
Each ovum then collects a layer of spindle cells around it from the ovarian stroma, that causes them to
take on epithelioid characteristics, so theyre called granulosa cells
- Stroma is the supporting tissue of the ovary
The ovum surrounded by a single layer of granulosa cells is called a primordial follicle
At this point, the ova is called a primary oocyte, and still needs two more cell divisions before it can be
fertilized by a sperm
During reproductive years of life, hundreds of follicles develop enough to expel their ova, one each
month
- The rest become atretic and degenerate
At the end of reproductive capability, called menopause, only a few primordial follicles remain in the
ovaries, and they degenerate soon after
Page 987 pic of girl parts
Female hormones include:
- Gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) from the hypothalamus
o Released in short pulses every 90 minutes
- Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) from the anterior pituitary
o Released in response to GnRH
- Estrogen and progesterone- from the ovaries
o Released in response to FSH and LH
The monthly ovarian cycle (Aka the female monthly sexual cycle or the menstrual cycle):
- Its the rhythmical changes in the rates of secretion of female hormones that correspond to
physical changes in the ovaries and other sex organs
- Averages about 28 days
o Abnormal cycle length is usually associated with decreased fertility
- The 2 results of the female sexual cycle:
o A single ovum is normally released from the ovaries each month
o The uterine endometrium is prepared for implantation of a fertilized ovum
- The ovarian changes that happen in the sexual cycle depend completely on FSH and LH
- When theres no FSH or LH, like in childhood, nothing happens with the ovaries
- At age 9-12, the pituitary begins to secrete more and more FSH and LH, which leads to normal
monthly sexual cycles between 11-15 years old
o This period of change is called puberty
o The first menstrual cycle is called menarche
- During each month of the female sexual cycle, there is a cyclical increase and decrease of both
FSH and LH, which cause cyclical ovarian changes
- FSH and LH bind to their specific FSH and LH receptors in the ovary target cell membrane
o Activation of the receptor increase the cells rate of secretion, and usually growth and
proliferation of the cell
o Almost all the stimulation effects come from activation of cAMP second messengers,
which cause the making of protein kinase, and phosphorylation of enzymes that
stimulate making of sex hormones
- Follicular phase of the ovarian cycle:
o When a female child is born, each ovum is surrounded by a single layer of granulosa
cells
The ovum surrounded by granulosa is called a primordial follicle
The granulosa provide nourishment for the ovum, and secrete oocyte
maturation-inhibiting factor, which keeps the ovum suspended in prophase 1
of meiosis
At puberty, when FSH and LH start getting secreted, the ovaries and some
follicles with them, begin to grow
The 1
st
stage of follicular growth is enlargement of the ovum, then the
granulosa in some of the follicles grows, and these ones are called primary
follicles
o During the first few days of each monthly female sexual cycle, the amount of FSH and
LH secreted by the anterior pituitary increase, with more of an increase in FSH, and the
increase in FSH happening a few days before any increase in LH
FSH and LH speed up the growth of 6-12 primary follicles a month
The initial effect is proliferation of the granulosa cells, giving rise to many more
layers of granulosa
Also, spindle cells from the ovary interstitium collect in layers outside the
granulosa, giving rise to another mass of cells called the theca
The theca is divided into two layers:
o Theca interna- inner layer of cells that gain epithelial
characteristics and are able to secrete estrogen and
progesterone
o Theca externa- outer layer of cells that becomes a vascular
connective tissue capsule of the developing follicle
This proliferative phase of growth lasts for a few days
o After the few days of proliferative growth, the granulosa secrete follicular fluid that
has lots of estrogen in it
The follicular fluid accumulates in the antrum
o The early growth of the primary follicle up to the antral stage is stimulated pretty much
only by FSH
o Then, growth accelerates, leading to bigger follicles called vesicular follicles
This accelerated growth is caused by:
Estrogen is secreted into the follicle and causes granulosa cells to be
more sensitive to FSH
FSH and estrogen both work to promote LH receptors on the granulosa
cells, so that LH can stimulate the granulosa as well
The increasing estrogens from the follicle, plus the increasing LH from
the anterior pituitary work together to cause proliferation of the follicle
theca cells, and increase their secretion too
Once the antral follicles begin to grow, it happens extremely quickly
As the follicle enlarges, the ovum stays embedded in a mass of granulosa cells
at one pole of the follicle
o After a week or so of growth, one of the follicles begins to outgrow all the others
The rest of the primary follicles involute, called atresia
Its thought the atresia happens because the estrogen made by the fastest
growing follicle does negative feedback on the hypothalamus to decrease
release of FSH
So the cells that still need signaling from the FSH dont get it, and become
atretic
The largest cell avoids all this because of its intrinsic positive feedback
effects
o Before ovulation, the follicle has reached a size to become the mature follicle
o Ovulation
Ovulation will happen around day 14 after menstruation in a woman with a 28
day cycle
Before ovulation, the outer wall of the follicle swells, and the center of the
capsule, called the stigma, protrudes out
The stigma then ruptures, allowing fluid to leak out of the follicle, carrying the
ovum surrounded by thousands of granulosa cells
The granulosa layer at this point is called the corona radiata
LH is needed for final follicular growth and ovulation
About 2 days before ovulation, the rate of secretion of LH from the anterior
pituitary increases a lot, and peaks 16 hours before ovulation
At the same time, FSH also increases, and the two work together to
cause the rapid swelling of the follicle during the last few days before
ovulation
The LH also has the specific effect of converting granulosa and theca
cells into progesterone-secreting cells
So the rate of secretion of estrogen begins to fall about a day before
ovulation, and the amount of progesterone secreted increases
Without a preovulatory surge of LH, ovulation wont happen
LH causes rapid secretion of follicule steroid hormones, including progesterone
Within a few hours, 2 things happen during the increase in LH:
The theca externa (capsule) starts to release proteolytic enzymes from
lysosomes that dissolute the follicle capsule wall to weaken it, allowing
more swelling and the degeneration of the stigma
At the same time, theres rapid growth of new blood vessels into the
follicle wall, and prostaglandins are secreted into the follicle tissues
Both cause plasma movement into the follicle, which adds to follicle
swelling
Follicle swelling and degeneration of the stigma lead to rupture and release of
the ovum
- Luteal phase of the ovarian cycle
o In the first few hours after the ovum is expelled from the follicle, the remaining
granulosa and theca interna cells change into lutein cells
The cells enlarge and become filled with lipids that make them look yellow,
called luteinization
The total mass of lutein cells is called the corpus luteum
o The granulosa in the corpus luteum develop lots of smooth ER, which makes a lot of
progesterone, and a little bit of estrogen
o The theca cells in the corpus luteum form androgens androstenedione & testosterone
Most of these androgens are converted by aromatase in the granulosa into
estrogens or progestins
o The corpus luteum gets its biggest about 7-8 days after ovulation
o After that, the corpus luteum involutes and loses its secretory ability and yellow look by
12 days after ovulation, and is called the corpus albicans
o Over the next few weeks, the corpus albicans is replaced by connective tissue, and
absorbed over months
o The change of granulosa and theca interna into lutein cells depends on LH
Luteinizing means yellowing
Luteinization-inhibiting factor prevents luteinization until after ovulation
o Once LH acts on granulosa and theca to cause luteinization, the lutein cells go through a
sequence of proliferation, then enlargement, then secretion, and then degeneration
This all happens in 12 days
Chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is almost exactly like LH, is made by the
placenta to prolong the life of the corpus luteum
o Estrogen and progesterone secreted by the corpus luteum during the luteal phase,
cause negative feedback on the anterior pituitary gland to decrease FSH and LH release
o Lutein cells also secrete some inhibiin, which inhibits secretion by the anterior pituitary,
especially of FSH
o Eventually, the low levels of FSH and LH causes the corpus luteum to involute at 12
days after ovulation, which is about day 26 of a normal 28 day cycle
o Once the corpus luteum involutes, theres no more secretion of estrogen,
progesterone, and inhibin, so FSH & LH are freed to be released again from the pituitary
o FSH and LH then trigger the growth of new follicles, starting a new ovarian cycle
o The decrease in estrogen and progesterone also leads to menstruation by the uterus
- To summarize:
o About every 28 days, gonadotropic hormones from the anterior pituitary cause 8-12
follicles to grow in the ovaries
o One of the follicles becomes mature and ovulates on the 14
th
day
o During growth, mainly estrogen is secreted
o After ovulation, secretory cells of the follicle develop into a corpus luteum that secretes
lots of progesterone and estrogen
o 2 weeks later the corpus luteum degenerates, and the amount of estrogen and
progesterone decreases, and menstruation starts
The two ovarian sex hormones are estrogens and progestins
- The most important estrogen is estradiol
- The estrogens mainly promote proliferation and growth of cells in the body that do
development of secondary sex characteristics of the female
- The most important progestin is progesterone
- The progestins mainly prepare the uterus for pregnancy, and the breasts for lactation
In a normal nonpregnant female, estrogens are secreted in significant amounts only by the ovaries, with
tiny bits coming from the adrenal cortex
- During pregnancy, lots of estrogen is also secreted by the placenta
The 3 main estrogens in plasma are -estradiol, estrone, and estriol
- The main one secreted by the ovaries is -estradiol
- The ovaries also make some estrone, but most of the estrone comes from peripheral tissues
from androgens that come from the adrenal cortex or ovary theca cells
- Estriol is a weak estrogen that is an oxidative product of estradiol and estrone, mainly formed in
the liver
- -estradiol is way more potent than the other two, and considered the major estrogen
Progesterone is by far the most important progestin, and you usually only consider its effects, but there
is also another progestin called 17-hydroxyprogesterone that has the same effects
In a normal nonpregnant female, progesterone is secreted in significant amounts only during the latter
half of the ovarian cycle, when its secreted by the corpus luteum
Estrogens and progestins are steroids, made in the ovaries from cholesterol
During synthesis, mainly progesterone and androgens testosterone and androstenedione are made first
- Then, during the follicular phase of the ovarian cycle, most the progesterone and androgens are
converted by aromatase into estrogen in the granulosa cells
- Theca lack aromatase and cant convert androgens to estrogens
o The androgens of the theca diffuse out into the granulosa to be converted to estrogens
by the aromatase there
- Aromatase is stimulated by FSH
- During the luteal phase, way too much progesterone is made for all of it to be converted, which
explains all the progesterone secreted in the luteal phase
Estrogens and progesterone are transported in the blood bound to plasma proteins
- Mainly albumin and specific estrogen and progesterone binding globulins
- Binding is loose enough to allow rapid release into the tissues
The liver conjugates the estrogens to form glucuronides and sulfates
- About 1/5 of the conjugates get excreted in the urine
The liver also converts estradiol and estrone into the almost totally inactive estrogen estriol
So decreased liver function increases the activity of estrogens in the body, and can cause hyperestrinism
The liver also helps degrade progesterone into steroids with no progestin effect
- The major end product of progesterone degradation is pregnanediol
- About 10% of the original progesterone is excreted in this form
o Can look at the rate of excretion to estimate the rate of progesterone making
Jobs of estrogen:
- A main function of estrogen is to cause cell proliferation and growth of tissues of the sex
organs and other tissues related to reproduction
- During childhood, estrogens are secreted in very small quantities
- At puberty, pituitary hormones increase, causing the amount of estrogens made to increase,
causing the female sex organs to grow to adult size
o Estrogens cause the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, and vagina to all get bigger
o Also causes the external genitalia to enlarge
o Estrogens also change the vaginal epithelium from cuboidal to stratified, which can
resist trauma and infection better
Estrogens can be given to a little girl with a vaginal infection to get rid of it
- Estrogens cause proliferation of the endometrial stroma, and increase the development of the
endometrial glands, which will help nourish the implanted ovum
- Estrogens cause the glandular tissue of the fallopian tubes to proliferate
o Estrogens also cause the # of ciliated epithelial cells to increase
o The activity of the cilia beating towards the uterus is enhanced to move a fertilized
ovum into the uterus
- To develop the breasts, estrogens cause:
o Development of the stromal tissues of the breast
o Growth of the breast duct system
o Deposition of fat in the breasts
o So estrogen initiates growth of the breasts and of the milk-producing parts, and also
cause the growth and external appearance of the mature female breast
o They dont complete the job of converting the breasts into milk making organs
- Estrogen inhibits osteoclast activity in the bones, and therefore stimulates bone growth
o Partly does this by stimulating osteoprotegerin (aka osteoclastogenesis inhibitory
factor), a cytokine that inhibits bone resorption
o So at puberty, the girl quickly grows in height
o But estrogen also speeds up uniting of the epiphyses with long bone shafts
Test also does this in guys, but estrogens effect is way more potent, so the girl
stops growing earlier than the guy
o A female eunuch who doesnt have estrogen will grow taller usually since her epiphyses
wont unite as soon
o After menopause, almost no estrogen is secreted by the ovaries
Causes increased osteoclasts, decreased bone matrix, and decreased deposition
of bone calcium and phosphate
When this is severe, it can lead to osteoporosis
This leaves the bones weak and easy to fracture
Can treat with estrogen
- Estrogens slightly increase protein deposition and total body protein
o Tests effect to do this is way more powerful
- Estrogens slightly increase body metabolism, but nowhere near as much as test does
- Estrogens cause increased deposition of fats in the subcutaneous tissues, so girls have a greater
% of body fat than guys
- Estrogens cause the skin to develop a characteristic soft, smooth texture, thats thicker than a
childs
o Skin is also made more vascular by estrogen, causing increased warmth of the skin, and
allows easier bleeding of a cut in the skin than in guys
- Estrogen is similar in structure to adrenocortical hormones, and can cause sodium and water
retention by the kidneys
o Normally this isnt noticeable or important, but in pregnancy the huge amounts of
estrogen can cause a noticeable effect
Jobs of progesterone:
- Progesterones most important job is to promote secretory changes in the uterine
endometrium during the latter half of the female sexual cycle, to prepare the uterus for
implantation
- Progesterone also decreases the frequency and intensity of uterine contractions, helping to
prevent expulsion of the implanted ovum
- Progesterone also increases secretion by the mucosal lining of the fallopian tubes
o These secretions are needed to nourish the fertilized ovum as it travels to implant
- Progesterone promotes development of the lobules and alveoli of the breasts, causing the
alveolar cells to proliferate, enlarge, and become secretory in nature
o Only prolactin causes secretion of milk though, not progesterone
- Progesterone also causes the breasts to swell
The monthly endometrial cycle and menstruation:
- The endometrial cycle happens in the lining of the uterus along with the monthly changes in
estrogen and progesterone
- 3 steps:
o Proliferation of the uterine endometrium
o Development of secretory changes in the endometrium
o Desquamation of the endometrium, called menstruation
- Proliferative (estrogen) phase
o At the start of each monthly cycle, most of the endometrium has already been
desquamated by menstruation
o After menstruation, only a thin layer of endometrial stroma is left
The only epithelial cells left are in the deep parts of the glands and crypts of the
endometrium
o When estrogens are secreted by the ovary during the first part of the ovarian cycle, the
estrogen makes stromal and epithelial cells of the endometrium proliferate quickly
o The endometrial surface is re-epithelialized in 4-7 days after the beginning of
menstruation
o Then, during the week and a half leading up to ovulation, the endometrium increases in
thickness
Due to increased # of stromal cells, and growth of endometrial glands and new
blood vessels into the endometrium
o The endometrial glands secrete a thin, stringy mucus, that forms channels to help
guide sperm from the vagina to the uterus
- Secretory (progesterone) phase
o After ovulation in the latter half of the ovarian cycle, the corpus luteum secretes lots of
progesterone and estrogen
o The estrogens cause slight cell proliferation in the endometrium
o Progesterone causes swelling and secretory development of the endometrium
o The glands then cause an excess of secretions that accumulates in the gland epithelial
cells
o The cytoplasm of the stromal cells increases as more lipids and glycogen are deposited
in the stromal cells
o The blood supply to the endometrium increases more
o The purpose of all these changes is to make a highly secretory endometrium that has
lots of stored nutrients, to allow good conditions for implantation
Uterine secretions, called uterine milk, nourish the fertilized ovum from when it
enters the uterine cavity (3-4 days after ovulation) till when it implants (7-9 days
after ovulation)
Once the embryo implants, the trophoblast on the surface of the ovum digest
the endometrium and absorb stored nutrients from it
- Menstruation
o If the ovum isnt fertilized, then at 2 days before the end of the monthly cycle, the
corpus luteum in the ovary involutes, and the estrogen and progesterone from the
ovary decrease, triggering menstruation
o Menstruation is caused by the decrease of estrogen, and especially progesterone
o First, with decreased hormones to stimulate the endometrial cells, the endometrium
involutes
o Then the blood vessels going to the mucosal layers of the endometrium develop a
vasospasm
o The vasospasm, decrease in nutrients in the endometrium, and lack of stimulation from
hormones, all cause necrosis of the endometrium, especially in the blood vessels
o Blood then seeps into the vascular layer of the endometrium, causing a hemorrhagic
area that grows over the next day and a half
o At about 2 days, the necrotic outer layers of the endometrium have separated enough
from the uterus that all the superficial layers of the endometrium have desquamated
o The mass of desquamated tissue and blood in the uterine cavity, plus contractile effects
of prostaglandins, all cause uterine contractions that expel the uterine contents
o The menstrual fluid normally doesnt clot because of fibrinolysin released with it
If theres excessive bleeding, there might not be enough fibrinolysin to prevent
clotting of all of it
So if you see clots during menstruation, usually means theres a problem
o Within 4-7 days after menstruation starts, the loss of blood stops because the
endometrium has been re-epitheliazed
o Lots of WBCs are also released along with whats lost from menstruation
Makes uterus very resistant to infection during menstruation
The hypothalamus secretes GnRH, which causes the anterior pituitary to release FSH and LH
- The hypothalamus secretes the GnRH in pulses lasting 5-25 minutes every 1-2 hours
- The area of the brain that causes release of GnRH is the arcuate nuclei of the hypothalamus
o So its thought the arcuate nuclei controls most female sexual activity
- Multiple parts of the limbic system for psychic control transmit signals into the arcuate nuclei to
effect GnRH
Estrogen can cause negative feedback to inhibit release of LH and FSH
- Progesterone itself wont inhibit much, but it enhances estrogens negative feedback when
theyre together
- They mostly act on the anterior pituitary, but also have a little effect on GnRH from the
hypothalamus
Inhibin from the granulosa cells of the corpus luteum can also inhibit release of FSH, and somewhat LH
Positive feedback from estrogen before ovulation may cause the prevoulatory LH surge
- The anterior pituitary releases lots of LH 1-2 days before ovulation
Summary of female sexual cycle:
- Postovulatory secretion of the ovarian hormones, and depression of the pituitary gonadotropins
o Between ovulation and menstruation, the corpus luteum secretes lots of progesterone
and estrogen, as well as inhibin
o This all causes negative feedback on the anterior pituitary and hypothalamus,
suppressing FSH and LH
o The FSH and LH reach their lowest levels 3-4 days before menstruation
- Follicular growth phase
o 2-3 days before menstruation, the corpus luteum has involuted almost completely, and
the secretion of estrogen, progesterone, and inhibin from the corpus luteum decreases
o The decreased hormones release the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary from negative
feedback, so that a day later when menstruation begins, FSH release increases, followed
a few days after by LH
o FSH and LH cause growth of the follicle, and progressive increase in the secretion of
estrogen
o Estrogen peaks at 13 days after the start of the new female monthly sexual cycle
o During the first 11-12 days, FSH and LH decrease a bit due to negative feedback from
increasing estrogen
o Then theres a sudden increase in the secretion of LH, with a little FSH
Called the preovulatory surge, and its followed by ovulation
If the preovulatory surge of LH isnt strong enough, ovulation wont happen, and the cycle is called
anovulatory
- The lack of ovulation causes no corpus luteum to form, so no progesterone is secreted
- The first few cycles after puberty, and the cycles leading up to menopause, are usually
anovulatory
Puberty- onset of adult sexual life
- Gonadtropic hormones start increasing around 8, and causes puberty at 11-16 years old in girls
Menarche- beginning of the menstrual cycle
At 40-50 years old, the sexual cycle usually becomes irregular, and ovulation fails to happen
When the cycle stops and the female sex hormones diminish, its called menopause
Menopause happens when less estrogen is made due to very few primary follicles left
- When there isnt enough estrogen, FSH and LH cant be inhibited
- Loss of the female sex hormones causes:
o hot flushes where theres extreme flushing of the skin
o Psychic sensations of dyspnea
o Irritability
o Fatigue
o Anxiety
o Decreased strength and calcification of bones throughout the body
Hypogonadism will decrease secretion from the ovaries
- Can happen from poorly formed ovaries, lack of ovaries, or genetic issues with the ovaries
- When theres a problem with ovary secretion at birth or before puberty, its called female
eunuchism
o In this the secondary sex characteristics dont show up, and the sex organs never reach
adult size
o Bones will grower longer than usual due to less estrogen and taking longer for the
epiphyses to unite
So female eunuchs are usually tall
- Also, lack of hormones means long gaps in menstruation, or a lack of menstruation
(amenhorrhea)
- Prolonged ovarian cycles are usually associated with failure of ovulation, thought to be because
of not enough of preovulatory surge of LH
Hypersecretion of ovarian hormones usually doesnt happen, cause the excess hormones then inhibit
gonadotropins by the pituitary
- Usually a tumor
- Endometrial bleeding may be the first and only sign of the tumor
Sexual desire peaks near the time of ovulation, probably because of the high estrogen levels
Sexual sensory signals are transmitted to the sacral segments of the spinal cord through the pudendal
nerve and sacral plexus
Parasymps from the sacral plexus control the erectile tissue of the clitoris
Parasymp signals also go to the bartholin glands beneath the labia minora, and causes tehm to secrete
mucus in the introitus to lubricate
The ovum remains viable & capable of being fertilized after it is expelled from the ovary, no more than
24 hours
- So sperm must be available soon after ovulation if fertilization is going to take place
- A few sperm can remain fertile in the female reproductive tract for up to 5 days
- So for fertilization to take place, intercourse must happen sometime between 4-5 days before
ovulation, to up to a few hours after ovulation
- So the total period of female fertility each month is only 4-5 days
- Ovulation is usually between 13-15 days before menstruation
- The pill
o Giving a girl estrogen or progesterone can inhibit ovulation by preventing the
preovulatory surge of LH from the anterior pituitary
o Its thought the normal signal for the preovulatory surge is a sudden decrease in
estrogen by the ovarian follicles
o So giving them sex hormones could prevent the estrogen depression that signals the
preovulatory surge
o Too much of estrogen of progesterone can cause abnormal menstrual bleeding patterns
o Usually, estrogen with synthetic progestins works without bleeding issues
o So you usually use synthetic sex hormones for that reason, and because the natural
hormones get destroyed in the liver quickly
o Two of the most commonly used synthetic estrogens are ethinyl estradiol & mestranol
About 5-10% of women are infertile
- The most common cause of female sterility is failure to ovulate
o This can happen from hyposecretion of gonadotropic hormones, since there wouldnt
be enough to trigger ovulation
o When anovulation is thought to be the cause of fertility problems, you look for effects
of progesterone, which wont be there if theres no corpus luteum
One of these tests looks at the urine for pregnanediol, the end product of
progesterone metabolism, during the latter part of the cycle
o Women can also take their temperature throughout their cycle
Normally a womans temp goes up 0.5 degrees F at ovulation
o Lack of ovulation caused by hyposecretion of pituitary hormones can sometimes be
treated with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is similar to LH and can trigger
ovulation
Its really strong though, and can cause ovulation from many follicles at once,
causing multiple births
- One of the most common causes of female sterility is endometriosis, where endometrial tissue
grows and menstruates in the pelvic cavity surrounding the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries
o Can cause fibrosis throughout the pelvis, and can make it so that the ovum cant be
released, or block the fallopian tubes
- Another common cause of sterility is salpingitis, which is inflammation of the fallopian tubes,
which occludes them
- Another cause of sterility is secretion of abnormal mucus by the uterine cervix
o Usually, at ovulation, theres secretion of mucus with special characteristics that allow
rapid movement of sperm into the uterus, and guides the sperm