Hormones are the prime controllers of women’s fertility, ensuring the balance of ovulation, menstrual cycles, and pregnancy. If you’re attempting to conceive, having reproductive problems, or just wondering about the ways your body acts, you should know that your body experiences some kind of hormonal fluctuation.
This article will discuss and guide you on how the hormones interact, what their key functions are in reproductive health, and what happens due to imbalance.
While in women, the hormonal cycle is divided into four phases.
Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is important to women’s fertility, as it controls follicle development and egg maturation in the ovaries. The pituitary gland releases FSH that matures follicles in the ovaries and prepares for ovulation. When FSH levels are too high, it usually reflects diminished ovarian reserve, i.e., a lower number of viable eggs are left, resulting in decreased conceiving ability. A high level of FSH may also reflect premature ovarian failure, wherein pregnancy becomes increasingly less likely in nature.
On the other hand, minimal production of FSH suppresses maturation of the follicles, resulting in anovulation or irregular ovulation, a frequent cause of infertility. PCOS and other disorders usually involve inadequate FSH stimulation, resulting in the inability of the follicles to mature and, therefore, to ovulate. That’s why doctors recommend women with PCOS to take extra precautions to improve fertility. FSH testing helps in revealing fertility problems, and gonadotropin therapy or IVF stimulation protocols can aid in regulating FSH levels, enhancing egg quality, and improving conception possibilities.
Ovarian insufficiency, menopause, premature ovarian failure, PCOS, pituitary gland disorder, stress, unbalanced diet, lack of sleep, and sedentary lifestyle.
These hormones are responsible for regulating ovulation, but disruption in these can cause irregular ovulation or anovulation. These have a direct impact on the function of progesterone and estrogen, causing irregular menstrual cycles, shortening the luteal phase, and providing less time for eggs to fertilize, leading to infertility or miscarriages.
Biologically, these support granulosa cell functions (essential for egg maturation), but hypothyroidism can reduce FSH, lowering egg quality. When it comes to endometrial receptivity, disturbance in thyroid hormones can cause issues with embryo implantation and can also affect fetal growth and development.
Autoimmune disease, stress, iodine deficiency, genetics, irregular periods, poor diet, environmental toxins, and medications.
Luteinizing hormone (LH) is an important player in the fertility of both females and males and affects reproductive processes as well as hormonal activity. In females, LH is needed for inducing ovulation through the release of a mature egg by breaking the dominant follicle. It is also involved in the development of the corpus luteum, which secretes progesterone needed to sustain early pregnancy. Normal level LH guarantees normal menstrual cycles and normal chances of conception, but imbalances like elevated LH in PCOS interfere with ovulation, and low LH also causes anovulation and infertility.
PCOS, primary ovarian insufficiency, menopause, pituitary gland disorder, excessive exercise, poor nutrition, extreme weight loss, and other medical conditions like cancer, adrenal gland disorders.
Estrogen and progesterone are the most important female fertility hormones, controlling the menstrual cycle, ovulation, and maintenance of pregnancy. Estrogen triggers follicular development, prepares the uterine lining for implantation, and thins and expands cervical mucus to permit sperm entry. Altered estrogen balance can interfere with ovulation and implantation, and thus fertility. That is why it is necessary to manage estrogen levels.
Excess body fat due to sedentary lifestyle, medications, liver function, PCOS, endometriosis, eating disorder, tumor, or underactive thyroid.
In Progesterone, secretion follows ovulation by the corpus luteum, maintaining uterine lining integrity and early pregnancy. Progesterone deficiency results in luteal phase defects (LPD), failure of implantation, or loss of early pregnancy, and hence makes progesterone crucial during conception. Progesterone and estrogen interact synergistically in maintaining normal menstrual cycles, successful ovulation, and embryo formation. Abnormal levels can be re-established by hormonal treatment or lifestyle modification to ensure improved reproductive well-being.
Irregular menstrual cycle, perimenopause, medical conditions like PCOS, stress, hypothyroidism, due to certain medication, low cholesterol, aging, hormone therapy, and endocrine tumors.
These play a crucial role in fertility by indicating ovarian reserve (number of eggs remaining in the ovaries). By the age, primordial follicles naturally decline in number, which indicates the low level of AHM. Women aged between 20 to 30 have the women’s AHM is higher in number, showing a higher chance of conception.
Produced by the small follicles, AMH assists in the regulation of follicular maturation and ovarian response. A high level of AMH indicates a healthy ovarian reserve, the chance of conception being increased, but abnormally high levels, as in PCOS, could be a cause of ovulatory dysfunction. Low levels of AMH, as in the case of aging, indicate low ovarian reserve and can influence spontaneous conception. AMH is generally applied to determine reproductive potential and manage IVF regimes.
Aging, genetic factors, endometriosis, premature ovarian reserve, genetic factors, chronic stress, chemotherapy, excessive consumption of alcohol, and smoking.
This is kind of estrogen, which primarily plays a role in egg development, uterine lining, and the menstrual cycle. In the follicular phase, the rise of these hormones stimulates growth and maturation of follicles. And the surging of estradiol triggers LH, leading to ovulation. It is also responsible for consistent cervical mucus, ovarian reserve, and level helps in defining the insights about the potential possibility of fertility.
Due to a low level of estradiol, the uterine lining thickens, egg quality reduces, causing difficulty with ovulation. While a high level can make the menstrual cycle irregular, and also drive the growth of unwanted ectopic dometrial tissues, causing pelvic pain and inflammation. Also, as these are types of estrogen, their elevated level can lead to insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism, which are primary causes of PCOS.
Puberty, exposure to environmental toxins, certain medical conditions, liver disease, stress, poor diet, smoking and drinking, and menstrual irregularities.
According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine states that, almost one out of three childbearing-age women who have normal ovaries but irregular periods has elevated prolactin (hyperprolactinemia). This reduces the level of ondansetron-releasing hormones, which restricts egg release from the ovaries. Also, a reduction in FSH and LH from the pituitary gland causes the growth of eggs and the ovulation phase. Not only fertility, but it also influences the production of milk, which is necessary for a newborn child.
Blood pressure, pituitary tumor, stress, excessive exercise, lack of proper sleep, lack of a nutritional diet, chronic kidney disease, and nipple stimulation.
Ladies, it is almost impossible to totally diagnose the hormonal imbalance. But your body somehow indicates the possible changes, which you can take as a hint and consult with the fertility expert to understand the situation properly.
Whether or not it is a sign of hormonal imbalance, if you are experiencing any of the issues, your body is indicating a serious issue. You should never neglect any issues when it comes to your reproductive system.
Now you understand how hormones and fertility are finely tuned and interconnected with each other. Hormonal imbalances are highly likely to create issues with conception. You should know how these can impact, and how an imbalance in a particular hormone can be caused. Moreover, experts like Aveya Fertility Center are available to help you out.
Call us today at Aveya Fertility Center to discuss your health-related concerns. You can also book an appointment and start your journey to a healthy life, because nothing is important than your health.