Oxford University Press The Menstrual Cycle: Physiology, Reproductive Disorders, and Infertility

The Menstrual Cycle is written to clarify in a logical and didactic fashion the sequence of events that characterize the human menstrual cycle. Each major participant involved in the cycle, the brain, the pitutary gland, the ovary, and the uterus is discussed and its contribution specifically outlined. The authors trace the physiologic events within each of these organs, describe the hormones by which they communicate, and outline how critical aspects of the cycle are synchronized so that on ovulatory cycle can occur. Thus neuroendocrine control of the menstrual cycle is examined in detail, and the processes of follicular development, maturation, ovulation, and maintenance of the corpus luteum are thoroughly covered. The authors then turn to pathophysiology and examine the conditions under which the menstrual cycle may become abnormal. Pathophysiological mechanisms that cause cycle disturbance, anovulation, and infertility are reviewed, as are clinical presentations of common menstrual disorders and their treatment. Progress in reproductive biology has been rapid, and the research spans several disciplines. In this volume information dispersed in many publications has been synthesized and concisely presented. The book will give its readers an indepth understanding of the processes that control reproductive function in the female.