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Homeostasis & ResponseKey Facts

The 28-Day Menstrual Cycle

Part of Contraception · GCSE GCSE Biology revision

This key facts covers The 28-Day Menstrual Cycle within Contraception for GCSE Biology. Topic 9: Contraception It is section 2 of 12 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.

Topic position

Section 2 of 12

Practice

9 questions

Recall

12 flashcards

📌 The 28-Day Menstrual Cycle

  • Days 1-5: Menstruation — uterus lining breaks down (period)
  • Days 6-13: Uterus lining rebuilds; egg matures (FSH + oestrogen)
  • Day 14: Ovulation — egg released (LH surge)
  • Days 15-28: Uterus lining maintained by progesterone
  • If no fertilisation, progesterone drops and cycle restarts

📊 Visual: The Menstrual Cycle — Hormones, Ovary & Uterus Lining

Painted composite menstrual cycle illustration combining three aligned strips on the same 28-day axis: a 4-line hormone graph (FSH, LH peaking sharply at day 14, oestrogen peaking just before, progesterone rising in luteal phase), an ovary timeline showing follicle development from day 5 through ovulation at day 14 to corpus luteum and its degeneration by day 28, and a uterus lining cross-section showing thickness changes across the menstrual, follicular and luteal phases.

📌 Remember: FSH → egg matures | Oestrogen → repairs lining, triggers LH | LH → ovulation (day 14) | Progesterone → maintains lining. Examiners often ask you to link a hormone to its biological event — LH triggers ovulation, progesterone maintains the lining, the lining sheds if progesterone drops.

Keep building this topic

Read this section alongside the surrounding pages in Contraception. That gives you the full topic sequence instead of a single isolated revision point.

Key Reproductive HormonesHormonal ContraceptionNon-Hormonal ContraceptionHow It Works: How Hormonal Contraception Prevents Pregnancy

Practice Questions for Contraception

Which hormone triggers the release of an egg from the ovary (ovulation)?

  • A. FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone)
  • B. Oestrogen
  • C. LH (luteinising hormone)
  • D. Progesterone
1 markfoundation

Explain the role of oestrogen in the menstrual cycle.

3 marksstandard

Quick Recall Flashcards

How does the contraceptive pill work?
The pill contains synthetic oestrogen and/or progesterone. These keep hormone levels high, which inhibits FSH release from the pituitary — preventing egg maturation and ovulation.
What is contraception?
Contraception is any method used to prevent pregnancy by stopping fertilisation or implantation of an egg. Methods can be hormonal, barrier, or other approaches.

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Key Reproductive Hormones

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Hormonal Contraception