• Question: Why does the monthly periods stops during pregnancy

    Asked by LAXMI to Ivy, George, Daniel, Christina, Cheryl on 21 Jan 2017.
    • Photo: Cheryl Andisi

      Cheryl Andisi answered on 21 Jan 2017:


      @laxmi,
      Halo.
      Monthly periods are caused by shedding of the uterine wall when there is no pregnancy. Females release one ova every month and since one of the main goals of nature is reproduction, the body begins to prepare for the possibility of taking care of a baby. These preparations are usually due to a very careful balance of hormones produced by the ovaries and those produced by the pitituary glands. If, at the end of a cycle there is no fertilisation, and no pro-pregnancy hormones that maintain the uterine lining,then it begins to shed as menstruation.
      In a very simplified version , you can relate this to preparing your house for a visitor- setting up the table etc. if the visitor does not turn up, then you will remove all the dishes you had used to set up the table and only prepare in a similar way the next time you are expecting a guest

    • Photo: Christina Obiero

      Christina Obiero answered on 24 Jan 2017:


      Hi Laxmi, during pregnancy, one does not have period because the hormone that is primarily responsible in maintaining the pregnancy does not result in shedding of the lining of the uterus. Progesterone is the hormone that maintains pregnancy. Estrogen on the other hand is responsible for the shedding of the lining of the uterus, resulting in menstruation. During pregnancy, progesterone levels are high in the body while estrogen levels are low.

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