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- Monitoring of hormonal and ovarian functions
- "Standard norms" of a healthy woman
- Monitoring tasks during various life periods
- hormonal function monitoring in adolescence
- hormonal function monitoring during reproductive age
- hormonal function monitoring following 35 years
- pregnancy and postnatal period
- use of coil and hormonal contraceptives
Monitoring of hormonal and ovarian functions
The sexual hormones (estrogen and progesterone), produced in internal glands - ovaries, play a significant role in a woman's body. Ovarian functions and hormonal balance determine woman's body features, secondary sexual characteristics, menstrual cycle pattern and dynamics. It also affects fertility and prenatal peculiarities, possibility of hormonal imbalance influenced tumours, even malign ones, to develop, as well as the characteristics of menopause.
Therefore a special attention is paid to woman's hormonal health. A particular monitoring is necessary during puberty and menopause, as these are the periods in life, when the menstrual function disorders and the illnesses associated are most frequently experienced. Regular monitoring will help to determine the pattern of menstrual cycle and estrogen level. In case of disorder a timely consultation with a physician is highly important.
Besides, the monitoring of menstrual function is a basis of natural contraception.
"Standard norms" of a healthy woman
Estrogen level in a healthy woman's body varies along with the menstrual cycle phases. During the first phase, when an ovum grows in a follicle, the estrogen level slowly rises and the saliva crystallisation pattern changes accordingly. Following the ovulation, estrogen level diminishes abruptly, and the crystalline saliva pattern disappears.
Pic 1. Estrogen level & saliva crystallisation correlation
The monthly tracking chart (Pic 1) shows the most common 28 days menstrual cycle. Nevertheless, every woman is individual and her monthly tracking chart is, if necessary, developed according to her menstrual cycle length.
Every woman's crystalline pattern phases should be distinctly defined, regular and consistent with her menstrual cycle length. In case a certain phase is prolonged or is not substituted with the following one (the absence of arborisation), i.e. crystallisation does not decreases after 14-15 days or even continues to increase, as well as in presence of a wavy crystallisation pattern, it is necessary to consult a physician. It will help to diagnose various kinds of disorders, to correct hormonal function and to prevent more serious complications at their beginning.
During a year, a healthy woman can experience 1-2 ovulation free menstrual cycles. In that case saliva crystallisation pattern does not disappear after 14-15 days. After reaching (++) or (+++) patterns, the insignificant decrease in crystallisation down to (+) or (++) patterns is observed. Such a picture lasts for several days until the increase in crystallisation up to (++) or (+++) patterns is noticed again. It gives evidence of follicle development process disorder and the absence of ovulation. It is not possible to get pregnant during the ovulation free cycle. In case the test results sustain the same for several months, even with menstrual bleeding present, it is necessary to consult a physician, as it can be an indication of illness or even infertility.
Monitoring tasks during various life periods
A woman experiences several life periods: childhood, adolescence, reproductive phase and menopause. When a girl of 11-12 years of age starts to go through puberty, the cyclic processes start in ovaries. Usually at 13-14 years of age they become regular. Later on a woman enters her reproductive phase - a period favourable for child-bearing, which lasts till 45-50 years of age. Afterwards the cyclic processes become irregular and die out, ovulation disappears as well as menstruation cycles, and a woman enters menopause.
During the beginning or end of menstrual function, a female body is under the influence of increased estrogen level.
Hormonal function monitoring in adolescence. It is very important to monitor saliva crystallisation patterns of the girls, whose menstrual function is only beginning. Menstrual cycles are often irregular or late for several weeks or months at this age. Ovulation is often absent, even with regular bleeding present. Timely determination of saliva crystallisation deviations and medical consultation will help to prevent infertility, miscarriage or other hormone influenced illnesses in a future life.
Hormonal function monitoring during reproductive age. A regular observation will help:
- To find out the disorders before physician's consultation is necessary
- To control ovary treatment effectiveness with a help of physician
- To determine the best time to conceive
- To determine fertile and infertile phases in case of natural contraception
- To control ovarian function when a coil is used
- To control natural ovarian function recovery following the end of hormonal contraceptives use
Hormonal function monitoring following 35 years. The observation of saliva crystallisation dynamics is also important for women at 35 of age and older, when they enter the possible malfunction stage of reproductive period. It impacts a follicle development and estrogen level, as well as saliva crystallisation pattern. E.g., the observation during the 1-7 days reveals crystallisation pattern marked (-), during the 8-13 days - (+), the 14-20 days - (++), the 21-23 days - (+) and the 24-28 days - (-).
When a woman enters beginning of menopause, the menstrual cycles become irregular and can turn shorter or longer. Saliva crystallisation structure differs very little from the usual one, nevertheless the increased basal temperature period is shorter, what is explained by the insufficiency of corpus luteum.
In case of a longer cycle, the follicle growth phase becomes longer. Therefore saliva crystallisation dynamics is extended too, and the peak in crystallisation is noticed not on 14-15th day, but much later. As a rule, the crystallisation decrease is not so abrupt, but more steady.
Sometimes, a repeated increase in crystallisation is noticed. It may recur several times, although there is no rise in basal temperature. Therefore, monitoring of ovarian functions becomes very important for a woman in a transitional phase. It is also important because of a greater risk of various disorders of menstrual cycles and the possible appearance of tumours (including malign ones). The monitoring has to be coordinated with regular visits to gynaecologist. A physician can use test results to diagnose the nature of disorders, to determine certain treatment for a menstrual function as well as to control treatment effectiveness.
Pregnancy and postnatal period. In case the ovum is fertilised, the described above cyclic changes are suspended temporarily. A woman's body is under influence of corpus luteum hormone - progesterone, whilst estrogen production is very low. Following the conception, during pregnancy and right after it, the arborisation phenomenon is slightly expressed (+) or absent (-).
A growth of the first follicle is marked with the increased estrogen level. A regular monitoring of estrogen level will enable to timely determine the possibility of miscarriage, and after a birth, before a start of the first period, to determine the first fertile phase (i.e., to escape unplanned pregnancy).
When a woman breast-feeds after a birth, the unfertile period lasts usually 12 weeks. During this period a conception is not possible, although sometimes a bleeding similar to menstrual one is observed. Three months infertile period results from hormone prolactin, influencing lactation as well as preventing ovulation. Nevertheless, starting with the second month of postnatal period, it is necessary to monitor saliva crystallisation pattern, what will help to determine arborisation phenomenon (ovulation) and prevent pregnancy even before the first menstrual period.
Use of coil and hormonal contraceptives. Uterus contraceptive devices do not cause menstrual cycle changes. Nevertheless, if saliva crystallisation pattern is very different from a regular one, it is necessary to consult a physician about the future use of a contraceptive device.
Saliva crystallisation test is less important when using hormonal contraceptives, as they hold in a certain amount of hormones, which determine saliva crystallisation pattern. Following the end of hormonal contraceptives use it is necessary to carry out the test to check for the natural ovulation process recovery. In case of ovulation's absence for three months and more, it is necessary to consult a physician.
