Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ovulatory Hormones

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science

  • 42 Accesses

Synonyms

Hormones; Menstruation; Ovulation; Ovulatory cycle

Definition

Hormones that induce ovulation and regulate the ovulatory cycle

Introduction

The key to the ovulatory cycle resides within the ovaries, and the primary hormone that regulates the ovulatory cycle is Estradiol. Every month, a follicle (egg) is randomly selected to release from the ovary. The first day of menstruation marks the beginning of the ovulatory cycle, and the start of the follicular phase. During the first 3–5 days of menstruation, Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is triggering the growth of immature ovarian follicles. Estrogen is steadily increasing during this time; aiding in follicle development, thickening the endometrial lining in the uterus and in a general sense, promoting sociosexuality (Gray and Garcia 2013). A few days before the end of the follicular phase, estrogen surges as luteinizing hormone begins to rise, ultimately peaking when the follicle is released at the point of ovulation. When the...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Gray, P. B., & Garcia, J. R. (2013). Evolution and human sexual behavior. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuukasjarvi, S., Eriksson, C. J. P., Koskela, E., Mappes, T., Nissinen, K., & Rantala, M. J. (2004). Attractiveness of women’s body odors over the menstrual cycle: The role of oral contraceptives and receiver sex. Behavioral Ecology, 15(4), 579–584.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miller, G. F., Tybur, J. M., & Jordan, B. D. (2007). Ovulatory cycle effects on tip earnings by lap dancers: Economic evidence for human estrus? Evolution and Human Behavior, 28(6), 375–381.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh, D., & Bronstad, P. M. (2001). Female body odour is a potential cue to ovulation. The Royal Society, 268, 797–801.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stern, K., & McClintock, M. K. (1998). Regulation of ovulation by human pheromones. Nature, 392, 177–179.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA

    Rachael Carmen

  2. Dominican College, Orangeburg, NY, USA

    Haley Dillon

Authors
  1. Rachael Carmen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Haley Dillon
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rachael Carmen .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, USA

    Todd K. Shackelford

  2. Rochester, MI, USA

    Viviana A. Weekes-Shackelford

Section Editor information

  1. Department of Psychological Sciences, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA

    Gary L Brase

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Carmen, R., Dillon, H. (2018). Ovulatory Hormones. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1885-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1885-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation