What is the importance of ovulation to our health and the production of our sex hormones?
Ovulation is important. As endocrinology prof. Jerilynn Prior puts it, “Ovulatory cycles are both an indicator and a creator of health.”
By “indicator of health,” Professor Prior means that regular ovulation is a sign that all is well with the body. As our menstrual cycle is downstream of many systems in our body, if there is a problem in one of them it will show in our menstrual cycle. It also means that ovulation is how we make our much-needed monthly dose of progesterone. Estrogen and progesterone are as important for women as testosterone is for men.
Every monthly dose of progesterone is like a deposit into the bank account of long-term health. It builds bone and metabolic reserves to carry us through all the decades after menopause. While on the Pill, our body doesn’t produce these hormones.
After decades of clinical practice and scientific research, Prior has integrated knowledge and data relating to a broad range of women’s health issues to come to a bold, evidence-based conclusion:
Regular menstrual cycles with consistently normal ovulation during the premenopausal years will prevent osteoporosis, breast cancer and heart disease in women.
Regular ovulation followed by producing enough Progesterone and Estrogen is associated with building and maintaining optimal bone density.
Irregular ovulation is associated with an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and infertility. Research suggests that regular ovulation and thus exposure to natural Progesterone mitigates certain cardiovascular risks factors.