Hello and welcome to a brand new series of the Zero to Finals podcast. We're going to be

starting topics on obstetrics and gynecology, and we're going to be starting with a series on

the female reproductive system. I hope you like the new jingle to introduce the obstetrics and

gynecology podcasts. It was created by Harry Watchman and replaces the old jingle which was for

the pediatric podcasts. I'm your host. My name is Tom and I'm the creator of Zero to Finals

and the author of the Zero Definals books.

In this first episode, we're going to be going through the female sex hormones

and the physiology relating to the control of the female sex hormones and the menstrual cycle.

We'll build on this knowledge in future episodes where we'll be talking about puberty,

the menstrual cycle, ovulation, conception and pregnancy.

So it's worth having a good foundation to understand which female sex hormones are important

and how they work.

If you want to find written notes on this topic, you can find

them as always at zero definals.com slash OBGYN slash hormones or in the zero to finals

obstetrics and gynecology book. So let's jump straight into this first topic on the female sex hormones.

The female sex hormones are the basis of the menstrual cycle, conception, pregnancy, contraception,

menopause and hormone replacement therapy. It's worth spending time becoming familiar and comfortable with

these hormones, as this will make learning everything else in obstetrics and gynecology much more

smooth. Let's start with the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal axis. The hypothalamus releases

gonadotrophin releasing hormone or GNRH.

GnRH stimulates the anterior pituitary gland to produce loutinizing hormone or LH and follicle stimulating

hormone or FSH.

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