Every woman knows that almost every month in one of her ovaries the egg ripens and ovulation takes place. However, these functions of the ovaries are not limited. The place of the bursted follicle forms the so-called yellow body. It is responsible for the successful start of pregnancy.
Yellow body - what is it?
The yellow body is a temporary endocrine gland that forms in the body of a woman after ovulation. Usually one yellow body is formed - in the right ovary or in the left (depending on the place of ovulation). Sometimes two yellow bodies form in both ovaries.
Each new gland goes through the following stages of development:
- The first stage - immediately after ovulation the granular cells of the inner wall of the burst follicle begin to multiply. The cavity of the follicle is filled with blood, oozing from the vessels of the ruptured wall.
- The second stage, like the first, lasts 3-4 days. Lymphatic and blood vessels form from the inner wall of the follicle. By the way, the bloodstream of the yellow body is the most saturated in the entire body of a woman.
- The third stage is the flowering of the yellow body. Granular cells produce a yellowish substance - lutein, which contains the hormone progesterone.
- The fourth stage, or regression of the yellow body. If pregnancy does not occur, the gland gradually ceases to perform its functions, shrivels, fades and disappears.
Why do you need a yellow body?
The main function of the yellow body is the production of the hormone progesterone, which is responsible for the preparation of the woman's organism for possible pregnancy. Monthly with the development of the yellow body in the uterus, the endometrium grows - the mucosa prepares for the implantation of a fertilized egg. If the pregnancy has occurred, the yellow body will support a new life: progesterone will slow the development and release of new eggs, relax the muscles of the uterus and activate the breast zone responsible for the milk production.
Thus, the gland actively "works" during the 12-16 weeks of pregnancy, until the placenta is formed. Then all the functions for producing hormones and creating favorable conditions for the development of the fetus pass to the child's place, and the yellow body gradually disappears. True, sometimes, in one case out of ten, the gland retains its activity until the birth.
Pathologies of the yellow body
If the presence of a yellow body in the first weeks of pregnancy ensures its normal course, then the absence of a yellow body is a serious pathology requiring special treatment with hormonal drugs (Dufaston, Utrozhestan). Functional deficiency (when progesterone is produced in extremely small amounts) can lead to abortion or the development of placental insufficiency.
More and more often, women planning a pregnancy turn to doctors with the question: "Why does not the yellow body form?" In most cases, this is due to a violation of the hormonal background, anovulatory cycle (the egg does not ripen and does not come out of the ovary). Treatment is prescribed only after a thorough examination for the content of blood hormones. Basically, the therapy is aimed at stimulating the follicles.
Another violation in the development and functioning of the yellow body is the cyst. In general, it poses no danger to the health of a woman, as in most cases it resolves itself on several menstrual cycles. However, at large sizes (more than 8 cm) there is a risk of rupture of the cyst of the yellow body, and this poses a direct threat to the life and health of women. In addition, a large cyst can cause discomfort, a woman may notice that her "yellow body" hurts. In this case, hormone therapy is prescribed (since the main cause of tumors is a violation of the hormonal background), and in the absence of positive dynamics - an operation to remove the cyst.