menstrual cycle hormones

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All I remember about this was that it was a pain in the ass. Everything is up-regulating and down-regulating each other and themselves, and there are like 1000 hormones involved, and its a big cluster****.

That is all I really have to offer on the matter.
 
Know the generics of it... GnRH regulates FSH/LH, which regulates estrogen/progesterone.. and its all in a negative feedback loop

then (what I did... I just did this chapter today).. try to memorize the 2 graphs that show the level of the hormones.. just the general drawing of them so you can re-create them on test day

you know, one graph shows LH and FSH, and the other estrogen and progesterone... based one those 2 and the knowledge you have of negative feedback, you should be able to figure anything out.
 
Know the generics of it... GnRH regulates FSH/LH, which regulates estrogen/progesterone.. and its all in a negative feedback loop

then (what I did... I just did this chapter today).. try to memorize the 2 graphs that show the level of the hormones.. just the general drawing of them so you can re-create them on test day

you know, one graph shows LH and FSH, and the other estrogen and progesterone... based one those 2 and the knowledge you have of negative feedback, you should be able to figure anything out.
Spot on. If you know the hormones involved, the 4 basic stages (Kaplan has it as Follicular Phase, Ovulatory Phase, Luteal Phase, Mensus) and can reproduce those 2 graphs, then anything beyond that will be provided.

I do want to stress that since this is an endocrine process, the mcat will more than likely ask questions dealing with some of the fundamentals of hormonal regulation/feedback regulation along with this. But if they do, they tend to put it in a passage with all the "required" information (read: advanced knowledge) provided and asking you to interpret it using your basic understanding it of it and applying it to the passage/question asked.

Also - know how birth control works. It's simple and is something that's fair game on the mcat.
 
Spot on. If you know the hormones involved, the 4 basic stages (Kaplan has it as Follicular Phase, Ovulatory Phase, Luteal Phase, Mensus) and can reproduce those 2 graphs, then anything beyond that will be provided.

I do want to stress that since this is an endocrine process, the mcat will more than likely ask questions dealing with some of the fundamentals of hormonal regulation/feedback regulation along with this. But if they do, they tend to put it in a passage with all the "required" information (read: advanced knowledge) provided and asking you to interpret it using your basic understanding it of it and applying it to the passage/question asked.

Also - know how birth control works. It's simple and is something that's fair game on the mcat.

great post. yes, most of the tougher practice questions ive done ask not 'what does x do' but rather 'if x was removed, how would this affect the cycle?' you have to not only know the cycle, but understand the concept, especially feedback (both positive and negative in the case of female reproduction)
 
LOL I don't mean to sound sexist, but this is usually an easier subject for us ladies and it cracks me up when guys turn to me and say, "That one hormone that starts with an E.. what's that?" Direct quote from a friend who made a 33 on his MCAT. 😳
 
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