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Every month, a set of events known as the menstrual cycle occurs to prepare a woman's body for conception. These events are controlled by changes in the quantities of natural molecules in the bloodstream known as hormones. These hormones impact the reproductive organs such as the vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. The ovaries make two major hormones: estrogen and progesterone. When estrogen levels begin to rise, the normally thick mucus inside the cervix thins. Estrogen stimulates other hormones, causing one of the ovaries to release an egg. This is known as ovulation. If a woman has intercourse during this time period, a man's reproductive cells, known as sperm, can pass through the thinner mucus and fertilize an egg. Estrogen stimulates the uterine lining to thicken, preparing it to receive a fertilized egg. Progesterone levels rise, causing glands in the lining to secrete fluid that feeds the fertilized embryo. Progesterone also causes the cervix's
