Ovulation / Women’s Sex Hormones

Estradiol is a female sex hormone. Estradiol peaks near ovulation – when women release an egg each month – and reaches peak levels when fertility is high (both across the lifespan and across the menstrual cycle). Estradiol levels may be associated with levels of female sexual desire, attunement to men, women’s partner preferences, and physical attractiveness, particularly when measured within women (compared to between women). Estradiol also modulates immune function.

Progesterone is a female sex hormone that is released in large quantitates after ovulation, in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. It plays a critical role in pregnancy and is known to have anxiolytic effects. Progesterone also modulates immune function both within and outside the context of pregnancy.

Luteinizing hormone (LH) is a hormone released from the pituitary gland that plays a key role in coordinating both women’s and men’s reproductive function. In women, an acute elevation in LH (“LH surge”) initiates ovulation. In men, LH stimulates testosterone production in the testes. LH is typically measured in studies to determine women’s ovulatory status. In clinical settings, LH is measured alongside sex hormones (e.g., testosterone, estradiol) in the diagnosis of reproductive disorders.