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Follicular phase (fuh-LIK-you-lur)  The first phase of the menstrual cycle, beginning just after menstruation, during which an egg matures in preparation for ovulation.
Ovulation  Release of an egg from the ovaries; the second phase of the menstrual cycle.
Luteal phase (LOO-tee-uhl)  The third phase of the menstrual cycle, following ovulation.
Corpus luteum  The mass of cells of the follicle remaining after ovulation; it secretes progesterone.
Menstruation  The fourth phase of the menstrual cycle, during which the endometrium of the uterus is sloughed off in the menstrual discharge.
Toxic shock syndrome  A sometimes fatal bacterial infection associated with tampon use during menstruation.
Dysmenorrhea (dis-men-oh-REE-uh)  Painful menstruation.
Prostaglandins  Chemicals secreted by the uterus that cause the uterine muscles to contract; they are a likely cause of painful menstruation.
Endometriosis  A condition in which the endometrium grows abnormally outside the uterus; the symptom is unusually painful periods with excessive bleeding.
Amenorrhea  The absence of menstruation.
Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)  A combination of severe physical and psychological syumptoms, such as depression and irritability, occurring just before menstruation.
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)  A tentative diagnostic category in the DSM, characterized by symptoms such as sadness, anxiety, and irritability in the week before menstruation.
Menopause  The cessation of menstruation in middle age.
Andropause  The time of declining androgen levels in middle-aged men. The male version of menopause. Also called ADAM (androgen decline in the aging male).







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