Hesperian Health Guides

How the Body Changes

In this chapter:

drawings in a circle that show a girl becoming a woman, a mother, and an older woman
The Reproductive Life Cycle


The bodies of people who can become pregnant go though many important changes during their lives—at puberty, during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and when they stop being able to become pregnant (menopause).

During the years they can become pregnant, their bodies change before, during, and after the time of their menstrual periods. The parts of the body where many of these changes happen are the vagina, womb, ovaries, fallopian tubes, and the breasts. Many of the changes are caused by chemicals the body produces called hormones.

Hormones

Hormones are chemicals our bodies make that affect and control many growth and development processes. Hormones can affect a person’s moods, sexual feelings, body temperature, hunger, and bone strength. The amount and type of hormones our bodies make changes throughout life, changing how our bodies look and function.

During the reproductive years, hormones determine when a person can get pregnant. Hormones tell the womb to thicken its lining, which prepares it for a possible pregnancy. Hormones also tell the ovaries when to release an egg during the menstrual cycle. Many family planning methods prevent pregnancy by controlling hormones. Hormones also cause changes during pregnancy and breastfeeding. For example, they stop menstrual periods during pregnancy. After childbirth, they tell the breasts to make milk.

Toward the end of the reproductive years, the amount and kind of hormones produced in our bodies changes again. Hormones important to pregnancy are no longer made, the ovaries stop releasing eggs, and the menstrual cycle stops forever. This is called “menopause” (see Chapter 8, “Growing Older” for more information).


This page was updated:22 Jan 2024
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