When do follicles begin to grow?

A woman's ovulation period usually begins between the tenth and fourteenth day after her menstrual period. It is because of the ovulation period that she can successfully conceive. During ovulation, the formation of follicles is the initial stage. Only when the follicles are normal can there be healthy eggs. But when do the follicles begin to grow? The earliest it starts is around the sixth day after the menstrual period, and the latest will not exceed ten days.

What is the time when follicles appear and how fast they grow? From the 6th to the 14th day of the menstrual cycle, which generally lasts 8 to 10 days, some primordial follicles begin to grow and develop in the ovaries, which is called the follicular phase and is in the proliferative stage.

According to the morphological and functional changes in the process of follicle development, it can be divided into three stages: primordial follicle, growing follicle and mature follicle. As follicle development accelerates and the follicular phase shortens, menstruation will occur more frequently, and it is very likely to be accompanied by frequent menstruation. The specific situation needs to be determined based on various examinations and physical conditions.

Follicle appearance time:

At the beginning of each menstrual cycle, multiple follicles begin to develop at the same time, but generally only one or two follicles develop to maturity, called the primary follicles (dominant follicles), and the remaining follicles close one after another. Some authors have reported that in more than 90% of the cycles, only one follicle grows rapidly to maturity, and 5%-11% have two main follicles develop. The earliest time for ultrasound imaging of follicles can be 5-7 days in the menstrual cycle, and the minimum diameter displayed is 4-5mm.

Follicle growth rate:

Ultrasound can reveal small follicles in the ovaries on the 3rd to 5th day of the menstrual cycle. These follicles gradually grow larger, reaching their largest size on the 14th day on average, and ovulation can occur. From the 5th day of menstruation to before ovulation, the primary follicle grows an average of 1.5mm per day; before the 10th day, it grows an average of 1.2mm per day; 4 days before ovulation, it grows an average of 1.9mm until the follicle matures.

The development process of follicles is not very smooth. It may also have abnormalities and various ovulation disorders. The most common abnormalities clinically are follicular dysplasia and afollicular development. Therefore, it also needs careful care.