Follicular phase of the menstrual cycle

The Follicular phase is the first half of the menstrual cycle, respectively the phase before ovulation, during which a new egg or eggs are matured under the influence of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). In the first days of the follicular phase, the lining of the uterus is the thinnest, but it thickens as ovulation approaches. Towards the end of the phase, luteinizing hormone (LH) also becomes active, helping follicular maturation and subsequent ovulation.