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CycleLab

Interactive menstrual cycle • IB Biology
Interactive IB Biology simulation

Understand the system, not just the graph.

Explore the ovarian and uterine cycles, investigate hormonal feedback, and apply your understanding to unfamiliar situations.

Cycle explorer

Move through a simplified 28-day reference cycle.

Menstrual phase
Day 1
Menstruation (approx. days 1–5)Follicular / proliferativeLuteal / secretory

Hormone concentrations

Illustrative, relative concentrations (not measured data)

Graph displayFull cycle: all 28 days shown

What is happening?

The ovarian and uterine processes are synchronised with the graph.

Ovary

Uterus

Day 1

Menstruation

Model assumptions: an illustrative 28-day non-pregnant cycle, with ovulation around day 14. Real cycle lengths, ovulation dates, patterns and concentrations vary considerably. Oestradiol represents the principal circulating oestrogen in this model. The phases overlap: the ovarian follicular phase begins on day 1, while the uterine menstrual phase is occurring.

Hormone explorer Click to investigate

Select a hormone to see where it is secreted, what it targets, and how it affects other hormones and reproductive structures.

Investigate a change to the cycle

Choose a scenario, read how it acts, then predict the effects on the hormones, ovary and uterus. Run the model day by day and compare it with a typical cycle.

How this condition acts

Your prediction

Live hormone trajectories

Dashed: normal reference cycle (fully visible unless progressive reveal is selected). Solid: illustrative endogenous hormone response, drawn day by day. Externally administered medicines are described separately.

Ovary and uterus

Before the run

These structures follow the solid scenario curves. The dashed lines above remain the typical-cycle reference.

Ovary

Uterus

Start an experiment to see the simulated hormone curves drawn day by day.

Why does this happen?

Run or advance the experiment to explain what is happening on each day.

Conceptual, simplified 28-day model. Concentrations are arbitrary units; curves are not clinical predictions. Actual menstrual cycles vary.

Reconstruct the cycle

Match each description to the correct hormone. The options may be used once.

Explain the pattern

For each answer, justify the timing using feedback mechanisms.

Why does LH rise sharply?

Sustained high oestradiol in the late follicular phase switches to positive feedback on the hypothalamic–pituitary axis, promoting an LH surge.

Why does progesterone rise after ovulation?

The corpus luteum forms from the ruptured follicle and secretes progesterone, maintaining the secretory endometrium.

Why does menstruation begin?

In a non-pregnant cycle the corpus luteum regresses, progesterone and oestradiol fall, and endometrial support is lost.

Applied reasoning

Three IB-style interpretation questions. Choose an answer and check the explanation.

Longer-response extension

Practise moving from identification to mechanistic explanation.

Explain (4 marks)

Explain how changing oestradiol concentrations can both inhibit and stimulate LH secretion during a typical menstrual cycle.

This is an educational model. It deliberately omits several physiological regulators (including inhibin and GnRH pulse dynamics), pregnancy signalling and clinical conditions.

Ask CycleLab

Ask questions about hormones, feedback loops, ovarian events or the experiment you are exploring.

Online AI tutor
I can help you explain hormone feedback, the normal cycle and the contraception experiments. What would you like to understand?