Hormones are crucial to a woman’s reproductive health and their production is regulated by a complex system. As a woman grows older, this delicate balance becomes more and more susceptible to fluctuations that may cause problems with menstruation and fertility – but only if they go out of balance. As many women approach mid-life, hormonal changes gradually cause reproductive organs to shut down eventually leading to menopause.

The main hormones affecting the menstrual cycle and fertility are produced by glands in the brain and by the ovaries. Those hormones regulate menstruation, fertility and sex drive (libido) – any one of which can be adversely affected if the production of these hormones goes out of balance.