What occurs during the ovulation phase of the menstrual cycle?

During the ovulation phase of the menstrual cycle, the most significant event is the release of an egg from the ovary. This typically occurs around the mid-cycle, approximately 14 days before the start of the next menstrual period. The ovulatory process is triggered by a surge in luteinizing hormone (LH), which causes the mature follicle in the ovary to rupture and release an egg, or oocyte, into the fallopian tube. This egg is then available for fertilization by sperm.

The release of the egg marks the transition from the follicular phase, where multiple follicles develop, into the luteal phase, where the ruptured follicle transforms into the corpus luteum, which plays a crucial role in producing hormones that prepare the uterine lining for potential implantation of a fertilized egg. Understanding this phase is essential in the context of reproduction, as it is the key moment when conception can occur. The other options, while related to the menstrual cycle, describe processes that either occur before the ovulation phase or are part of the aftermath of ovulation rather than the act of ovulating itself.