Could you summarize the female menstrual cycle with hormones?

The female menstrual cycle occurs in 4 phases.  The menstrual phase, follicular phase, ovulation phase, and luteal phase are the four phases.  Those phases typically take around 28 days to complete, but there is some variation from female to female.  

Because the menstrual cycle is a cycle, there isn't really a start and end, but most textbooks list out the menstruation phase as the first phase.  There are four main hormones at work during...

The female menstrual cycle occurs in 4 phases.  The menstrual phase, follicular phase, ovulation phase, and luteal phase are the four phases.  Those phases typically take around 28 days to complete, but there is some variation from female to female.  

Because the menstrual cycle is a cycle, there isn't really a start and end, but most textbooks list out the menstruation phase as the first phase.  There are four main hormones at work during the female menstrual cycle: estrogen, progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH).  During menstruation, those four hormones are at their lowest.  

Once menstruation is complete, the follicular phase begins.  There is a slight increase in FSH, which stimulates the development of a follicle.  That follicle contains the egg.  As the follicle continues to develop, there is an increase in estrogen levels.  

At the end of the follicular phase, the ovulation phase begins.  It coincides with rapid hormone changes.  The FSH and estrogen levels peak, and LH goes through a rapid spike.  After ovulation occurs, both FSH and LH hormone levels fall way down.  Estrogen drops a bit, but it levels off.  Progesterone levels now increase quite a bit, and the menstrual cycle has now entered the luteal phase.  Those two hormones cause the lining of the uterus to thicken and prepare for a fertilized egg.  If fertilization does not occur, the hormone levels drop off again, the uterine lining is shed, and menstruation begins.  The entire cycle starts over.