Figure 2.

Representative hormone, mucus, and menses profile of a woman with prolonged ovarian quiescence and delayed ovulation (green, yellow, blue as described in Figure 1, red represents menses). Two arrows represent the end of full breastfeeding with the introduction of formula or solids (4.5 months) and complete weaning (11 months). The fact that full weaning occurred 6.5 months after the introduction of supplements indicates that the latter was very gradual and that breastfeeding was maintained at a rather intense level. This is recognized as a factor of delay in the return to fertility. The dotted line is the PDG threshold of 9 µmol/24 h as the biochemical criterion of ovulation. PDG = pregnanediol glucuronide.