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- Pregnancy, Development, Birth
- And Infertility
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- Parts of the penis
- glans penis = head of the penis
- penile shaft = body of the penis
- corona glandis = rounded ridge at back end of the glans penis
- penile prepuce (foreskin) = not present in circumcised men; small glands
under the foreskin secrete oil which when mixed with skin cells produces
smegma
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- Retraction of the foreskin to remove smegma with soap and water is
important to prevent bacterial infection.
- Penile shaft contains three cylindrical spongy tissue masses, two of
which are the corpus
- cavernosa on the top of the shaft and the third is the corpus
spongiosum on the bottom of the shaft
- (through which the urethra runs).
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- Length of non-erect (flaccid) penis is usually between 8.5 to 10.5 cm
(3.3 to 4.1 inches) with an average of 9.5 cm (3.7 inches)
- The average length of an erect penis is 16 cm (6.3 inches) with a range
of 12 cm to 23.5 cm
- (4.7 to 9.2 inches).
- Average circumference of an erect penis at its thickest point is 13.2 cm
(5.2 inches)
- There is no correlation between skeletal system make-up and penis size.
A smaller non-erect
- penis will enlarge more during
erection than a larger non-erect penis.
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- The clitoris lies at the junction of the upper of the two labia minora
above the urethral opening.
- The average length is about 2.5 cm (1 inch) with an average diameter of
˝ inch. There is much individual variation with regard to size and
shape.
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- The clitoral shaft (similar to the penile shaft) contains a pair of corpora
cavernosa spongy
- tissue cylinders. There is no corpus spongiosum in the clitoris.
- This tissue is the labia minora in females (same embryological origin as
the corpus spongiosum in the penis).
- The clitoral glans (head or tip) is covered by the clitoral prepuce
(similar to the foreskin of the
- penis).
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- The clitoris is rich in deep pressure and temperature receptors with
only few touch receptors.
- Plays an important role in sexual arousal. During the plateau phase the
deep pressure
- receptors are important for detecting stimulation of the retracted
clitoris through the clitoral hood and mons.
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- In the 1990s the average number of sperm present in 2.75 ml of ejaculate
was about 182 million. This is about half the number of sperm present
per the same volume of semen from men during the 1940s.
- A man makes about one billion sperm for each ovum made by a woman
- Many of these sperm are structurally or biochemically abnormal (two
heads, no head, twotails, etc.) or dead and these are resorbed by the
female reproductive tract
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- For a male to be fertile at least 40% of the sperm must swim and 60%
must be of normal shape and size
- A sperm is about 40 to 250 microns long and consists of a head, midpiece
and flagella.
- The head of the sperm contains a haploid cell nucleus surrounded by an
inner and outer
- acrosomal membrane. The acrosome is filled with enzymes that are
necessary for fertilization. The head is covered by the sperm cell
membrane.
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- The midpiece of the sperm contains many mitochondria which produce much
ATP
- necessary to drive the movement of the flagella.
- The flagella moves back and forth to propel the sperm forward.
- During their travel from the vagina to the oviduct (about 15 cm = 6
inches) many millions of
- sperm are lost so that only about 100 to 1000 sperm reach the
ampullary-isthmus junction
- where fertilization usually occurs. Only 20 to 200 sperm will actually
reach the egg itself.
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- Vaginal sperm = sperm initially coagulate in the vagina as fibrin (same
as in a blood clot) forms to hold the sperm in the vagina, after about
20 minutes the sperm liquifies due to the presence of a fibrinolytic
- enzyme that breaks down fibrin. The semen raises the vaginal pH from
about 4.2 (acidic) to
- a more neutral 7.2 to increase sperm motility.
- Female orgasm may increase pressure in the vagina to facilitate movement
of the sperm into the uterus, but orgasm is not necessary for sperm
travel.
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- Cervical sperm = Shortly before ovulation the cervical mucus is copious,
watery and
- hospitable to sperm. Sperm travel through the cervix at about 2 mm per
minute.
- There are cervical crypts in which some sperm may become lost and die or
they may survive forming a reservoir of sperm that could later enter the
uterus.
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- Uterine sperm = sperm swim at about 3 mm/minute through the watery
uterine fluid.
- Oxytocin from the female pituitary and prostaglandins in the semen
increase contractions of the uterine myometrium facilitating sperm
travel to the oviduct. As sperm enter the uterus many white blood cells
enter the uterus to remove dead sperm cells.
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- Sperm enter the oviduct (Fallopian tube) at a slower rate as the tube is
more narrow.
- About one half the sperm will enter the oviduct that does not contain an
egg and thus cannot cause fertilization.
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- Umbilical Arteries = carry blood from fetus to placenta
- Umbilical Veins = carry blood from the placenta to the fetus
- Ductus Venosus = bypass developing, non-functional fetal liver
- Foramen Ovale = “hole” that allows blood to flow from the right
atrium to the left atrium
- Ductus Arteriosus = shunts blood away from non-functional fetal
lungs to fetal aorta (bypases left ventricle)
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- Foramen Ovale closes so blood no longer flows from right to left atrium
= separates pulmonary and systemic circuits
- Ductus Arteriosis closes = so blood no longer bypasses the lungs
- Umbilical arteries & veins become connective tissue ligaments = no
blood flowing to or from the placenta
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- http://www.obgyn.net/us/gallery/gallery.htm#Gynecology_Normal
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- Teratogen = a chemical that causes birth defects (eg. Thalidomide,
alcohol, recreational drugs, rubella, etc.)
- The first two weeks of development the embryo is much less susceptible
to teratogens
- Major morphological (shape) abnormalities can develop in many different
developing organ systems if the embryo is exposed to teratogens during
weeks 3 -10 of gestation.
- Exposure to teratogens during weeks 11 – 38 generally cause more
physiological defects & minor morphological abnormalities.
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- 1. Increased caloric intake
- 2. Extra protein intake to help build the structures of the embryo
- 3. Extra calcium intake to help build fetal bones
- 4. Extra folic acid (folate) to prevent neural tube defects such as spina
bifida (failure of the
- neural tube to close in spinal cord region) or anencephaly (failure of
the neural tube to
- close in the brain region = baby is born with only the most primitive
portions of the brain and is not self-aware or conscious)
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- 5. B vitamins for increased metabolism
- 6. The average woman should gain about 25-35 pounds during her
pregnancy:
- about 11 pounds of fat
- 3 pounds increase size of breasts and uterus
- 2 pounds for placenta
- a pound of increased maternal blood volume
- about a pound of amnionic fluid, and
- an average 7 pound fetus.
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- 7. Exercise is generally healthy and not harmful depending on the
physical condition of the mother at the start of the pregnancy; moderate
exercise can increase birth weight
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- 8. Sexual intercourse during pregnancy rarely presents a danger to the
mother or fetus, but it should be avoided if there is excessive uterine
bleeding as the embryonic membranes may be ruptured. Air should not be
blown into the vagina during oral sex as it could introduce air into the
mother’s bloodstream (possible embolism). A sex
- counselor or doctor may
recommend certain sexual positions which may be more comfortable or
safer during pregnancy.
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- 1. For the mother, there is about a 25% increase in respiratory function
and 25% increase in erythropoiesis (red blood cell formation) during
pregnancy to support the metabolic needs of the developing fetus.
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- 2. Maternal fetal recognition = the rescue of the corpus luteum by the
production of hCG starting within 48 hours of implantation. hCG replaces
LH to maintain progesterone secretion during the first trimester. After
this time, progesterone is produced by the maternal-fetal-placental unit.
Progesterone is required to maintain the endometrium in a nutrient rich
secretory state and progesterone prevents contractions of the myometrium
to keep the fetus in the womb.
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- 3. The estrogen produced during pregnancy from the placenta is primarily
estriol.
- 4. A variety of steroids are produced by the fetal-placental unit.
- 5. Additional hormones produced by the placenta include: hCG, Prolactin,
hPL (human placental lactogen) which causes an increase the maternal and
fetal blood sugar and has been implicated in gestational diabetes and
plays a role in lactation (milk production).
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- 6. The corpus luteum and the placenta secrete relaxin.
- Relaxin levels rise near the end of pregnancy to relax the pubic
symphysis (the connective tissue between the pubic bones of the pelvis)
to increase the size of the pelvic outlet. Relaxin also helps to relax
the cervix leading to dilation of the cervix during early labor.
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- Minor ailments such as nausea, vomiting, breast tenderness, water
retention, gas, bloating, belching, flatulence, minor cramping,
headaches, enlarged veins (varicose veins), sleep disturbances, skin
color alterations, hair changes, edema (swelling) in limbs, bleeding
gums, mood changes, etc.
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- Toxemia = about 7% of all pregnancies in last couple of months of
pregnancy; can be caused by a high fat diet
- Symptoms = excessive weight gain, edema (swelling), high blood pressure
(hypertension). Early toxemia is called preeclampsia, later more severe
toxemia is eclampsia. Eclampsia can lead to convulsions, coma and
possible death; there is some evidence that exposure to “familiar” semen
may reduce a woman’s chance of developing eclampsia
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- Diabetes Mellitus = maternal onset or gestational diabetes; about 1 in
350 pregnancies
- like Type II diabetes in which the cells of the mother do not respond to
insulin leading to an increased blood sugar level causing excessive
urine production. More dangerous to fetus than mother (in 30% of cases
the fetus does not survive).
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- Ectopic Pregnancy = implantation occurs outside of the uterus; ~96% of
these are tubal pregnancies and 4% are abdominal pregnancies; causes
pain and severe hemorrhage requiring surgical removal of the embryo;
causes about 10% of all maternal deaths in the U.S.; in the abdomen, the
fetus may accumulate calcium deposits to form a lithopedion or “stone
baby” that are often not discovered until a later abdominal surgery is
performed. Ectopic pregnancies are more common in older, multiparous
white women, women that have had an abortion, endometriosis or pelvic
infection
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- Hydatiform Mole = occur in about 1 in 1000 pregnancies; triploid male
embryos
- formed of swollen chorionic villi with no true embryo; secrete high
amounts of hCG
- (looks like the women is pregnant); can be malignant; removed
surgically.
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- Septic Pregnancy = bacterial infection of the uterus that can be
dangerous to the
- mother and the fetus. The cervical mucous plug helps to prevent
bacterial infection.
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- Placenta Previa
- Placenta previa is an obstetric complication that occurs in the second
and third trimesters of pregnancy. It may cause serious morbidity and
mortality to both fetus and mother. It is one of the leading causes of
vaginal bleeding in the second and third trimesters.
- Placenta previa generally is defined as the implantation of the placenta
over or near the internal os (opening) of the cervix.
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- Total placenta previa occurs when the internal cervical os is completely
covered by the placenta.
- Partial placenta previa occurs when the internal os is partially covered
by the placenta.
- Low-lying placenta previa occurs when the placenta is implanted in the
lower uterine segment. In this variation, the edge of the placenta is
near the internal os but does not reach it.
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- Frequency:
- In the US: Placenta previa complicates approximately 5 of 1,000
deliveries and has a mortality rate of 0.03%.
- Mortality/Morbidity:
- The maternal mortality rate secondary to placenta previa is
approximately 0.03%.
- The great majority of deaths are related to uterine bleeding and the
complication of disseminated intravascular coagulopathy.
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- Pathophysiology: The exact etiology (cause) of placenta previa is
unknown. The condition may be multifactorial and is postulated to be
related to multiparity, multiple gestations, advanced maternal age,
previous cesarean delivery, previous abortion, and, possibly, smoking.
- Unlike first-trimester bleeding, second- and third-trimester bleeding is
usually secondary to abnormal placental implantation.
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- Race: Recent reviews suggest an increased risk of placenta previa among
African Americans and Asians.
- Age: Women older than 30 years are 3 times more likely to have placenta
previa than women younger than 20 years.
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- History:
- Vaginal bleeding
- It is apt to occur suddenly during the third trimester.
- Bleeding usually is bright red and painless.
- Initial bleeding usually is not profuse enough to cause death; it
spontaneously ceases, only to recur later.
- The first bleed occurs (on average) at 27-32 weeks' gestation.
- Contractions may or may not occur simultaneously with the bleeding.
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- Physical Symptoms & Examination:
- Profuse hemorrhage
- Hypotension
- Tachycardia
- Soft and nontender uterus
- Normal fetal heart tones (usually)
- Vaginal and rectal examinations
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- True placenta previa at term is very serious.
- Complications for the baby include:
- Problems for the baby, secondary to acute blood loss
- Intrauterine growth retardation due to poor placental perfusion
- Increased incidence of congenital anomalies
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- Risks for the mother include:
- Life-threatening hemorrhage
- Cesarean delivery
- Increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage
- Increased risk placenta accreta (Placenta accreta is where the placenta
attaches directly to the uterine muscle.)
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- Placenta previa, once diagnosed, will usually mean bed rest for the
mother, frequently in the hospital. Depending on the gestational age
steroid shots may be given to help mature the baby's lungs. If the
bleeding cannot be controlled immediate cesarean delivery is usually
done, regardless of the length of the pregnancy. Some marginal previas
can be delivered without cesarean surgery, the other types of placenta
previa preclude vaginal delivery.
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- Incompetent Cervix
- The cervix is the part of the uterus that connects the uterus to the
vagina. It is about 2 inches long. It keeps the uterus closed. It is
usually very firm. At the end of pregnancy, contractions and other
changes cause the cervix to soften and dilate so the baby can be
delivered.
- An incompetent cervix is a cervix that dilates without contractions,
usually in mid-pregnancy (18-22 weeks).
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- Incompetent cervix may cause miscarriage at 18-24 weeks.
- Treatment is with cervical cerclage or prolonged strict bedrest.
- A stitch is placed high up around the cervix to keep it closed.
- A non-emergency cerclage is usually placed at 13-15 weeks.
- An ultrasound is done prior to placement of the cerclage to make sure
the fetus looks healthy.
- The stitch is usually placed from the vagina.
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- Symptoms: Some women complain of pelvic heaviness, or lots of discharge.
Often when they see their provider they are found to have a very dilated
cervix with the bag of waters coming out.
- Causes: The cervix may be weakened from previous child birth, surgery,
and late pregnancy termination. Many times a cause cannot be found.
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- Abdominal cerclage requires a cesarean section to delivery the baby. The
stitch is usually left in place for future pregnancies.
- Cerclage is usually removed around 37 weeks. Surprisingly, labor may not
start for weeks.
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- Placenta Abruptio
- A separation of the placenta (the organ that nourishes the fetus) from
the site of uterine implantation before delivery of the fetus.
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- Causes, incidence, and risk factors
- It is frequently difficult to determine the exact causes of placenta
abruptio. Definable, direct causes that result in placenta abruptio are
quite rare (1 to 5%). They include mechanical factors such as abdominal
trauma (for example, from an auto accident or fall), sudden loss in
uterine volume as occurs with rapid loss of amniotic fluid or the
delivery of a first twin, or an abnormally short umbilical cord (usually
only a problem at the time of delivery).
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- First Stage of Labor
- Second Stage of Labor
- Third Stage of Labor
- Delivery of the Placenta (Afterbirth)
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- Medical Doctor/Obstetrician = about 40 weeks
- From last menstrual period (which can be more than two weeks before
fertilization) to birth
- Scientists/Researchers = about 38 weeks
- From the time of fertilization (conception) to birth
- This is the actual time the embryo/fetus is developing before birth
- Lay Person/General Public = about 34-36 weeks
- From time of positive pregnancy test (often 10 days to two weeks after
the last missed menstrual period) to birth
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- Toward the middle of pregnancy (or earlier), muscles of uterus tighten
for anywhere from 30 to 60 seconds. Not all women feel these random,
usually painless contractions, which get their quirky name from John
Braxton Hicks, an English doctor who first described them in 1872.
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- How can I tell the difference between Braxton Hicks and true labor
contractions?
Most women pregnant for the first time will ask their
practitioner or friends this question often, and the answer is
maddeningly vague: "You'll know real labor when it begins."
Truth is, they're right. Labor contractions are noticeably longer as
well as more regular, frequent, and painful than Braxton Hicks. Also,
labor pains will increase in frequency, duration, and intensity as time
goes on, while Braxton Hicks remain unpredictable and nonrhythmic.
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- What if the Braxton Hicks contractions become painful?
As your pregnancy progresses, these contractions may become more
intense and even painful at times; when they start to become more
intense and frequent, they're referred to as false labor. False labor
may feel like the real thing, but the contractions will still be
irregular in intensity, frequency, and duration and can taper off and
then disappear altogether. In other words, if you ever notice that your
contractions are easing up in any way, they are most likely Braxton
Hicks.
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- Basically, how the fetus “faces” the cervix/pelvis
- Breech Birth = one arm, both legs = both knees folded, one knee folded
with one foot emerging first, kneeling, or butt first
- Transverse Presentation = backside first
- About 3 – 4 % of baby’s are breech
- May require turning the fetus, forceps, vacuum suction, or cesarean
section.
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- Purpose: to soften and thin out cervix
- Intensity: variable; usually light and relatively easy to control
- Contraction Length: from 30 to 60 seconds
- Contraction Interval: from 5 to 20 minutes
- Duration: varies greatly with each individual
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- Purpose: to open the cervix from 0 to approximately 7 centimeters
- Intensity: stronger and harder to manage, but controllable
- Contraction Length: about 60 seconds
- Contraction Interval: from 1 to 3 minutes
- Duration: first baby about 5 to 9 hours; other children about 2 to 5
hours
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- Purpose: continuing to open the cervix (from 7 to 10 centimeters), and
pushing the baby down the birth canal
- Intensity: extremely strong and erratic; more difficult to manage
- Contraction Length: from 60 to 90 seconds
- Contraction Interval: from 1 minute; may be erratic
- Duration: very short
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- Purpose: to expel the baby from the uterus
- Intensity: less strong than during transition stage; somewhat
controllable
- Contraction Length: about 60 seconds (varies)
- Contraction Interval: varies from
- 1 to 3 minutes
- Duration: Varies greatly; longer with first baby; perhaps 30 minutes to
2 hours
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- Purpose: to expel the placenta from the uterus
- Intensity & Duration: Variable
- Total Duration: about 20 minutes up to an hour
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- Forceps (only used in some situations)
- Sometimes used to help deliver the fetus; some marks may appear on the
babies head, but these usually soon disappear after birth
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- Episiotomy = incision to increase size of vagina to prevent tearing
- May shave and use antiseptics around vaginal area
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- Tranquilizers (eg. Valium)
- Effects on mom = physical relaxation and reduced anxiety; takes the edge
off pain but does not eliminate it entirely
- Effects on baby = minimal
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- Barbituates (eg. Sodium Pentothal)
- Effects on mom = drowsiness and reduced anxiety; may slow progress of
labor
- Effects on baby = can depress nervous system and breathing
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- Narcotics (eg. Morphine)
- Effects on mom = reduce pain and elevate mood, but may inhibit
contractions and cause nausea or vomiting
- Effects on baby = can depress nervous system and breathing
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- Amnesics
- Effects on mom = do not reduce pain but cause the woman to forget her
experience after it is over; may cause physical excitation and wildness
- Effects on baby = minimal, but possible danger of overdose when
self-administered with adverse effects on the newborn
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- Anesthetics = come in various forms to block pain (similar to novocaine)
- Paracervical = injection into cervix
- Effects on mom = block pain the uterus and cervix; short-lasting;
ineffective lat ein labor; can lower mother’s blood pressure
- Effects on baby = causes slowing of fetal heartrate in about 20% of
cases
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- Anesthetics
- Pudendal = injections around vagina
- Effects on mom = blocks pain from perineum and vulva in about 50% of
cases
- Effects on baby = minimal
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- Anesthetics
- Regional = spinal, saddle block, epidural
- Injection of anesthetic into the fluid surrounding the spinal cord
- Effects on mom = blocks pain from uterus, cervix, and perineum; spinal
and saddle block also block movement below point where administered;
highly effective but can cause a serious drop in blood pressure or
seizures in rare cases; can be used for cesarean deliveries
- Effects on baby = generally no effect (does not pass across placenta),
but can require forceps for delivery more often than other methods
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- Anesthetics
- General = woman unconscious
- Effects on mom = usually used only in the last few minutes of labor to
eliminitate pain completely, but amy cause vomiting or other
complications and is a leading cause of maternal death during delivery;
can be used for cesearan delivery; rarely performed
- Effects on baby = can depress nervous system and breathing
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- Baby will automatically cry, not necessary to “spank” baby at birth to
start breathing
- Clamp the umbilical cord about 2-3 inches from babies abdomen, another
clamp beyond that toward mother and cut with scissor in between; there
are no nerves in the umbilical cord = no pain for either mom or baby
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- Erythromycin, penicillin or silver nitrate drops are put into eyes to
prevent gonorrhea infection (sometimes by state law)
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- About 10% of babies are premature
- Much more common in twins & multiples
- Premature baby = less than 5.5 lbs (2.49 kg) and greater than 2 lbs 3
ozs (0.99kg)
- Babies that are below this weight (0.99 kg) are usually stillborn
- Causes: unknown, adrenal hormones, uterine distention, maternal stress
or maternal disorder/disease
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- Week of Birth for Premature Babies by %
- 38 weeks = 99 %
- 25 weeks = 59%
- 23 weeks = 18 %
- Before 22 weeks < 1%
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- Removal of baby from incision through abdomen and uterus
- Rate of Cesarean in the U.S. = In 2000, of all births in the United
States, 23% were cesarean, approximately 37% of which were repeat
cesarean births (i.e., births to women who had a previous cesarean
birth).
- Rate of Cesarean in Europe = The cesarean delivery rate for the past 20
years in the United States is consistently 50-75% higher than the rate
in Europe. Although it is
currently increasing in Europe.
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159
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- The remaining slides discuss the causes and treatments of male and
female infertility
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- FEMALE INFERTILITY CAN BE CAUSED BY:
- 1. Failure to ovulate
- 2. Tubal blockage
- 3. Implantation does not occur
- 4. Reduced sperm transport
- 5. Antibodies made against
partner’s sperm
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- 1. Failure to Ovulate
- (leading cause of female infertility)
- Can be caused by stress, low body fat (Athletic Menstrual Cycle
Irregularity), depression or lack of hypothalamic (GnRH) hormone
secretion or hyperprolactinemia
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- clomiphene = anti-estrogen drug that blocks the negative feedback
effects of estrogen on LH and FSH = more likely LH surge = more likely
to ovulate;can increase the possibility of twins (about 5% versus the
normal 1%)
- hMG = Pergonal, followed by hCG = mimics effects of LH surge
- bromocriptine = inhibits prolactin to block effects of
hyperprolactinemia; allows LH surge to occur
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- 2. Tubal Blockage
- Blockage of oviducts (about 30-35% of infertile women); can be caused by
kink in tube, scarring, ectopic pregnancy, endometriosis, or pelvic
inflammatory disease (PID)/STI
- Treatment
- Introduce carbon dioxide gas or air to inflate and expand the tubes =
transcervical balloon tuboplasty; sometimes fixed with surgery
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- 3. Implantation does not occur
- Can be due to inadequate priming of the uterus by estrogen and
progesterone; fibroids, scars due to PID or abortion by dilation and
curretage (D & C)
- Treatment
- Give supplemental estrogen and progesterone to thicken endometrium
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- 4. Reduced Sperm Transport or
Antibodies Made Against Partner’s sperm
- Highly acidic vagina, hostile cervical mucous, cervical damage due to
an abortion or as a result of STI infection
- Multiple exposure to the same semen sometimes causes the woman to make
antibodies against her partner’s sperm which cause the immune system to
destroy the sperm (like a sperm vaccination)
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- Surgery to correct cervical problems; when antibodies against the
partner’s sperm are made donor artificial insemination is often the
only effective treatment
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- 1. Oligospermia (Hypospermatogenesis)= low sperm count due to low
spermatogenesis
- 2. Azoospermia = absence of sperm in the semen
- Azoospermia could be caused by a blockage in the male duct system =
obstructive azoospermia or it could be caused by a significant lack of
spermatogenesis in the seminiferous tubules
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- 3. Lacking sufficient numbers of
gonadotropin receptors = no pituitary hormone stimulation
- 4. Structural damage to the testes due to mumps (fever), radiation, old
age, or the presence of a varicocele.
- A varicocele is a varicose (twisted) vein in the testes that could lead
to an increase in testes temperature and a decrease in spermatogenesis.
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- 5. In about 10% of infertile men, they make antibodies against their
own spermas the sperm somehow escaped the reproductive tract
- 6. About 1 in 1000 men are lacking a portion of the Y chromosome
necessary for normal spermatogenesis
- 7. Malfunction in the duct system caused by scarring or an STI
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- 8. Malfunction of one of the accessory glands (seminal vesicles,
prostate)
- 9. Environmental causes such as smoking (decreases sperm motility,
causes more abnormal sperm to form, & lower blood testosterone
levels); marijuana; environmental pollutants or endocrine disrupters
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- Supplemental hormone administration (GnRH, Pergonal, clomiphene or
sometimes adrenal hormones); Surgery for some cases of varicocele or
obstructive azoospermia
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- Measuring the FSH level in a male can help determine if the cause is
obstructive (blocked duct = no effect on spermatogenesis) or decrease
in spermatogenesis (fewer sperm = lower inhibing level)
- Blockage in ducts = normal sperm production = normal inhibin = normal
blood FSH level
- Decrease spermatogenesis = decrease sperm production = decrease inhibin
= abnormally high blood FSH level
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