REPRODUCTION

Female Reproductive System

• Ovaries– Two organs that

produce eggs– Size of almond– 30,000-40,000 eggs– Eggs can live for 12-

24 hours

Hormones

• Produced by the ovaries• Estrogen– Develops secondary sex characteristics

• Progesterone– Stimulates the uterus to prepare for a fertilized

egg

Fallopian Tubes

• Connect ovary to uterus

• Site of fertilization of egg by sperm

Fertilization

Implantation

Menstrual Cycle

• Occurs every 28 days• Preparation for fertilized egg• Endometrium expands thickens• If the egg is not fertilized, the endometrial

lining sheds, bleeding occurs, this is your period

• Ovulation occurs 13-15 days before the first day of your menstrual blood flow

Premenstrual SyndromePMS

• Hormonal imbalance• Afflicts 40-70% of women at some time in

their lives• Symptoms appear mid-cycle after ovulation,

peak the week before your period

PMS

• Symtoms– Bloating– Breast tenderness– Cramping– Headache– Fatigue– Mood swings– Irritability– Anxiety– Sleep disturbances– Difficulty concentrating

PMS

• PMS dsyphoria disorder (PMDD)-severe derangement of mood

• Relief from PMS– Regular exercise stimulates endorphins– Decrease salt intake– Small frequent meals– Avoid alcohol, tobacco, caffeine

Female Reproductive Problems

• Irregular periods– Less then 18 days apart or more then 42 days

apart– May be rectified with hormonal supplements– Difficult to conceive with irregular periods

• Blockage of fallopian tube• Endometriosis– Growth of endometrial tissue outside the uterus

Endometriosis

Endometriosis

Male Reproductive System

• Sperm produced in testes• Starts at puberty and continues to death• Produce approx 200 million/day• Ejaculate 200-500 million sperm

• Sperm made in seminiferous tubules

• Travel to epididymis to mature

• Sperm exit through vas deferens

• Semen produced in prostate gland, seminal glands, cowpers glands

• Sperm only 5% of ejaculation

• Sperm can live 5-7 days

Male Reproductive System

• Infertility– Related to quantity and quality of sperm

• Low sperm count• Inability of sperm to move• Structural abnormalities of sperm

– Decreased vitamin C intake may damage DNA of sperm

– Aspirin in regular doses decrease sperm mobility

Pregnancy

• First sign is a missed period• May have breast tenderness, irritability• Morning sickness• Diagnosed by blood or urine test looking for

HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) hormone released during pregnancy

Prenatal Care• Starts in first trimester• Check blood sugar, anemia, VDRL, • Toxemia or hypertension of pregnancy• RH factor

– Mother is Rh negative and the child is Rh postitive– Rhogam

• Ultrasound– To monitor fetal developement

• AFP-alpha fetal protein• Genetic counseling

– To determine the likelihood of having a child with a genetic disorder

Amniocentesis

• Amniotic fluid removed

• Cells examined for abnormalities Down Syndrome and Spina Bifida

Down Syndrome

Down Syndrome

Spina Bifida

Spina Bifida

Prenatal Care

• Teenage mothers– Immature bodies compete for nutrients with fetus– Higher incidence of premature babies

• Immunizations– Rubella

• STD• Smoking– Low birth weight babies– Hyperactive and irritable babies– Higher incidence of still born and miscarriages

Prenatal Care

• Alcohol– Babies developmentally delayed, retarded, physical

defects

• Avoid illegal drugs• Avoid OTC drugs• Prenatal vitamins

– Folic acid

– Calcium

• Obesity– Increased rates of spina bifida, ancephaly

Miscarriage/Spontaneous Abortion

• May be defective egg or sperm

• Embryo abnormal or not correctly implanted

• Usually first trimester but may be later

Childbirth

• Many times the first sign of impending childbirth is contractions and the bag of water breaking

• Cervix must thin before the child is born• Dilation– Sized of opening

• Effaced– Thinning of cervix

Childbirth

• Episiotomy– Surgical incision made between vaginal opening

and anus

• Anesthesia– Epidural

• Natural childbirth– lamaze

• C-section– Electively for herpes or breech birth– Emergently for problems with baby

Childbirth

C-Section

Infertility

• Inability to conceive after 1-2 years of unprotected sex

• Approx 40% due to male infertility, 40% due to female infertility, 10% due to combo and 10% unknown

• Approx 45,000 babies born in US with assisted reproduction

• Success rates affected by the age of the mother if her eggs are used– 37% successful if under 35 yrs– 4% successful in over 42 yrs

Artificial Insemination

• Sperm donation or sperm aspiration

In Vitro Fertilization

• Sperm and egg combined in the lab, fertilization

• Zygote placed back into the uterus• Very expensive and not always successful• Oldest woman in the US to give birth using in

vitro was 62 years old and an Romanian woman gave birth at 66

In Vitro Fertilization

Infertility

• Surrogate mother– Woman unable to have children may have IVF in

another woman who has the child

• Fertility drugs