Final Exam Flashcards
What are the basic players of the reproductive system?
• The basic players are the hypothalamus, anterior pituitary gland, posterior (back) pituitary gland, ovaries, uterus (or womb) and mammary glands (or breasts).
What are FSH and LH needed for?
• FSH from the anterior pituitary gland is needed for the maturation of an egg in an ovarian follicle. LH from the anterior pituitary gland is needed for release of that egg (or ovulation) and the formation of a corpus luteum (which means “yellow body” in Latin) from the empty follicle.
What are the ovarian hormones and what do they do to the body?
• Ovarian hormones: estrogen is produced by the follicle before and by the corpus luteum after ovulation. Progesterone is another hormone produced by the corpus luteum. These hormones have effects on the uterus, the mammary glands and the brain.
Describe the female reproductive process
an ovulated egg is picked up from the surface of the ovary by finger-like fimbriae found at the ends of the Fallopian tubes. As the egg moves down one of the tubes, it may encounter sperm and become fertilized. Just one sperm fertilizes a single egg. Meiosis by the egg is completed only after penetration by a sperm.
• When the 23 paternal chromosomes join with the 23 maternal chromosomes, the complete genetic blueprint for the development of a new individual is in place. But remember: P = G x E.
What are pheromones
There is some evidence suggesting that chemical signals called pheromones play a role in sexual desire and in coordinating sexual interest/attraction between men and women.
What is hCG and what role does it play in early pregnancy
- Early pregnancy: the hormone hCG from an embryo implanted in the wall of the uterus enters the mother’s blood and stimulates the corpus luteum in her ovary to keep producing estrogen and progesterone (hCG carries the message “Mom’s pregnant,” and is the target of detection of pregnancy-test kits). If the corpus luteum fails, then the wall of the uterus plus embryo is lost, i.e., a woman has her period.
- A quick aside… hCG is being sold as an aid to dieting. Don’t use it! hCG hasn’t been approved for this purpose by the FDA, and diets using it often include dangerously low numbers of calories. Avoid hCG in the same way you avoid tanning salons and secondhand cigarette smoke (unless the hCG is meant to be there because you are pregnant).
What is a placenta
• The placenta is a complex organ in which the baby’s and mother’s bloods come very close together but do not directly mix. Some of the baby’s cells do make it into Mom’s blood, but actual mixing is a medical emergency. Why? There’s a lot of exchange between the two blood supplies, oxygen and nutrients moving to the baby, carbon dioxide and other wastes moving to the mother. Of course, some unwanted things can also pass into the baby across the placenta, such as alcohol and cocaine which may act as teratogens.
Describe the birthing process
• The baby initiates birth by producing stress hormones that cause contractions of the uterus’ muscles. Then the mother contributes to the process, with the hormone oxytocin produced by her posterior pituitary gland causing more intense uterine contractions and dilation of her cervix (a short passage connecting the uterus to the vagina, and through which the baby passes during birth). In addition, the ligaments that hold Mom’s pelvic bones together become a bit looser.
Describe the skull of a baby
• The skull bones of a baby are not fused together to form a solid, bony box as they are in you and I. They are separated by flexible areas called fontanelles, which allow the bones to move a little relative to one another. This makes passage of the baby’s head through the cervix just a bit easier.
What happens when the female cannot have a successful vaginal birth
- For a woman who is unable to produce muscle contractions strong enough to expel the baby, an obstetrician may inject an artificial form of oxytocin, called pitocin, into one of her veins.
- When the process of birth is too painful for a woman to endure, an obstetrician may inject an anesthetic into the space around her spinal cord. Known as an epidural, this causes the woman to feel no pain below the site of the injection.
- Successful vaginal birth requires that the baby move through the cervix head first and chin down. If this doesn’t occur, as with a breech presentation (such as butt first), then an obstetrician will perform a caesarian section to remove the baby.
How is the health of a newborn measured?
• The health of the newborn baby is measured according to a set of standardized Apgar scores. In addition, a small sample of the baby’s blood is taken and tested for certain disorders, such as sickle-cell anemia.
What happens if a baby is jaundiced
• If the baby is jaundiced then it might spend some time under an ultraviolet light (but not too long – ultraviolet light can damage DNA).
What is cell “banking”
• Parents have the option of “banking” umbilical stem cells after birth. If the child needed those cells at some time in the future, they could be used with no fear of rejection by the child’s immune system.
Why is lactation important
- Lactation provides the newborn infant with nutrition. The breast (or mammary gland) first produces colostrum, which is rich in disease-fighting antibodies. Sometime later “true” milk is produced (a mix of fats, sugars and proteins) for health and growth until weaning, when the child switches to solid food (well, mashed-up food like peas and pears).
- Growing evidence suggests that breast-feeding might provide some protection to mothers against certain diseases, such as breast cancer. Breast-feeding is good for both baby and Mom.
Describe the lactation process
- A hormone called prolactin, produced by the anterior pituitary gland, stimulates milk production by cells in the ducts of the breast. A second hormone, called oxytocin and produced by the posterior pituitary gland, stimulates the ejection of milk from the nipple. Yes, this is the same oxytocin that was involved earlier in the process of birth. This hormone also may strengthen the emotional bond of the mother to her new baby.
- In addition, people in romantic love often have relatively high levels of oxytocin – not just women but men, too. Levels are also increased during and after sexual activity. And people given a dose of oxytocin up their noses become more generous toward others. Some have dubbed oxytocin the “love hormone” or the “trust hormone.”
