Getting Pregnant Flashcards
How many sperm are produced a day?
20 million to 200 million
What is the waiting phase?
This is when the endometrium waits for a signal that the woman is pregnant before it breaks down allowing time for implantation and fertilisation. Eggs are viable for 24 hrs and sperm are viable for 72 hours.
How do spermatozoa mature?
They mature as they exit the man and continue to mature in the woman. On entry to the epididymis the spermatozoa are incapable of movement and have potential to fertilise. It is dependent in androgens
What is semen made of?
Spermatozoa and seminal plasma
What is the function of semen?
Transport medium,
Alkaline- Neutralise acidity of vagina and urethra
Protect sperm from attack from female(and male) immune systems
Nutrition from sperm
Prostaglandins simulate activity in female tract
What do the seminal vesicles make?
60% of the volume of the semen Alkaline substance Fructose Prostaglandins Clotting factors
What does the prostrate gland produce?
25% volume Milky slightly acidic fluid Proteolytic enzymes Citric acid Phosphatase
What do bulbourethral glands produce?
Very small percentage of fluid
Alkaline to neutralise ureter
Mucus neutralises end of penis and urethral lining
What are the phases of the human sexual response?
Excitement phase Plateau phase Orgasm phase Resolution phase Men then have a refractory period
What is the difference between males and females sexual response?
Males have a refractory phase, females do not
How does erection occur?
Vasodilation of the arteries in the penis and and venocontristion increasing the volume of blood in the penis
What is the innervation of erection of the penis?
Pelvis nerve
Pudendal nerves
Cavernous nerve
What is the neurophysiology of an erection?
Inhibition of sympathetic arterial vasoconstrictor nerves
Activation of the peripheral nervous system
Autonomic nerves releases nitric oxide
What are the causes of erectile dysfunction?
Obesity Drugs Alcohol Damage to corpus callosum Vascular problems- e.g. diabetes Pyschological (inhibition of spinal reflexes) Beta blockers
What is emission?
Movement of urine into the prostatic urethra
Sontraction of smooth muscle in the protrate, seminal vesicles and vas deferens
What is ejaculation?
Expulsion of semen
How does ejaculation occur?
Contraction of the glands and ducts
Internal bladder sphincter contracts
Rhythmic and striatal muscle contractions
What is the autonomic control of the male sexual response?
Erection- symp inhibition, parasympathetic activates
Ejaculation sympathetic activates ducts
What is the consistency mucus under the influence of oestrogen?
Thin and sticky
What is mucus like under the influence of oestrogen and progesterone?
Thick and sticky - makes a plug
Where is the site of sperm deposition?
Just before the cervix in the vagina
Where is the site of fertilisation?
In the ampulla region of the uterine tubules
What is spinnbarkeit mucus?
Stringy stretch quality of cervical mucus at the time of ovulation
What is capacitation?
Further maturation of the sperm in the female reproductive tracts , the cell membrane changes to allow fusion with oocyte surface
Tail movement changes from beat to whip like action
What is the fertile period?
Sperm can be deposited upto 3 days prior to ovulation or the day of ovulation
How does fertilisation occur?
Acrosome in sperm breaks down nan releases enzymes which allows the penetration of the stem causing the fusion and formation of a prolnuclei
What is the acrosome?
It is derived from the Golgi region of the developing spermatid, it contains enzymes which are necessary for the fusion of the sperm and egg
It is activated when the sperm pushes through the corona radiata to the binding of the sperm to surface receptor ZP3, triggers an acrosome reaction
How does fertilisation occur?
One sperm penetrates the egg leading to the fusion of the plasma membranes, the egg surface hardens preventing other sperm from binding
When is meiosis II completed?
Calcium waves are activated following the fusion of occyte and sperm membranes which causes meiosis II to complete.
What type of cells are in morula?
Totipotent stem cells
What is PGD?
Pre implantation genetic diagnosis
