Lecture 15 Flashcards
What happens in the foetal placenta unit?
Interactions between the uterus that determines the pregnancy outcomes
What happens to the polar tropboblast?
It will proliferate and become the placenta
In the development of the placenta what to cell types does the trophoblasts form?
Syncytiotrophoblasts and cytotrophoblast
Describe syncytiotrophoblasts
Multinucleated, unicellular epithelial membrane. Secretes hormones and growth factors and regulates exchange of nutrients and waste products between the mother and placenta
Describe cytotrophoblast
Millions of individual epithelial like cells that lie under the syncytotrophoblasts cell. The lining itself is a villus centre
What are extravillous trophoblasts?
EVT - the are cytotrophoblast that exit the syncytium and invade the uterine wall
Why is pregnancy a demanding exercise challenge?
Because the mother will have to undergo enormous physiological changes both within the uterine and maternal foetal placenta
What happens to the cardiovascular system in pregnancy? - what is the aim
To support the appropriate growth for gestational age of the placenta and foetus
What are the overall demands systemically for cardiovascular adaptations that are enquired during pregnancy?
Increase in blood volume, increase in left ventricle volume and increasing contraction and beating
What does everything during pregnancy need to be regulated at?
A micro environment and also an macro multi organism environment
How much is blood volume increase in pregnancy?
35-50% over the course of 9 months
What is the increase in blood volume due to?
A massive change in preload that the heart needs to respond to
What mechanisms contributes to the increase in blood volume during pregnancy?
Increase in cardiac output by the frank starling and brain bridge mechanism
What else is increased during pregnancy?
Cardiac output, stroke volume and heart rate
What does the body require to accommodate for an increase in HR, SV, and CO?
Functional and structural remodelling
What are some examples of cardiac remodelling in pregnancy?
Left ventricular end diastolic volume increase, left ventricle stroke volume increased, mechanical work increased (efficiency) and left ventricular mass increased
What is eccentric hypertrophy?
A preload stimulus dilation of the ventricle
What is usually reversible 3-6 months post partum?
Cardiac remodelling
What is another accommodation during pregnancy?
A reduction in total peripheral vascular resistance to aid the distribution of blood to different organs
What happens in reversible vascular remodelling in pregnancy?
A substantial increase in uterine blood flow, a 5-fold increase
What is an increase in uterine blood flow driven by?
An increase in delivery of blood to the expanding due to the uterine organ
Why does the uterus need to have an increase in 5-fold of blood volume?
Because it is increasing in size and it needs to maintain delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues.
What is the REAL purpose for an increase in uterine blood uterine?
To deliver maternal blood towards the placenta
What is the haemochorial placenta?
Blood and membrane of the placenta
Where does maternal blood sit on the haemochorial placenta?
On the surface of the placenta, there is no direct communication between the maternal circulators system with the foetal placental circulatory system
Where is the 5-fold blood volume needed?
The uterine blood flow needs to be delivered to the intervillus space. Which is the space between the villus structures of the placenta - in between the different attachment points on the endometrium
What happens when blood is delivered to the intervillus pace of the uterus?
There is an exchange of oxygen from the maternal circulation to the placental capillaries - accomplished by transport mechanisms across the epithelial membrane