Maternal changes in Pregnancy Flashcards
Why is a pregnant female considered a very different physiological being cpmaprent to normal males an females?
Causative factors:
- high levels of steroids
- mechanical displacement
- foetal requirements
Many changes occur during pregnancy
What do these changes cope for?
- increase in size of the uterus
- increased metabolic requirements of the uterus
- structure and metabolic requirtements of the foetus
- removal of foetal waste products
- provision of amniotic fluid
What hormones cause most of the changes?
Placental peptides:
- hCG
- hPL
- GH
Maternal steroids:
- placenta takes over ovarian (CL) production around week 7
Placenta and foetal steroids:
- progesterone
- oestradiol
- oestriol
Maternal and foetal pituitary hormones:
- GH
- thyroid hormones
- prolactin
- CRF
Where do the effects of placental steroids take place?
- renin angiotensin systen
- respiratory centre
- GI tract
- blood vessels
Describe weight gain during pregnancy
Total weight gain is 12.5 to 13kg
Foetus plus placenta : 5kg
Fat and protein: 4.5kg
Body water:1.5kg
Breasts:1kg
Uterus: 0.5-1kg
How does our energy balance change during pregnancy?
Increase energy:
- cope with increased respiration and cardiac output
- Storage for feotus
- Storage for labour and puerperium
Where does all the water gain come from?
- foetus
- placenta
- amniotic fluid
- oedema(lungs, ligaments, leakage)
- plasma volume
- mammary glands
- uterine muscles
