more bits and bobs from paul brown Flashcards
progesterone changes the endometrium into the ____
decidua
changes between endometrium and decidua
increased vascularity and the glands and vessels between stromal cells enlarge and become procoagulant
what about the decidua stops bleeding
it is procoagulant
what cells are on the outside of the fertilised egg
trophoblasts
what is the outermost edge of the egg called that will go on to form the placenta
the chorion
what cells produce B-hCG
trophoblast cells, on outside of fertilised egg
what does B-hCG stand for
beta-huma chorionic gonadotrophin
target of B-hCG
corpus luteum
action of B-hCG
stimulates corpus luteum to produce progesterone and keep decidua viable for egg
what is B-hCG used for clinically
pregnancy test, can be detected around 11 days from conception
what do trophoblasts do once the egg in implanted in the uterine wall (decidua)
stream off to invade mother’s blood vessels and link them up with those of the fetus. They then cover the chorionic villi as they project out into the mothers circulation
function of decidual stromal cells in the vascularising of the fertilised egg in the decidua
they surround those first trophoblasts reaching for the mother’s vessels and prevents bleeding through their procoagulantness
list 3 broad causes of a miscarriage
chromosomal abnormality, infection or maternal issue
if a woman who is pregnant has a vaginal bleed, what does this tend to mean
miscarriage
what immunesupressant can be used to treat an ectopic pregnancy
methotrexate
true/false in an ectopic pregnancy the endometrium in thin
false - thickened from trophoblast making B-hCG stimulating corpus luteum to make progesterone
most common site of ectopic pregnancy
ampulla of fallopian tube
what cell type isn’t prevelant in the fallopian tube that makes it vulnerable to haemorrhage and rupture
decidual stromal cells
how does a molar pregnancy differ from a normal one on microscopy
many many more chorionic villi and overgrowth of trophoblast cells
true/false in a molar pregnancy there is a fetus
false - missing mum’s genes for fetal growth
explain molar pregnancy
should normally have one set of mum genes altered (methylated) to promote fetal growth and one set of dad genes altered to promote trophoblast and hence placental growth.
Missing mums and 2x dads so overgrowth of placenta
consequence of molar pregnancy
cancer (molar pregnancy is precancer of trophoblast cells)
what cancer can molar pregnancy give rise to
choriocarcinoma
treatment for a persistent molar pregnancy (i.e. BhCG stays high)
methotrexate
