Obs and Gynae Flashcards
Outline the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis in females.
Hypothalamus releases GnRH which stimulates the Anterior Pituitary to produce and release LH and SH
FSH binds to granulosa cells to drive follicle development in the ovaries, oestrogen and inhibin secretion
LH binds to theca cells to produce testosterone
At what level does Inhibin inhibit FSH at?
Anterior pituitary
At what level does oestrogen inhibit the HPG axis?
Hypothalamus
What is the most common form of oestrogen in the body?
17-beta oestradiol
Where is progesterone produced?
Corpus luteum - following ovulation
At what point of gestation does progesterone production site switch?
Placenta at 10 weeks
Which hormone has a role in thermoregulation?
A. Oestrogen
B. LH
C. FSH
D. Progesterone
D
What is the relationship between body fat and puberty in young girls?
Body fat = WAT = aromatase which produces oestrogen
BMI»_space;> = precocious puberty e.g. PCOS
BMI «< = delayed puberty e.g. Anaemia; Anorexia
What staging system may be used in female puberty?
Tanner Staging
What hormonal changes occur during puberty?
Oestrogen increase
GnRH
FSH
LH
What is the event determining the phases of the menstrual cycle?
Ovulation
Follicular phase (1-14)
Luteal phase (14-28)
What follicular transition does FSH catalyse?
Secondary follicle to Antral follicle (Graafian follicle)
What hormone is responsible for ovulation?
LH causes the dormant follicle to release an ovum
What structure becomes the corpus luteum?
The follicle releasing the ovum becomes the corpus luteum, severing high levels of progesterone
Which structure is responsible for ßhCG release early on in pregnancy?
Syncytiotrophoblast
What is the structure of the primordial follicle?
Pregranulosa cells surround with a layer of basal lamina
What are the layers of the primary follicle?
3 layers:
- Oocyte
- Zona pellucida
- Granulosa cells
- Theca cells
what type of epithelium is present in a primary follicle?
Simple Cuboidal Epithelium - secreting into the zona pellucida
What is the outer layer of a primary follicle?
Theca layer - theca externa (CT) and theca interna (androgen hormones)
Outline the physiology of ovulation.
The LH surge results in LH binding to the theca externa which causes CT and SMC to contract which results in the follicle rupturing
What layers of the follicle does the sperm penetrate to fertilise the egg?
Corona radiata and zona pellucida
Which part of the blastocyst binds to the endometrium?
The syncytiotrophoblast
What are the layers of the chorion?
Cytotrophoblast
Syncytiotrophoblast
Outline the process of embryo development.
The morula becomes a blastocyst. The blastocyst comprises of an embryo blast, a blastocoele and trophoblast.
The syncytiotrophoblast layer (of the trophoblast) implants into the endometrium.
The embyroblast (ICM) splits into two sacs of the yolk sac and amniotic sac. The embryonic disc separates these two areas.
5 weeks gestation, embryonic disc develops into a foetal pole with 3 layers: ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm
6 weeks, foetal heart develops (mesoderm) and begins to beat. The spinal cord and muscles develop.
At 8 weeks, all major organs have begun to develop