Pregnancy Flashcards
4 satges to foetal development
embryo
foetus
viability
term
Main maternal changes of pregnancy
Increased weight Increased hormone levels Increased clotting Decreased BP Increase in body temperature Increased breast size Increased vaginal mucus production Increased nausea and vomiting
when is start of pregnancy
first day of menstrual cycle that results in fertilisation
What happens to levels of hCG during pregnancy
increases during first trimester and peaks here but then declines rapidly at end of first tirmester
What happens to levels of placental lactogen during pregnancy
increase steadily whole way through
What happens to levels of progesterone during pregnancy
increase steadily whole way through
What happens to levels of oestrogens during pregnacny
increase steadily whole way through
What are increases in oestrogens, placental lactogens and progesterone paralelled with
Plaental size
What produces hCG
Placenta
What is the luteo-placental shift
Change from corpus luteum to placenta as main source of progesterone and oestrogens
When does placenta become main source of progesterone
10 weeks
What facilitates this luteo-placental shift
increase in size of placenta and from 6 weeks the corpus luteum gradually produces less progesterone despite the elevated levels of
whats special about fetal adrenal glands
well developed and large even in first trimester
What is involvement of fetal adrenals in production of circulating maternal oestrogens
Placenta lacks the enzyme that converts pregnenolone to androgens. The fetal adrenals are able to produce a weak androgen DHEA which is sulphated in the fetal liver to give DHEA-S
Significance of androgen produced by fetal
It is inactive so a female fetus isnt exposed to an androgen during development
What happens to DHEA-S after its sulphation in fetal liver
circulates to placenta where is converted to 17beat-oestradiol
Pathway leading to high levels of circulating maternal oestriol
DHEA-S is induced to be hydroxylated to form 16aOH-DHEA-S which is precursor for estriol. The precursor circulates to placenta where is converted to estriol
Reason for increased blood clotting tendency
thought to be protective against losing too much blood during delivery and to do with the interactions between maternal and foetal blood
Changes in maternal BP during pregnancy
BP decreases for first two trimesters and is lowest in second then increases during the third one
Cause for concern of lowered BP in pregnant women
Susceptible to fainting if stand for too long
Reason for increased size of breasts
Increased levels of prolcatin, oestrogens and placental lactogen
Reason though to behind altered appetite
Baby puts pressure on GI tract decreasing its distensibility so smaller meals more often are what is suggested
Reason for altered emotional state
Hormones
Altered joints during pregnancy
Connections between bones in pelvis become more flexible to permit growth of baby