Pregnant and nursing patient 1 - physiology Flashcards
What is the site of fertilisation?
oviduct
How long after ovulation must an ovum be fertilised by?
within 24hrs of ovulation, will begin to disintegrate after this
How long can sperm survive in the female reproductive tract?
typically survive approx. 48hrs but can survive up to 5 days
What percentage of sperm reach the site of fertilisation in the upper 1/3 of the oviduct?
0.001%
What does the fertilised ovum divide and differentiate into as it moves from the site of fertilisation in the upper oviduct to the site of implantation in the uterus?
blastocyst
What is the blastocyst composed of?
a hollow ball of cells encircling a fluid filled cavity with a dense of mass cells grouped to one side, known as the inner cell mass
What is the trophoblast?
- thin outer most layer out blastocyst
- accomplishes implantation after which it develops into the foetal portion of the placenta
What part of the blastocyst is destined to develop into the foetus?
the inner cell mass
What is the site of implantation?
the endometrium of the uterus
What is the first stage of implantation?
- when the free-floating blastocyst adheres to the endometrial lining, cords of trophoblastic cells begin to penetrate the endometrium
What is the second stage of implantation?
- advancing cords of trophoblastic cells tunnel deeper into the endometrium, carving out a hole for the blastocyst. The boundaries between the cells in the advancing trophoblastic tissue disintegrate
- inner cell mass is starting to differentiate, giving rise to the start of the amniotic cavity
What is the third stage of implantation?
- when implantation is finished, the blastocyst is completely buried in the endometrium, and the inner cell mass continues to differentiate and divide giving rise to the developing embryo
What forms the placental villi?
Finger-like projections of chorionic tissue form the placental villi which protrude into a pool of maternal blood
What breaks down the maternal capillary walls?
Maternal capillary walls are broken down by the expanding chorion so that maternal blood oozes through the spaces between the placental villi
What branches off the umbilical arteries?
Foetal placental capillaries branch off umbilical arteries and project into the placental villi
What separates the foetal blood in the vessels from the maternal blood?
the capillary wall and thin chorionic layer that forms the placental villi
What does the maternal blood enter the placenta via?
maternal arterioles
Once it has entered through the maternal arterioles, what does the maternal blood do?
percolates through the pool of blood in the intervillus spaces
What happens in the pool of blood in the intervillus spaces?
This is where exchanges are made between the foetal and maternal blood before the foetal blood leaves through the umbilical vein and maternal blood exits through the maternal venules
How does foetal blood leave the placenta?
through the umbilical vein
How does maternal blood leave the placenta?
through the maternal venules
What organs systems does the placenta form the functions of, and why?
the kidneys, and the digestive and respiratory systems
- the foetus has these organ systems but within the uterine environment they cannot and do not need to function
- the mother’s digestive tract, respiratory system, and kidneys serve the fetus’ needs as well as their own
Why should pregnant people be cautious about exposing themselves to anything potentially harmful?
many drugs, environmental pollutants, other chemical agents, and microorganisms in the mother’s bloodstream can cross the placental barrier, and some of them may harm the developing fetus
How do oxygen, carbon dioxide, water and electrolytes cross the placenta membrane?
by simple diffusion
How does glucose cross the placenta membrane?
by facilitated diffusion
How do amino acids cross the placenta membrane?
by secondary active transport
How does cholesterol cross the placenta membrane?
via receptor mediated endocytosis
What kind of organ does the placenta become during pregnancy?
a temporary endocrine organ
During pregnancy, what do 3 endocrine systems interact to do?
- to enhance growth and development of the foetus
- to coordinate the timing of the birth
- to prepare the mammary glands for nourishing the baby after birth
During pregnancy, what 3 endocrine systems interact?
- placental hormones
- maternal hormones
- fetal hormones
What are the most important placental hormones?
- Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
- oestrogen
- progesterone
Why is the placenta unique among endocrine tissues?
- transient tissue
- secretion of its hormones is not subject to extrinsic control. Instead, the type and rate of placental hormone secretion depend primarily on the stage of pregnancy
What is human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)?
- peptide placental hormone that acts to prolong the life span of the corpus luteum (CL)
- secreted by the developing chorion