HUMAN REPRODUCTION
PREGNANCY, LABOR,
DELIVERY
 OVUM-Female reproductive cell
 Produced in the ovaries
 There are two ovaries, each about the size
of a walnut.
 Females are born with all the ovum they will
ever produce.
 Ovum are produced until MENOPAUSE.
 HORMONE PRODUCTION: In addition to
producing ovum, the ovaries produce two
hormones:
– ESTROGEN
– PROGESTERONE
 OVUM ARE RELEASED EVERY 28 DAYS,
APPROXIMATELY.
 OVULATION: THE RELEASE OF OVUM FROM
THE OVARIES.
 Ova will travel to the fallopian tube when released.
 Fertilization occurs in the fallopian tube.
 UTERUS: Hollow, pear-shaped organ about
the size of one’s fist.
 This will house the unborn during
pregnancy.
 ENDOMETRIUM: The lining of the uterus
MALE REPRODUCTION
 SPERM: The male reproductive cell.
 Not limited to age
 Millions are released
 Have “tails” to swim to find ovum.
GENDER
 OVUM contain the sex chromosomes XX
 SPERM contain ½ X and ½
Y
 XX = FEMALE
 XY = MALE
 FATHER DETERMINES GENDER
CONCEPTION
 ALSO KNOWN AS FERTILIZATION
 THE UNION OF THE OVUM (EGG) AND SPERM
 IN A SPLIT SECOND ALL HEREDITARY
MATERIAL IS DETERMINED
 Gender, diseases, hair, eye, skin color, etc.
MULTIPLE BIRTHS
 “NORMALLY”, ONE OVUM IS RELEASED
DURING EACH 28 DAY CYCLE.
 OCCASSIONALLY, TWO OR MORE WILL
BE RELEASED AT THE SAME TIME. IF
SPERM ARE PRESENT, MORE THAN
ONE BABY MAY RESULT.
MULTIPLE BIRTHS
 FERTILITY DRUGS:
– Causes many eggs to be released into the
fallopian tubes, thereby allowing multiple babies
to be produced.
TWINS
 FRATERNAL: TWO EGGS FERTILIZED
BY TWO SPERM, MAY BE MALE OR
FEMALE
 IDENTICAL: ONE EGG FERTILIZED BY
ONE SPERM, EXTRA CELL DIVISION
 CONJOINED: IDENTICAL TWINS WHO
DO NOT COMPLETELY SPLIT; REMAIN
JOINED AT SOME POINT
 PRENATAL PERIOD: Lasts 280 days or 40
weeks in humans.
 To determine due date, count forward 280
days from the first day of the last menstrual
cycle.
 Obstetrician: the dr. who cares for pregnant
women
STAGES OF PREGNANCY
 PREIMPLANTATION:
– MOMENT OF CONCEPTION UNTIL 14 DAYS
– FERTILIZED EGG MOVES THROUGH TUBE
AND MUST ATTACH ITSELF TO THE
UTERINE WALL
– EXTREMELY VULNERABLE
– BLASTOCYCST
– Ectopic Pregnancy-fertilized egg remains in
tube and tries to develop/surgery will be
necessary
STAGES OF PREGNANCY
 EMBRYONIC: 14 days after conception
until the end of the 8th week.
 All organs are present and functioning
 PLACENTA: A mass of tissue that provides
nutrition and oxygen to the baby. (also
known as “afterbirth”)
 AMNIOTIC SAC: Unborn is housed inside
this; think of it like a plastic “baggy”.
 AMNIOTIC FLUID: Liquid surrounding the
unborn.
– Constant temperature
– Shock absorber, cushioning
 UMBILICAL CORD: The lifeline between
the placenta and the baby.
 Contains three blood vessels
– Two go to the placenta
– One goes to the baby
– Carries nutrition and oxygen to baby, deposits
waste material in the placenta
– Think of it as a superhighway with three lanes!
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
AFFECTING THE UNBORN
 NUTRITION OF THE MOTHER
 SMOKING
 ALCOHOL (FAS)
 EARLY PRENATAL CARE
ENVIRONMENT
 SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES
 DRUGS (OTC, STREET, THALIDOMIDE)
 PICA
COMPLICATIONS
 TOXEMIA
– Rise in blood pressure, swelling, headache
 RUBELLA
 Rh DISORDER
LABOR
 LABOR IS TRIGGERED BY THE RELEASE
OF THE HORMONE OXYTOCIN
 PITOCIN IS THE SYNTHETIC FORM,
USED TO INDUCE LABOR
LABOR
 SIGNS THAT LABOR HAS BEGUN:
– RELEASE OF MUCOUS PLUG
– BREAKING OF WATER
– CONTRACTIONS
STAGES OF LABOR
 EARLY LABOR
– CERVIX DILATES TO 4 CM.
– CONTRACTIONS ARE 30 MINUTES APART
AT THE BEGINNING,
– 5 MINUTES APART AT THE END
– LAST 15 SECONDS AT BEGINNING
– LAST 45 SECONDS AT END
– DON’T RUSH, KEEP WALKING, STAY CALM
STAGES OF LABOR
 ACTIVE
– CERVIX DIALTES FROM 4 CM. TO 8 CM.
– CONTRACTIONS ARE 5 MINUTES APART AT
THE BEGINNING OF THIS STAGE
– 2 MINUTES APART AT THE END
– CONTRACTIONS LAST 45 SECONDS AT THE
BEGINNING
– 60 SECONDS AT THE END
STAGES OF LABOR
 TRANSITION OR HARD
– CERVIX DILATES FROM 8 TO 10 CM.
– CONTRACTIONS OCCUR EVERY 90
SECONDS AND LAST 90 SECONDS
– HARDEST, BUT SHORTEST STAGE
– LASTS 1-2 HOURS
– URGE TO PUSH, NAUSEA, CHILLS,
IRRITABLE, CONFUSED
DELIVERY
 LABOR IS CAREFULLY MONITORED IN
THE HOSPITAL, (MACHINES, ETC)
 LAMAZE: a technique that focuses on
education and relaxation
 LEBOYER: child is born in dimly lit, warm
room, given warm bath immediately after
birth
DELIVERY
 EPIDURAL: METHOD OF PAIN RELEIF
 ANESTHESIA IS DELIVERED INTO SPINE
THROUGH A CATHETER
DELIVERY
 EPISIOTOMY: AN INCISION MADE NEAR
THE BIRTH CANAL TO ALLOW FOR
EASIER BIRTH OF THE BABY
 MIDWIFE: A PERSON WHO ASSISTS
WOMEN WITH LABOR AND DELIVERY,
MANY TODAY ARE NURSES, WITH AN
OBSTETRICAL SPECIALTY
CESAREAN DELIVERY
 SURGICAL REMOVAL OF THE BABY
– ACCOUNTS FOR ABOUT 32% OF
DELIVERIES IN THE UNITED STATES
– OFTEN DONE IN THE FOLLOWING:
 IMPROPER POSITION OF BABY
 BABY IS IN DISTRESS, CORD AROUND NECK,
ETC.
 LABOR DOES NOT PROGRESS
 BABY IS LARGE
Caesarean
 May be performed too quickly
 More expensive
 Major surgery, recovery is longer
 Most moms stay awake w/ epidural
– Can see baby sooner