Lecture 8 - Female reproduction

Question 1

The uterus faces?

Answer 1

anteriorly

Question 2

how is the uterus kept in place?

Answer 2

by a series of ligaments

Question 3

why is positioning of the uterus important?

Answer 3

because the ovaries are not connected to the uterus in humans

Question 4

what are the three main ligaments and their functions?

Answer 4

• broad ligament (stops lateral movement of the uterus)
• suspensory ligament (connects the overies to the pelvis wall and contains the ovarian blood vessels)
• ovarian ligament (connects the overies to the uterus)

Question 5

describe the features of the broad ligament

Answer 5

double layer of membrane, the ovaries attach to the posterior layer

Question 6

describe the suspensory ligament of the uterus

Answer 6

extends from the lateral surface of the ovary to the pelvic wall
carries the ovarian vein and artery within it.

Question 7

describe the ovarian ligament

Answer 7

extends from the lateral wall of the uterus to the medial surface of the ovary

Question 8

oocytes are produced during?

Answer 8

gestation, at about 6-8 moths

Question 9

how many oocytes does a female have at birth?

Answer 9

1 million

Question 10

what are the two pituitary hormones of the female reproductive system?

Answer 10

Follicle stimulating hormone
Luteinizing hormone

Question 11

what are the two main ovarian hormone levels?

Answer 11

estrogens and progesterone

Question 12

what are the new boundaries for 1º, 2º and 3º follicles?

Answer 12

1º = single layer of granulosa cells
2º = multiple layers of granulosa cells
3º = antrum formed

Question 13

how long does it take from the time of follicle activation to ovulation?

Answer 13

about 85 days

Question 14

true or false, each menstrual cycle, a follicle is chosen to be activated.

Answer 14

false, groups of follicles are stimulated to grow rapidly (this is the follicular wave) but only one is dominant and is ovulated

Question 15

where is the fundus of the uterus?

Answer 15

at the top, points anteriorly

Question 16

what is a retroflexed uterus?

Answer 16

when the uterus points slightly posteriorly rather than anteriorly

Question 17

what is intersting about a retroflexed uterus and birth?

Answer 17

babies in a normal antiflexed uterus must rotate 90º before birth. In a retroflexed uterus, this doesn’t need to change

Question 18

how does uterine volume change during pregnancy?

Answer 18

goes from about 10ml of volume to 5L (for one baby on average)

Question 19

what does the massive change in uterine volume tell us about the uterus activity?

Answer 19

• massive physiological changes must happen in the uterus during pregnancy

Question 20

the bottom of the uterus is continuous with the ________

Answer 20

cervix

Question 21

what are the three layers of the uterus?

Answer 21

serosa (aka perimetrium)
myometrium
endometrium

Question 22

describe the myometrium

Answer 22

• makes up 90% of uterine tissue
• main function is forceful expulsion of fetus
• doesn’t change during menstrual cycle

Question 23

describe the contractions of the myometrium during the menstrual cycle

Answer 23

• during the proliferative phase the contractions are generally upwards (which may aid sperm)
• during the secretory phase, contractions are usually downwards (which may aid embryo transport)

Question 24

describe the layers of the endometrium

Answer 24

• simple columnar epithelium
• functional layer (the bit that changes over the menstrual cycle)
• basilar layer (connects to myometrium)

Question 25

which day does the endometrial cycle start?

Answer 25

on the first day of the menstrual bleed (menses)

Question 26

describe the glands over the course of the endometrial cycle

Answer 26

glands begin to form in proliferative phase but are inactive and there are lots by the secretory phase to provide nutrition for implanting embryo

Question 27

what is the decidua?

Answer 27

the tissue that is lost during menstruation and the tissue that undergoes the decidual reactions

Question 28

how is implantation different in humans than it is to other animals?

Answer 28

the embryo implants entirely inside the wall of the uterus (implantation into decidua)

Question 29

what is the decidual reaction?

Answer 29

the stroma of the endometrium becomes oedematous (secretory) stromal fibroblasts expand and fill with glycogen, which acts as an energy source for the embryo

Question 30

how is the decidual reaction different in women than to other species?

Answer 30

usually they happen after implanation in other species, but ours happens before and happens every menstrual cycle

Question 31

what is the window of implantation?

Answer 31

a 48 hour window in which the endometrium is receptive - expression of adhesion molecules which interact with the trophectoderm on the blastocyst

Question 32

what are pinopodes?

Answer 32

we dont really know, but they appear during the window of implantation, so may assist in adhesion

Question 33

when is the window of implantation

Answer 33

typically starts on day 21

Question 34

list the major uterine blood vessels

Answer 34

- uterine artery - arcuate arteries - radial arteries - spiral arteries

Question 35

what is special about the spiral arteries?

Answer 35

they are tonically active

Question 36

what happens to the spiral arteries during menses?

Answer 36

they lose their terminal segments. to prevent exsanguination, they spasm - this causes cramps

Question 37

what happens to the spiral arteries during the proliferative phase?

Answer 37

they grow back very rapidly, so rapidly that they grow faster than the endometrium and form spring like coils

Question 38

how do we know the decidual reactions are not required for implantaiton?

Answer 38

ectopic pregnancies

Question 39

what are the (technically three) layers of the cervix and their epithelia?

Answer 39

- endocervix (single columnar) - transitional zone - ectocervix (multi-layered squamous)

Question 40

cervical cancers always arise in the?

Answer 40

transitional zone of the cervix

Question 41

when does the transitional zone form?

Answer 41

puberty

Question 42

describe the epithelia changes before puberty in the cervix between zones

Answer 42

they change in the space of a single cell (from simple columnar to multi-layered squamous)

Question 43

which vaccination/disease effects the transitional zone?

Answer 43

HPV

Question 44

true or false, the ovary has a tunica albuginea

Answer 44

true

Question 45

name the three layers of the ovary

Answer 45

- outer cortex containing follicles - central medulla with stroma and steroid producing characteristics - inner hilum, entry point for blood vessels and nerves