MCN lecture: Pre-pregnancy

Question 1

Process wherein the sperm meets the egg

Answer 1

Fertilization

Question 2

a. How many egg cells are in a female’s ovaries at birth?
b. How many egg cells remain during the start of menstruation/age of reproduction?
c. How many egg cells reach maturation?

Answer 2

a. 1,000,000
b. 500,000
c. 400-500

Question 3

What two hormones do the anterior pituitary gland release?

Answer 3

FSH & LH

Question 4

What structure produces hormones during the early stages of pregnancy?

Answer 4

Corpus luteum

Question 5

What structure takes over hormone production at 10-12 weeks of gestation?

Answer 5

Placenta

Question 6

Where in the testes is sperm produced?

Answer 6

Seminiferous tubules

Question 7

This part of the sperm helps in the penetration of the egg

Answer 7

Acrosome

Question 8

Sperm cells are viable for how many hours?

Answer 8

48-72 hours

Question 9

a. Two hormones responsible for sperm production

b. When are these two hormones produced?

Answer 9

a. LH, testosterone

b. At puberty

Question 10

What does semen consist of?

Answer 10

Sperm + all secretions from accessory glands

Question 11

Normal pH of semen (range)

Answer 11

pH of 7.2 - 8 (alkaline)

Question 12

Give 4 contents of semen aside from sperm.

Answer 12

Fructose
Prostaglandin
Clotting factors
Mucin (a protein)

Question 13

Normal amount per ejaculate

Answer 13

3-5 mL

Question 14

Normal sperm count

Answer 14

100 million/mL (50-150 million per mL)

Question 15

Ideal site for fertilization

Answer 15

Ampullary region of fallopian tube

Question 16

a. When is the sex of the baby determined?

b. How is the sex determined?

Answer 16

a. During fertilization process

b. Sex chromosome carried by sperm

Question 17

Narrowest segment of fallopian tube; best area for bilateral tubal ligation

Answer 17

Isthmus

Question 18

Segment of fallopian tube that is the most common site for ectopic pregnancy

Answer 18

Ampullary region

Question 19

These structures are important in catching the egg during ovulation (found in the infundibulum)

Answer 19

Fimbriae

Question 20

What is Mittelschmerz?

Answer 20

Pain felt during ovulation

Question 21

How many days does implantation happen?

Answer 21

7-10 days

Question 22

Where is the ideal site for implantation?

Answer 22

Posterior wall of the fundus of uterus

Question 23

What is placenta previa?

Answer 23

Placenta is implanted low in the uterus and covers all or part of the cervix

Question 24

What is placenta accreta?

Answer 24

Deep-seated placenta

Question 25

Single-celled structure formed after fertilization

Answer 25

Zygote

Question 26

Enumerate the stages of the zygote from its 8-cell stage to its 32-cell stage.

Answer 26

Zygote, blastomere, morula, blastocyst

Question 27

a. Which part of the blastocyst will become part of the placenta?
b. Which part of the blastocyst will become the embryo?

Answer 27

a. Trophoblast

b. Inner cell mass

Question 28

a. Weight of uterus pre-pregnancy
b. Weight of uterus during pregnancy
c. Volume of uterus during pregnancy

Answer 28

a. 60 g
b. 1000 g
c. 1000 mL

Question 29

a. Softening of the lower uterine segment

b. Other name for the lower uterine segment

Answer 29

a. Hegar’s sign

b. Isthmus