Week 3: Pregnancy 1 Flashcards
(120 cards)
What are the key events of early pregnancy
- Fertilization
- Implantation
- Secretion of HCG and HCG rescue of the corpus luteum
What is embryonic age?
calculated from the date of conception
What is gestational age?
calculated from the LMP (menstrual gestational age) or by ultrasound (sonographic gestational age)
Describe the events from fertilization to implantation

Describe the process of fertilization of the ovum
- Require mature spermatozzon and a mature oocyte
- Capacitation of the sperm occurs during their ascent
- Usually takes place within 24-hours of ovulation in the ampulla of the fallopian tube
- The acrosome reaction occurs with dissolution of the spermatic membrane and the zona pellucida of the ovum
- With impregnation of the oocyte by a spermatozoon polyspermy block follows
When & where does fertilization of the ovum usually occur?
usually takes place within 24-hours of ovulation in the ampulla of the fallopian tube
What is the acrosome reaction?
- During the acrosome reaction the contents of the acrosome are released outwardly. The cell membrane of the spermatozoon fuses with the outer membrane of the acrosome. The contents of the acrosome flow out through the resulting pores.
- A prerequisite for the success of the acrosome reaction is the previous binding of the spermatozoon to the pellucid zone.
- The enzymes that are released in the immediate vicinity of the pellucid zone by the acrosome reaction dissolve it locally and thus create a way through it for the sperm cells. A number of enzymes that have been released are involved. The best known are the already mentioned hyaluronidase and acrosin, whereby the acrosin makes it possible for the spermatozoa to get through the pellucid zone.
What stage of division occurs in fertilization of the ovum?
Metaphase II is completed
What events occur in fertilization of the ovum
- acrosome reaction
- polyspermy block
- metaphase II is completed
- the second polar body is extruded and the ovum begins to cleave and move toward the uterus
- Paternal and maternal pronuclei are formed
- At about 22 hours post-fertilization the zygote arises
- First cell division takes place in the mitotic spindle
- With the creation of 2 daughter cells the fertilization is complete
- @ day 4 it is called a morula (latin for mulberry) which is the 16-32 cell stage
- @ day 4-5: Na+/K+ ATPase pumps deliver Na+ into the interior of the blastocyst, crating an osmotic gradient/fluid filled cavity in the morula
- @ the end of day 4 the blastocyst, approximately 100 cells arives in the uterine cavity
When does implantation occur?
~ day 5-6 after fertilization it implants at the wall of the uterus

What does the blastocyst need to implant into the uterus?
- Needs a receptive endometrium which is dependent upon a low estrogen/high progesterone ratio
The blastocyst layers
The blastocyst divides into two cell layers:
- Embryoblast
- Trophoblast
What is the embryoblast?
- one of the cell layers of a blastocyst
- embryoblast cells are in a cluster as the inner cell mass and become the embryo
What is the trophoblast?
- one of the cell layers a blastocyst divides into
- The outer rim of cells (trophoblast) invades the endometrium and contributes to the fetal portion of the placenta
What is the decidua?
The maternal part of the placenta
Rule of Twos - Events of pregnancy in the 2nd week
“Rule of twos”
- The trophoblast has two layers
- cytotrophoblast
- syncytiotrophoblast
- The embryoblast differentiates into two layers
- hypoblast
- epiblast
- There are two cavities
- amniotic cavity
- yolk sac
Trophoblast in the second week
The trophoblast has two layers
- cytotrophoblast
- syncytiotrophoblast
embryoblast in the 2nd week
The embryoblast differentiates into two layers
- hypoblast
- epiblast
Cavities in the 2nd week after fertilization
- Amniotic cavity
- Yolk sac
Key events in week 2 after fertilization
“Rule of twos”
- The trophoblast has two layers
- cytotrophoblast
- syncytiotrophoblast
- The embryoblast differentiates into two layers
- hypoblast
- epiblast
- There are two cavities
- amniotic cavity
- yolk sac
- Day 8: The syncytiotrophoblast starts secreting hCG
- Day 10: The hCG tells the corpus luteum that fertilization has occurred, hCG rescues the corpus luteum from regression so that it can function to secrete progesterone until 12 weeks
What prevents the corpus luteum from degenerating and when does this occur?
The syncytiotrophoblast layer of the trophoblast starts secreting hCG in the 2nd week (~day 8) which “rescues” the corpus luteum from regression so that it can continue to secrete progesterone until 12 weeks when the placenta takes over
What do pregnancy tests detect?
hCG
When is hCG detectable?
hCG is detectable in maternal urine or blood as early as 9 days after ovulation which is even before the expected menses
How can hCG be used to evaluate pregnancy?
Can be quantified in the blood “beta” to assistant in evaluation of pregnancy viability and/or ectopic pregnancy (approximately doubles every 24 hours)



























