HUMAN REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

What is sex?

• is a type of life cycle where generations alternate between cells with a single set of
chromosomes (haploid) and cells with a double set of chromosomes

Pregnancy

• Fertilization (Conception): Union of male sperm cell and female egg cell. . At this moment, the
genetic makeup is complete, including the sex of the baby

• Once occurs, then known as zygote. It starts dividing as it travels through fallopian tube. After a
few days, it attaches to uterine wall (implantation).

Embryonic Growth

• As embryo grows, it continues to divide forming 3 layers that eventually become body systems.

– 1 layer: respiratory & digestive

– 2nd layer: muscles, bones, blood vessels, skin

– 3rd layer: nervous system, sense organs, and mouth.

• 2 important structures outside embryo:

Amniotic Sac:

-thin fluid filled membrane that surrounds and protects embryo

-insulates embryo from temperature changes

Umbilical Cord: ropelike structure that connects embryo to mother’s placenta.

Placenta: thick, blood rich tissue that lines uterine walls during pregnancy.

Development: First Trimester

• 0-2 weeks: spinal cord grows faster than body. Brain, ears, and arms begin to form, and heart
forms and begins to beat.

• 3-8 weeks: 1”: mouth, nostrils, eyelids, hands, fingers, feet and toes. Nervous system responds
and cardiovascular system functional.

Picture above: 4 weeks. Just when pregnancy test would show positive.

Picture: 8 weeks (about ½”)

First Trimester: 0-14 weeks

• 9-14 weeks: human profile- sex organs, fingernails/toenails. Can make crying motion (no sound)
and may suck thumb.
Picture: 12 weeks. Sex organs maybe clear for Doctor to determine gender.

Second Trimester

• 15-20 weeks: eyes can blink, body begins to grow, head growth rate slows, limbs reaching
normal proportions, eyebrows and eyelashes develop. Fetus can grasp and kick.

About 4” in size and weighing around 3 ounces.

Second Trimester: 15-28 weeks

• 21-28 weeks: hear conversations, regular cycle of waking & sleeping, weight increases rapidly.

- About 12” long and about 1 pound.

- Quickening: when your baby is moving around

- May survive outside the womb after 24 weeks with special medical care.

Picture: 20 weeks.

The baby can suck a thumb, yawn, stretch, and make faces.

Ultrasound

Use of sound waves to take a moving picture of a fetus in the uterus. Allows you to monitor baby’s
growth, determine sex, and listen to heart beat. Especially important before delivery, to make sure
baby is in correct position.

Third Trimester: 29-birth

• 29 to 40: fetus able to use all 5 senses and water able to pass through bladder. Brain scans have
shown that some fetuses dream.

• Mother: a yellowish fluid will start leaking from your breasts. That is colostrum, and it happens
to get your breasts ready for making milk. These are full immune cells, antibodies, and proteins.

• Full “term” delivery any time after 40 weeks.

Fat starts to form under baby’s skin to help fill out wrinkles and gaining over half the weight,
Stages of Birth

• Head of fetus moves closer to bottom of uterus.

• Mother starts having weak, irregular muscular contractions (weeks to months before)

• Labor: final stage where uterus contracts and pushes baby out.

Leaving the womb

• Stage 1: Dilation.

Contractions of uterus cause cervix to dilate.

• Stage 2: Pass through birth canal.

Cervix fully dilated and baby is pushed through the birth canal.

• Stage 3: Afterbirth

Placenta still attached to umbilical cord.

Prenatal Care
• Steps to take provide health for mother and her baby
• First decision: find the right obstetrician
• Second: where you plan on delivering your baby (birthing center, hospital, home with
midwife).
• Planning of prenatal visits: physical to monitor weight & BP, ultrasounds, etc
Proper Nutrition
• Increased amounts of these nutrients:
-Calcium: help builds strong bones & teeth, healthy nerves & muscles, and developing heart
rhythm.
-Protein: helps form muscle and tissues
-Iron: red blood cells and oxygen to cells.
-Vitamin A: aids in cell and bone growth, and eye development
-Vitamin B: forms nervous system
Folate
• Folic Acid: spinal fluid and helps close tube that contains CNS (about 17-30 days after
conception). Most neural tube birth defects occur before female is aware.
Recommended that women consume at least 400-600 micrograms daily.
Caffeine /Diets

• Caffeine present in coffee, tea, chocolate, cola, etc. can affect fetus.

• High intake has been linked to increased risk of birth defects and low birth weight.

• Weight Reduction diets during pregnancy can also harm fetus.

Dangerous Substances

• Tobacco- estimated 30% of low birth weight babies, premature births or infant deaths
accounted for due to pregnant smoker. Also believed to affect growth, mental and behavior
development.

• Alcohol- Causes fetal alcohol syndrome. Can cause mental retardation, learning disabilities,
behavior problems, and physical defects. Alcohol passes

Drugs

• Obviously NO illegal Drugs.

• Medications or herbal supplements- even OTCs need to be carefully assessed and gotten
approval from medical doctor or pharmacist

Environmental Hazards

• Lead- linked to miscarriages, low birth weight, mental disabilities, and behavior problem. Be
careful of childhood toys.

• Smog- air pollution linked to birth defects, premature birth, stillbirth, LBW, and infant death.

• Radiation- Xrays can affect fetal growth, and cause mental retardation.

• Cat Litter- cat feces may contain parasites that cause toxoplasmosis. Can result in miscarriage,
premature birth, and health problems of newborn.

Complications

• Miscarriage- spontaneous expulsion of fetus before the 20th week.

• Stillbirth- dead fetus expelled after 20th week.

• Ectopic pregnancy- zygote implants anywhere other than uterus. #1 cause of death of pregnant
women in first trimester.

• Preeclampsia (toxemia)-prevents placenta from getting enough blood. Symptoms: HBP, swelling,
and protein in urine. Treatment: meds and bed rest
 Contraception
Abstinence

- Refraining from sexual intercourse

Coitus Interruptus (Withdrawal)

- The removal of the penis from the vagina just before the ejaculation.

Natural family planning

- Requires outcoming from sexual intercourse near the time of ovulation.

Lactation

-it often stops the menstrual cycles for up to the first 6 months after childbirth, as long as the body is
exclusively breastfed and the mother does not resume menstruation while lactating. This method is 99%
effective.

Barrier Methods
Male condom

- is a barrier device because it collects the semen instead of allowing it to be relevant into the vagina.
(98% effective when used correctly 99% effective when used with spermicide.)

Vaginal Condom

- It also acts as a barrier. Woman can also place the vaginal condom into the vagina before sexual
intercourse.

Diaphgram and cervical cap

- Are flexible latex domes that are placed over the cervix within the vagina, where they prevent
sperm cells from passing from the vagina through the cervical canal of the uterus.

Spermicidal agents

- Are foam or creams that kill sperm cells.

Intrauterine device(IUDs)

- Are inserted into the uterus through the cervix.

Chemical Methods

*Oral Contraceptives (birth control pills)

- Are among the most effective contraceptive, providing 99.9% effectiveness.

*Patch(Ortho Evra)

- is an adhesive skin patch containing synthetic estrogen and progesterone. (99.9% effective.)

*Vaginal Contraceptive ring (Nuva Ring)

-is inserted into the vagina, where it releases synthetic estrogen and progesterone. (99.9% effective)

RU486 (Mifepristone)

-Blocks the action of progesterone, causing the endometrium of the uterus to slough off as it does at the
time of menstruation.
Morning-after pills

- The elevated blood levels of estrogen and progesterone may inhibit the increase in LH that causes
ovulation, alter the rate at which the fertilized oocyte is transported through the uterine tube to the
uterus, or inhibit implantation.

Surgical Methods

Vasectomy

- Is a common method used to render males permanently infertile without affecting the
performance of the sex act.

Tubal Ligation

- It is a method in which the uterine tubes are tied and cut or clamped by means of an incision
through the wall of the abdomen.

Infertility in Females

Causes of infertility

• Malfunctions of the uterine tubes

- Can occur when infections result in pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), which causes adhesions to
form in one or both of the uterine tubes.

• Reduced hormone secretion from the pituitary gland or the ovaries

- Decreased secretion of LH and FSH interrupts ovulation.

• Interruption of implantation

- Can result from uterine tumors or conditions causing abnormal ovarian hormone secretion.

MENOPAUSE
 The cessation of menstrual cycles is called menopause
 Major cause: age-related changes in the ovaries
 Older women experience gradual changes in response to the reduced amount of
estrogen and progesterone produced by the ovaries

Female Sexual Behavior and the Female Sex Act

 Stimulation of the female’s genitals during sexual intercourse and psychological stimuli
normally trigger an orgasm or climax
 The vaginal and uterine smooth muscle as well as the surrounding skeletal muscles,
contract rhythmically, after the sex act, there is a period of resolution, which is
characterized by an overall sense of satisfaction and relaxation
 Females are sometimes receptive to further immediate stimulation, however, and can
experience successive orgasms
 Orgasm is not necessary for fertilization to occur
 Ovulation results from hormonal stimuli and is not dependent of the female sex act
Control of Pregnancy
BEHAVIORAL METHODS
ABSTINENCE (refraining from sexual intercourse) – is 100% effective in preventing pregnancy
when it is practiced consistently.
COITUS INTERRUPTUS (WITHDRAWAL) – Removal of the penis from the vagina just before
ejaculation.
NATURAL FAMILY PLANNING – requires abstaining from sexual intercourse near the time of
ovulation.
CONDOM – is a sheath made of animal membrane, rubber, or plastic, such as latex. Placed over
the erect penis.
VAGINAL CONDOM - female condom