GAS SEMIFINALS NOTES • Implantation — The embryo must implant and begin to grow in the
uterus.
BIOMEDICAL PERSPECTIVE ON GENDER AND
SEXUALITY
1.2 THE PROCESS OF REPRODUCTION
How does one ovulate?
The major landmark of puberty among
females is the onset of the menstrual
cycle, the monthly ovulation cycle that
leads to menstruation (loss of blood and
tissues lining the uterus) in the absence
of pregnancy. The menstrual cycle is
from the first day of a period until the
next day before the next period starts.
Normally, it last around 28 days, on
the average, but can be as short as 21 or
as long as 40. Whatever the length,
ovulation will happen about 10-16 days
before the start of the next period.
Ovulation - is the process in which a mature egg is released from the ovary.
After it's released, the egg moves down the fallopian tube and stays there
for 12 to 24 hours, where it can be fertilized.
How does pregnancy occur?
For pregnancy to proceed, the sperm needs to meet up with an egg.
Pregnancy officially starts when fertilized egg implants in the lining of the
uterus. Pregnancy happens 2-3 weeks after sexual intercourse. This is
redundant so it was it redacted.
Conception is the process that begins with fertilization of an egg by the
sperm and ends with implantation. When a male and female have a sexual
intercourse, the penis fits into the woman’s vagina. Ejaculation or coming
releases the sperm via the penis into the vagina. The sperm swims through
the female’s cervix, into the womb, and finally into the fallopian tube,
hundreds of sperm swim up to reach it. Finally, the sperm penetrates the
egg in the fallopian tube where fertilization takes place and eventually,
becomes an embryo. Once the embryo (fertilized egg) attached to the inner
lining of the uterus (endothelium), a fetus develops within five to seven days
from a ball of cells floating in the uterus, which officially begins pregnancy.
A normal pregnancy lasts 37-42 weeks (nine months). This is measured
from the first day to the last period. Pregnancy is discussed in terms of
trimesters (threemonth periods), since each trimester is very different from
the rest. After eight weeks, the embryo is officially referred to as a fetus.
Teen pregnancy has a tremendous impact on the educational, social, and
economic lives of young people. Early parenting reduces the likelihood that a
young woman will complete high school and pursue the necessary post-
secondary education needed to compete in today’s economy. Although
there is a decline in teenage pregnancy rates it has been steady over the
past two decades. Teens are still engaging in sexual activity and teen girls are
still getting pregnant.
Equipping the youth with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to
protect themselves against unwanted pregnancy and provide them access to
reproductive healthcare are needed.
To become pregnant, the following steps must occur:
• Sperm transport — The sperm must be deposited and transported to
the site of fertilization.
• Egg transport — Ovulation must occur and the egg must be "picked
up" by the tube.
• Fertilization and embryo development — Union between the sperm
and egg must result.
• A membrane surrounding the egg, called the zona pellucida, has two
major functions in fertilization. First, the zona pellucida contains
sperm receptors that are specific for human sperm. Second, once
penetrated by the sperm, the membrane becomes impermeable to
penetration by other sperm.
• Following penetration, a series of events set the stage for the first cell
division. The single-cell embryo is called a zygote. Over the course of
the next seven days, the human embryo undergoes multiple cell
divisions in a process called mitosis. At the end of this transition
period, the embryo becomes a mass of very organized cells, called a
blastocyst. It's now believed that as women get older, this process of
early embryo development is increasingly impaired due to
diminishing egg quality.
• Zygote - fertilized egg cell that results from the union of a female
gamete (egg, or ovum) with a male gamete (sperm).
• Cleavage of human zygote occurs within the fallopian tube. It is
holoblastic, i.e., it divides the zygote completely into daughter cells or
blastomeres.
• Morula is solid mass of blastomeres resulting from a number of
cleavages of a zygote, or fertilized egg. In humans, the morula is
composed of 60 or more cells. As the number of cells in a morula
increases, the zygote develops in a blastocyst, a hollow bubblelike
structure, which eventually becomes implanted in the uterine lining.
• Three days after fertilization, a normally developing embryo will
contain about six to 10 cells. By the fifth or sixth day, the fertilized egg
is known as a blastocyst — a rapidly dividing ball of cells. The inner
group of cells will become the embryo. The outer group will become
the cells that nourish and protect it.
TYPES OF CONTRACEPTIVE METHODS
1) Condom
- a thin, fitted tube worn over the penis during sex (male
condoms) or inserted into the vagina before sex (female
condoms). They create a barrier that keeps semen and other
body fluids out of the vagina, rectum, or mouth. 80-85%
effectiveness
- Male Condom: Rubber sheath that fits over the penis
- How it Works: Rolled over the penis
- Effectiveness: 80-85 percent
- Benefits: Low cost, easily accessible, and reduces risk of
STDs/STIs
- Instruction for Use: Do not use with oil-based lubricants such as
cream and lotions
- Benefits other than Contraception: Can be effective in
prevention of STIs and HIV/AIDS
2) Oral Contraceptive Pills
- It’s the little tablet taken once a day. There are a few different
types of pill to choose from, so it’s about finding the one that’s
right for you. The pill can have many benefits, however
remembering to take it on time is a must.
- Birth Control Pill: contains synthetic estrogen
 - How it Works: Alters natural ovulation cycles
- Effectiveness: Theoretically, 99-100 percent, but women have
conceived on the “pill”
- Benefits: Low cost, easily available, and controlled by the
woman
- Instruction for Use: Taken daily after menstrual cycle begins
- Benefits other than Contraception: None
3) Intrauterine Device (IUD)
- This small, T-shaped device is made of material containing
progesterone hormone or plastic and copper and is fitted inside
a woman’s uterus by a trained healthcare provider. It's a long-
acting and reversible method of contraception, which can stay
in place for three to 10 years, depending on the type.
- How it Works: Inserted inside the uterus by a doctor
- Effectiveness: Theoretically, 95-98 percent
- Benefits: Long-lasting and relatively inexpensive
- Instruction for Use: Inserted by the doctor in the first few days
of menstruation; should be examined every few months
- Benefits other than Contraception: None
4) Contraceptive Implant
- In this method, a small, flexible rod is placed under the skin in a
woman’s upper arm, releasing a form of the hormone
progesterone. The hormone stops the ovary releasing the egg
and thickens the cervical mucus making it difficult for sperm to
enter the womb. The implant requires a small procedure using
local anesthetic to fit and remove the rod and needs to be
replaced after three years.
- Implantable Hormone Device: Continuous release of hormone
- How it Works: Continuous release of hormones
- Effectiveness: Not known
- Benefits: Continuous birth control for five years
- Instruction for Use: Implant of the capsule in the upper arm;
done by the doctor
- Benefits other than Contraception: None
5) Contraceptive Injection
- The injection contains a synthetic version of the hormone
progestogen. It is given into a woman’s buttock or the upper
arm, and over the next 12 weeks the hormone is slowly
released into your bloodstream.
- Birth Control Injection: given in the first days of the
menstruation and then every 2-3 months
- How it Works:
- Effectiveness: Not known
- Benefits:
- Instruction for Use: Given by the doctor
- Benefits other than Contraception: None
6) Emergency Contraception Pill (The ‘Morning After’ Pill)
- it can be used to prevent pregnancy after sex if contraception
wasn’t used, a condom has broken during sex, or a woman has
been sexually assaulted.
- This pill contains special doses of female hormones. Any woman
can take the emergency contraception pill, even those who
cannot take other oral contraceptive pills. It can be bought over
the counter at a pharmacy or chemist without a prescription.
7) Contraceptive Ring
- This method consists of a flexible plastic ring constantly
releasing hormones that is placed in the vagina by the woman.
It stays in place for three weeks, and then you remove it, take a
week off then pop another one in. The ring releases the
hormones estrogen and progestogen. These are the same
hormones used in the combined oral contraceptive pill, but at a
lower dose.
8) Diaphragm
- a small, soft silicon dome is placed inside the vagina to stop
sperm from entering the uterus. It forms a physical barrier
between the man's sperm and the woman's egg, like a condom.
- The diaphragm needs to stay in place for at least six hours after
sex. After six - but no longer than 24 hours after sex - it needs to
be taken out and cleaned.
9) Sterilization
- is the process of completely taking away the body’s ability to
reproduce through open or minimal invasion surgery. It is a
permanent method of contraception, suitable for people who
are sure they never want children or do not want any more
children. Sterilization is available for both women and men and
is performed in a hospital with general anesthesia.
- Vasectomy for males and tubal ligation for females
- How it Works: Passageway for the sperm or the egg is surgically
tied
- Effectiveness: Theoretically, 100 percent but exceptions have
been known to take place
- Benefits: Highly effective, permanent, and onetime expense
- Instruction for Use: Doctor performs an operation
- Benefits other than Contraception: None
10) Calendar Method
- Woman predicts the day of ovulation by keeping a calendar of
length or each menstrual cycle
- How it Works: Allows the woman to keep track of “safe” days
of se
- Effectiveness: Theoretically 85 percent but in reality, about 60
percent
- Benefits: No cost and under the control of woman
- Instruction for Use: Woman must keep track with the help of a
calendar
- Benefits other than Contraception: None
11) Withdrawal
- removal of the penis from the vagina before ejaculation
- How it Works: Prevents the semen from going into the vagina
- Effectiveness: Theoretically, 85 percent but in reality, about 70
percent
- Benefits: No cost under the control of the man and the woman
involved
- Instruction for Use: Dependent on the man
- Benefits other than Contraception: None
What are the health effects of early pregnancy in the growing adolescent?
 When a woman is under 20, the pelvic area (the bone surrounding
the birth canal) is still growing and may not be large enough to allow
the baby to easily pass through the birth canal. The result is
obstructed labor. The obstructed labor is dangerous to both mother
and child and requires the help of trained medical professionals.
Under the best circumstances, the young woman will have an
operation called a “caesarian section” in which a cut is made in the
abdomen and the baby is removed directly from the uterus.
 The complications are higher such as excessive vomiting, severe
anemia, hypertension, convulsions, difficulty in breastfeeding (if the
girl is too young to produce milk), premature and low birth weight
babies, infection, prolonged labor and high maternal mortality or
death.
Summary
Reproduction involves the ova and sperm to fuse. Their union can lead to
the creation of a new life through pregnancy. This has explored the process
of pregnancy and the changes that happen during the pregnancy.