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Conception

• Conception is when sperm and egg meet


and fertilization occurs
• Sperm - one of the tiniest cells in the human
body
• Conception occurs in the outer third of the
fallopian tube
• Zygote - fertilized egg
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Improving the Chances of
Conception
• Time intercourse so it occurs around time of
ovulation
• Sperm live inside a woman’s body for up to
5 days
• Egg is capable of being fertilized for about
the first 12 to 24 hours after ovulation
• Position during and after intercourse is
important
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Symptoms of Pregnancy
• Missed menstrual period
• Breast tenderness
• Morning sickness
• More frequent urination

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Diagnostic Signs of Pregnancy
• Presumptive Signs: breast changes,
amenorrhea, nausea, vomiting, fatigue,
frequent urination
• Probable Signs: Positive pregnancy test,
physical changes in the uterus
• Positive Signs: Ultrasound or X-ray of
fetus, fetal heartbeat, fetal movement

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Pregnancy Tests
• Physician tests:
– Immunologic test based on detection of hCG
– Beta-hCG radioimmunoassay
• Home pregnancy tests

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Development of the Conceptus
• Nine months of pregnancy are divided into
three equal periods of three months - called
trimesters
– First trimester - months 1 to 3
– Second trimester - months 4 to 6
– Third trimester - months 7 to 9

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The Embryo and Its Support
Systems
• Placenta - an organ formed on the wall of the
uterus through which the fetus receives oxygen
and nutrients and gets rid of waste products
• Human chorionic gonadotropin - a hormone
secreted by the placenta; it is the substance
detected in pregnancy tests

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The Embryo and Its Support
Systems
• Umbilical cord - the tube that connects the fetus to
the placenta
• Amniotic fluid - the watery fluid surrounding a
developing fetus in the uterus

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Fetal Development During the
First Trimester
• Develops into a fetus with most of the
major organ systems present
• 4th to 8th week - external body parts
develop

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Fetal Development During the
First Trimester
• 7th week - liver, lungs, pancreas, kidneys,
and intestines have formed and begun
limited functioning
• End of 12th week - 10 centimeters long;
weighs 19 grams

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Fetal Development During the
Second Trimester
• Quickening occurs - women becomes aware
of fetal movements
– around the end of the 14th week
• Fetal heart beat can be detected
• Fetus opens its eyes

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Fetal Development During the
Third Trimester
• Fetus’s skin is wrinkled and covered with
downlike hair
• Fetus turns in uterus to assume a head-down
position
• Fetus experiences rapid growth

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Physical Changes: First
Trimester
• Large increase in levels of hormones
• Breasts swell and tingle; development of
mammary glands
• Need to urinate
• Morning sickness
• Vaginal discharges may increase
• Feelings of fatigue and sleepiness
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Psychological Changes
• Depression is common
• Negative emotions
• Positive feelings

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Physical Changes: Second
Trimester
• Morning sickness disappears
• Constipation and nosebleeds sometimes
occur
• Edema - water retention and swelling
• Colostrum may come out of the nipple

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Psychological Changes
• Psychological well-being is greater among
women who have social support
• Depression higher in some studies

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The Father’s Role in Pregnancy
• Couvade syndrome - male pregnancy
symptoms
• The father-to-be - many choose to be
actively involved
• Diversity in the contexts of pregnancy -
there are lots of various family contexts that
exist today

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Sex During Pregnancy
• Intercourse can continue safely until 4
weeks before the baby is due
• If intercourse is uncomfortable for woman,
alternatives should be explored

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Nutrition During Pregnancy
• Diet during is extremely important
• Woman must get enough protein, folic acid,
calcium, magnesium and vitamin A
• The fetus comes first – it draws the
nutrients it needs first, and whatever is left
is for mom

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Nutrition Deficiencies
• Calcium – future risk of bone and tooth loss
• Folic acid – (folate) much higher risk of
neural tube defects. (decreases risk by 50%)
• Zinc – malformations of the central nervous
system

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Effects of Drugs Taken During
Pregnancy
• Teratogens - a substance that produces
defects in a fetus
• Antibiotics - may damage fetus
• Alcohol - may cause fetal alcohol syndrome
• Cocaine - increased risk of premature birth

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Effects of Drugs Taken During
Pregnancy
• Steroids - can cause masculinization of a
female fetus and other fetal damages
• Other drugs - check with physician and
“when in doubt, don’t”
• Dads and drugs
– drugs can damage sperm and their genetic
content

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Birth: The Beginning of Labor
• Bloody show
• Amniotic sac ruptures
• Progesterone-withdrawal theory

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The Stages of Labor
• Labor divided into 3 stages
• Parturition - whole process of childbirth

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First-Stage Labor
• Regular contraction of uterus muscles
• Effacement
• Dilation
• Divided into 3 stages:
– Early first-stage labor (0-5 cm)
– Late first-stage labor (5-8 cm)
– Transition phase (8-10cm)
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Second-Stage Labor: Delivery
• Begins when cervix is fully dilated
• Urge to push or bear down
• Crowning
– top of the head is visible
• Episiotomy may be performed
– incision that is sometimes made at the vaginal
entrance during birth
• Baby is born
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Third-Stage Labor
• Placenta detaches from walls of the uterus
• Afterbirth is expelled
• Several contractions may accompany
placental expulsion
• Episiotomy and tears are sewn up

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Cesarean Section
• A method of delivering a baby surgically,
by an incision in the abdomen
• Reasons to have a C Section:
– Baby is too large, mother’s pelvis is too small
– Cervix is not dilating
– Umbilical cord prolapses
– Excessive bleeding
– Placenta previa
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After the Baby is Born: The
Postpartum Period
• Physical changes
– Hormones levels return to normal
– Woman may feel exhausted
– Discomfort from episiotomy
• Psychological changes
– Postpartum depression

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Attachment to the Baby
• Bonding can occur before baby is born
• Critical period of bonding occurs in minutes
and hours immediately after birth

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Sex During Postpartum
• Couple should wait at least 2 weeks before
resuming intercourse
• If woman had an episiotomy, she may
experience vaginal discomfort

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Breast-Feeding
• Biological mechanisms
– Prolactin - stimulates breasts to produce milk
– Oxytocin - stimulates breasts to eject milk
• Physical and mental health
– Breast feeding is encouraged

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Problem Pregnancies
• Ectopic pregnancy - fertilized egg implants
somewhere other than the uterus
• Pseudocyesis - false pregnancy
• Pregnancy-induced hypertension - includes
3 conditions:
– Hypertension
– Preeclampsia
– Eclampsia
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Problem Pregnancies
• Viral illness during pregnancy
• Birth defects
• Rh incompatibility
• Miscarriage - spontaneous abortion
• Preterm birth

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Infertility
• Refers to a woman’s inability to conceive
and give birth to a living child, or a man’s
inability to impregnate a woman
• Causes - can be either female factors or
male factors

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Causes in the Female
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Failure to ovulate
• Blockage of the fallopian tubes
• Hostile mucus

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Causes in the Male
• Infections in the reproductive system caused
by sexually transmitted diseases
• Low sperm count
• Low motility of the sperm

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Combined Factors
• Immunologic response
• Lack of knowledge

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Psychological Aspects of
Infertility
• Couple subjected to psychological stress
• Man may feel that his masculinity or virility
is in question

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Treatment of Infertility
• Fertility drugs
• Microsurgery
• New reproductive technologies

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Assisted Reproductive Technologies

• Artificial insemination - sperm are placed


into vagina by means other than sexual
intercourse
• Sperm banks
• Embryo transfer - embryo is transferred into
uterus, usually from the lab.

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New Reproductive Technologies
• Test-tube babies - in vitro fertilization - egg
is fertilized by sperm in a laboratory dish
• GIFT - gamete intra-fallopian transfer
• ZIFT - zygote intra-fallopian transfer
• Cloning
• Gender selection

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