The document discusses several topics related to female reproductive physiology: 1. It describes the female reproductive cycle including ovulation, fertilization, implantation, pregnancy, childbirth, and lactation. 2. It outlines the physical changes during female puberty such as breast development, hip widening, and changes in body fat distribution. 3. The roles and production of key female sex hormones including estrogens, progesterone, FSH, and LH are explained. 4. The effects of estrogens and progesterone on female reproductive organs and other body systems are summarized.

2. Formation of female gametes, ova
Reception of male gametes, spermatozoa
Provision of suitable environments for
fertilization of the ovum by spermatozoa
and development of the resultant fetus
Parturition (childbirth)
Lactation, the production of breast milk,
which provides complete nourishment for
the baby in its early life

3.  Onset of adult sexual life
 Developing of female glands
 Enlargement of breasts and erection of nipples
 Growth of body hair, most prominently underarm and pubic
hair
 Greater development of thigh muscles behind the femur,
rather than in front of it
 Widening of hips
 lower waist to hip ratio than adult males
 Smaller hands and feet than men
 Rounder face
 Smaller waist than men
 Changed distribution in weight and fat; more subcutaneous fat
and fat deposits, mainly around the buttocks, thighs, and hips

4.  means the time of the first menstrual cycle
AGE: Between 11 and 15 years
Anovulatory Cycles
If the LH surge is not of sufficient magnitude, ovulation will
not occur and the cycle is said to be “anovulatory”.
Occurance:
1. First few cycles after the onset of puberty.
2. Several month before menopause
 MENOPAUSE:
Menopause, or the climacteric, signals the termination of
reproductive function in the female.
FSH and LH present
Estrogen diminishes

6.  Female Sex hormones
• Estrogens
 Beta Estradiol (Most important estrogen)
 Estrone
 Estriol (Weak estrogen)
• Progestins
 Progesterone
 17 Alpha hydroxyprogesterone
 Regulating Hormones
• GnRH
• FSH
• LH
 Androgen

7.  Site of Formation:
1. In Non pregnant females; Estrogens are mainly
secreted in:
 Ovaries - Beta Estradiol.
 Adrenal Cortex – Esterone.
 Peripheral Tissue – Estrone
 Liver - Estriol
2. During Pergnancy: Tremendous quantities of estrogens
secreted by the Placenta-Beta Estradiol
 Synthesis
• Ovary contain granulosa cells which secrete Estrogens.

8.  Site of Formation
Non-Pregnant female: Corpus luteum
Pregnant female: Placenta especially after the
fourth month of gestation.
 Synthesis
Ovary contain Theca cells which secrete
Progesterone

9.  Syntesized in the
preoptic region of
hypothalamus
 Pulsatile release into
hypophyseal portal
blood vessels
 Secreted in short pulses
averaging once every
90 minutes.

10. • Effect of Estrogens on the Uterus and External Female
Sex Organs
 Enlargement of external genitalia due to fat deposition
 Change of Vaginal epithelium from cuboidal to stratified
 Increased size of uterus after puberty
 Proliferation of endometrial stroma
• Effect of Estrogens on the Fallopian Tubes
 Glandular tissue proliferation
 Number of ciliated epithelial cells increase
• Effect of Estrogens on the Breasts
 development of the stromal tissues of the breasts
 Growth of an extensive ductile system
 Deposition of fat in the breasts.

11. • Effect of Estrogens on the Skeleton
 Estrogens inhibit osteoclastic activity in the bones
stimulating bone growth
 uniting of the epiphyses with the shafts of the long bones
• Osteoporosis of the Bones Caused by Estrogen
deficiency in Old Age
 increased osteoclastic activity in the bones
 decreased bone matrix
 decreased deposition of bone calcium and phosphate
• Effect of Estrogens on Protein Deposition
 Slight increase in total body protein

12.  BMR increased only1/3rd as compared to testosterone
 Increased deposition of fate in:
 Subcutaneous tissue
 Breasts, buttocks and thighs
• Effect of Estrogens on Hair Distribution
 No effect
• Effect of Estrogens on the Skin
 Makes skin soft and smooth
 Increased skin vascularity
• Effect of Estrogens on Electrolyte Balance
 Slight sodium and water reabsorption

13. • Effects on uterus
 Increased secretory changes
 Inhibit uterine contractions
• Effects on breast
Progesterone promotes
development of the lobules
and alveoli of the breasts,
causing the alveolar cells to
proliferate, enlarge, and
become secretory in nature.
However progesterone does
not cause breast to secrete
milk
 Effects on Fallopian tubes
Progesterone also
promotes increased
secretion by the mucosal
lining of the fallopian tubes.
These secretions are
necessary for nutrition of
the fertilized, as it traverses
the fallopian tube before
implantation

14. 1 Ovulation
2. Entry of ovum in the fallopian tube
3. Fertilization of Ovum Union of sperm and egg
 Fertilization occurs in upper end of oviduct within 8-25 hours after
ovulation. After this ovum loses its ability to be fertilized. Sperm
retain its capacity to fertilize an ovum as long as 72 hours after
ejaculation.
Fertilization usually occurs in several steps
1. Transport of Fertilized ovum in the fallopian tube
2. Implantation of Blastocyst First 3 days after ovulation embryo
remains in follapian tube
 Enters uterine cavity and transform into blastocyst
 Floats for about 72 hours in uterine cavity
 Implantation occurs at around 5-7 days post ovulation
3. Development of Placenta and Early nutrition of embryo

15.  Under the influence of progesterone endometrial
cells get swollen and enriched with glycogen,
lipids and minerals
 After implantation these cells now called
DECIDUAL cells become more swollen and store
more nutrients
 Trophoblasts invade the decidua (mass of
decidual cells), digest and imbibe and the stored
nutrients are used by developing embryo
 The embryo continues to obtain nutrients this way
for upto 8 weeks

16.  Pregnancy is typically
broken into three
periods, or trimesters,
each of about three
months.
 Obstetricians define
each trimester as lasting
for 14 weeks, resulting in
a total duration of 42
weeks, although the
average duration of
pregnancy is actually
about 40 weeks.
 LMP(First day of
menstrual cycle) to 12
weeks is first trimester
 Weeks 13 to 28 of the
pregnancy is called the
second trimester
 Week 29 to term is third
trimester

18. HORMONAL FACTORS DURING
PREGNANCY
1. Human chorionic gonadotropin
2. Estrogens
3. Progesterone
4. Human chorionic somatomamotropin
5. Relaxin
6. Other hormonal factors

19.  Secreted by syncitial trophoblast cells
 HCG can first be measured in the blood 8 to 9 days after
ovulation, shortly after the blastocyst implants in the
endometrium.
 The rate of secretion rises rapidly to reach a maximum at
about 10 to 12 weeks of pregnancy
 Decreases back to a lower value by 16 to 20 weeks.
 It continues at this level for the remainder of pregnancy.

20.  Prevent involution of the corpus luteum at the end of the
monthly female sexual cycle
 Stimulation of corpus luteum to secrete larger quantities of
Progesterone and estrogens for the next few months
 Maintenance of Pregnancy
 Stimulates interstitial cells of leydig in fetal testis to produce
testosterone
 Descent of testis
 If the corpus luteum is removed before approximately the 7th
week of pregnancy, spontaneous abortion almost always
occurs, sometimes even up to the 12th week
 The corpus luteum involutes slowly after the 13th to 17th week
of gestation

21.  Secreted by Syncitiotrophoblast
 Functions Of Estrogen
 Enlargement of the mother’s uterus
 Enlargement of the mother’s breasts and growth of
the breast ductal structure
 Enlargement of the mother’s female external
genitalia
 Relaxation of pelvic ligaments of the mother, so
that the sacroiliac joints become relatively limber
and the symphysis pubis becomes elastic
 Promote Cell production in early embryo, so
promote growth

22. Secreted by Syncitiotrophoblast
Development of decidual cells
Decrease contractility of uterus
Cell cleavage and development of early
embryo
Preparation of mother’s breast for lactation

23.  Begins to be secreted by
the placenta at about the
fifth week of pregnancy
 Secretion increases
progressively throughout
the remainder of
pregnancy in direct
proportion to the weight
of the placenta
 Secreted in quantities
several times greater
than all the other
pregnancy hormones
combined
 Secreted by corpus
luteum and placenta
 causes relaxation of the
ligaments of the
symphysis pubis in the
estrous rat and guinea pig
 softens the cervix of the
pregnant woman at the
time of delivery

24.  Increased mothers cardiac
output: 30-40 % above normal
27th week of gestation
 Heart rate increases(10-20
percent)
 Stroke volume increases(10
percent)
 Mean arterial pressure decreases
(10 percent)
 Peripheral resistance decreases
(35 percent) as a result there is
no hypertension associated
with normal pregnancy
 BP declines in first trimester and
gradually rises to prepregnancy
levels thereafter
 Increased maternal blood
volume
 Haematological changes
1. Decrease in
 RBC Count
 Hb concentration
 Hematocrit
2. Increase in
 White cell count
 ESR
 Fibrinogen concentration

25. It is a disease of
pregnancy
characterized by BP of
140/90mmHg or more
on two separate
occasions after 20th
week of pregnancy in a
previously normotensive
women
This is accompanied by
proteinuria(> 300mg in
24 hour)
It is the same condition
as pre-eclampsia but
it has preceded to
presence of
convulsions

26. Gravidity (no. of times pregnant)
a. Primigravida--------first pregnancy
b. Multigravida------- > second time
pregnant
Parity (no. of > 20 week birth)
a. Nulliparous ------- No issue
b. Primiparous------- 1 child
c. Multiparous------- 2 or > 2

27.  Estrogen
 Progesterone
 HCS( human chorionic somatomammotropin
causes decreased insulin sensitivity and
decreased utilization of glucose in the mother,
thereby making larger quantities of glucose
available to the fetus)
 HPL(human placental lactogen was believed to
have functions similar to those of prolactin)

28.  Hormonal changes
 Changes in Estrogens-
progesterone ratio
Secretions of estrogens
and progesterone continue
throughout most of
pregnancy
but
7th months onward
estrogen secretions
continue to increase while
Progesterone remains
constant
Role oxytocin
 Increased oxytocin receptors
on uterus
 Increased rate of secretion at
the time of labor
 In absence of oxytocin labor
can prolong (animals)
 Fetal hormones
 Oxytocin from fetal pituitary
 Cortisol from adrenal glands
 Prostaglandins from fetal
membranes

29. Ejection (or “Let-Down”) Process in
Milk Secretion—Function of
Oxytocin