Gynaecology - Diseases and dysfunctions of the female reproductive system

Cancer of the uterus is the most common malignancy of the female reproductive tract. The most common site of uterine cancer is the cervix. Cervical cancer, which is second only to breast cancer in frequency of occurrence, generally strikes women between the ages of 30 and 50. The treatment of cervical cancer depends on the stage of the malignancy and the age and general health of the woman.

CONCEPTION is the union of a sperm and egg. If intercourse takes place around the time of ovulation, conception is very likely. The egg and sperm fuse together to form a single nucleus, which begins to divide into two cells. The fertilized egg travels down to the uterus within approximately seven days.

PRENATAL DEVELOPMENT

The period of prenatal development is referred to as gestation. Normal gestation for humans is 9 months. Knowing this and the pattern of menstruation makes it possible to determine the delivery date of a baby. In a typical reproductive cycle, a woman ovulates 14 days prior to the onset of the next menstruation and is fertile for approximately 20 to 24 hours following ovulation. Adding 9 months or 38 weeks to the time of ovulation gives the estimated delivery date.

The foetus is the name given to the unborn child from the time it is recognizable as a developing human being (from about two months after the egg has been fertilized).

FOETAL MONITORING

Major structural abnormalities, which may not be predictable from genetic analysis, can often be detected by ultrasonography. Ultrasonography is so sensitive that it can detect a foetal heartbeat several weeks before it can be heard with a stethoscope .It can also be used to determine fetal weight, length, and position, as well as to identify multiple foetuses.

Amniocentesis is a technique used to obtain a small sample of amniotic fluid with a syringe, so that the fluid can be checked. This technique is most often performed to determine foetal maturity, but it can also help to predict serious disorders like Down syndrome.

Fetoscopy allows direct examination of the foetus. Using foetoscopy, physicians scan the uterus with pulse sound waves to locate and observe foetal structures and take tissue samples. Foetoscopy is also used to diagnose several diseases, including haemophilia.

Gestation is frequently divided into three phases, or trimesters, each lasting three calendar months. By the end of the first trimester, all of the major body systems are formed, the fetal heart can be detected, and the external genitalia are developed. The fetus is about the width of the palm of an adult’s hand. During the second trimester, fetal quickening can be detected, epidermal features are formed, and although the vital body systems are functioning, the fetus would be unlikely to survive if birth were to occur. At the end of the second trimester, fetal length is about equal to the length of an adult’s hand. The fetus experiences tremendous growth and refinement in system functioning during the third trimester.

Parturition, or childbirth, involves a sequence of physiological and physical events