Gynæcology for nurses and gynæcological nursing : including the subjects enumerated, under "gynæcology and obstetrics", in the "syllabus of lectures and demonstrations for education and training in general nursing" issued by the General Nursing Council / by Comyns Berkeley.

  • Berkeley, Comyns, Sir, 1865-1946
Date:
1943
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Gynæcology for nurses and gynæcological nursing : including the subjects enumerated, under "gynæcology and obstetrics", in the "syllabus of lectures and demonstrations for education and training in general nursing" issued by the General Nursing Council / by Comyns Berkeley. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    PREGNANCY AND PARTURITION. PART 3. CHAPTER IV. FERTILIZATION. DEVELOPMENT OF THE ZYGOTE. THE PREGNANT UTERUS. THE PLACENTA, CHORION AND AMNION. THE UMBILICAL CORD. THE FCETAL CIRCULATION. Fertilization. Although many women become pregnant with every oppor¬ tunity, it is interesting to realize that it must, in a way, be somewhat difficult for a woman to become pregnant, since from 300,000,000 to 600,000,000 spermatazoa are ejaculated at each coitus, and the oocyte requires only one spermatazoon to fertilize it. This consists in the fusion of a male (spermatazoon) and female (oocyte) reproductive cell. The spermatazoa, which are developed in the testes, being deposited in the vagina, by their own movements, probably aided by the suction of the uterus at the moment of their deposition, pass through the external os along the cervical canal and cavity of the body of the uterus into the Fallopian tubes. One spermatazoon (occasionally more) coming in contact with one oocyte (occasionally more, twins and so on) loses its tail and its head fuses with the oocyte, the zygote being thus formed. That such a fusion normally occurs in a Fallopian tube is assumed, since not only is this the normal site in mammals other than human, but also there is a complication of preg¬ nancy termed tubal gestation, which is a proof, in such a case at any rate, that the fusion took place, in the tube. The term ovum is used indiscriminately by some authors to indicate the egg in the ovary, the fertilized egg and the