The protein hormones of pregnancy
Placental production of protein hormones The placenta is a very rich source of both protein and steroid hormones, only a few of which are unique to pregnancy (Fig. 18.1). These…
The steroid hormones of pregnancy
Steroid hormone production during pregnancy requires cooperation among maternal, fetal and placental organs and enzyme pathways (Fig. 19.1a). The fetus and the placenta each lack key steroidogenic enzymes and would…
Placental structure and function
The human placenta is the sole interface between the mother and her developing embryo/fetus. Humans differ from most other mammals in that maternal blood comes into direct contact with fetally…
Sexually transmitted diseases of viral origin
Human papillomavirus Infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the world. HPV is a wily pathogen that causes a spectrum of clinical…
Endometrial cancer
Carcinoma of the uterine endometrium is the most common pelvic malignancy in women. The USA and Canada have the highest incidence rates in the world, whereas developing countries and Japan…
Ovarian neoplasms
html xmlns=”http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml”> 42 Ovarian neoplasms The overwhelming majority of ovarian masses are benign and the lifetime risk of developing ovarian cancer is about 2%. Age is the most important factor…
Diseases of the prostate
Benign prostatic hyperplasia The prostate is the organ of the body most frequently afflicted by disease in males over 50 years of age. The single most common pathologic process is…
Gross anatomy of the female reproductive tract
Ovaries The ovaries are two small oval structures, each about 2 × 4 × 1.5 cm, lying deep within the female pelvis just lateral to, and behind, the uterus. They are loosely attached to…
Benign and malignant diseases of the breast
Common benign breast diseases Breast complaints are common in women and most diseases of the breast (96%) are nonmalignant. Histologic subcategorization of breast masses, based upon cellular proliferation and the…
