Human Sexuality Psychology 145 Final Exam

Contraception

the deliberate attempt to prevent pregnancy despite sexual intercourse

What are early methods of contraceptives?

herbal interventions, amulets, practices

Herbal interventions

chinese women drank lead or mercury which would often lead to death

amulets

magicians would advise to wear testicles of a weasel on their thighs

practices

walked around spot where a wolf urinated 3 times to prevent pregnancy

what are ancient contraceptives that are still in use?

abstinence, outercourse (mutual pleasuring), pulling out, calendar method, breast feeding

What is the calender method?

Helps predict your fertile days by tracking the length of your menstrual cycles over several months.

what does hormonal birth control do?

Prevents fertilization by preventing a woman's egg from fully developing (progestin) AND Controls menstrual bleeding (estrogen)

what is the most commonly prescribed hormonal birth control pill?

The most commonly prescribed pill is a combined hormonal pill with estrogen and progesterone.

what does a progestin only pill do?

has only one hormone and works by changing the mucus at the entrance to the womb (uterus) so that sperm cannot pass through

What is ovulation?

The release of an egg from the ovary

how many days before ovulation can conception likely occur?

6

how many hours does an opportunity last after ovulation?

24 hours

when can you get pregnant?

• At the end of the follicular phase

• During the ovulation phase (greatest chance)

• Or possibly on the first day of the luteal phase

how can you increase the chances of conception?

• Increased blood flow may make environment more hospitable to traveling sperm

• Cervix tents (dips down) into the pool of semen, increasing odds that sperm meets egg

• Oxytocin and prolactin are released which help move sperm to egg

• These hormones also help create a more favorable environment in the uterus for implantation of a fertilized egg.

what does infertility mean?

Unable to conceive.

-could be low sperm count, not releasing an egg.

-need to have tried for at least a year to be considered infertile.

what are male fertility problems?

• Low sperm count

• Irregularly shaped sperm

• Low sperm motility

• Chronic diseases (diabetes, infectious diseases)

• Injury to the testes

• Autoimmune response (antibodies deactivate sperm)

• Pituitary imbalance and/or thyroid disease

what are solutions to male fertility problems?

lifestyle changes, medicine/surgery, reproductive technologies, alternative therapies

what are lifestyle changes for solution in male fertility

Reducing environmental toxins, Quitting smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, and maintaining a healthy weight, Quality of sperm, Low sperm count

what should men avoid if they have a low sperm count?

• Hot baths/hot tubs

• Working with a computer on lap for long periods

• Wearing tight underwear

• Riding a bike for long periods of time

what is varicoceles?

enlarged veins in the scrotum that can lead to reduced sperm production

what are technologies used for men with fertility problems?

• Intrauterine insemination (IUI)

• In vitro fertilization (IVF)

• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)

what are alternative therapies for men with fertility problems?

acupuncture, herbal supplements (Maca root, panax ginseng, ashwagandha, etc.)

what are female infertility problems?

• Irregular ovulation, including failure to ovulate (10-15%)

• Obstructions or malfunctions of the reproductive tract, such as blocked fallopian tubes

• Endometriosis

• Declining hormone levels

what are solutions for infertility problems in women?

Fertility medications, Intrauterine insemination, In vitro fertilization (IVF)

what are fertility medications for women struggling with infertility?

Clomid - ovulatory stimulant; works like estrogen AND long term use not recommended (no more than 6 cycles)

what is intrauterine insemination for women struggling with infertility?

sperm directly inserted into the uterus during ovulation

what is in vitro fertilization for women struggling with infertility?

Removal of an egg from the woman's body which is then fertilized with sperm in a lab

The embryo is then transplanted back into the uterus.

what are additional options for women struggling with infertility?

donor IVF, surrogacy, and adoption

what is Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)

Used for male infertility where sperm counts are very low or failed fertilization occurred with previous IVF attempt(s) • Involves injecting a single sperm into the center of an egg using a microneedle

what are adoption options?

foster care, domestic/private adoption, international adoption, and relative or kinship

what are aspects of international adoption?

cost is similar, china, ukraine, ethiopia, south korea, columbia

what is pregnancy?

Counting from fertilization, the length is about 38 weeks

how long does pregnancy usually last?

40 weeks

when does implantation occur?

8-9 days after fertilization

because of timing of pregnancy what emergency contraception can be useful?

Plan B

what is sex selection?

family balancing

why would someone want to do sex selection?

Personal preference

Family balancing

Avoidance of sex-linked diseases

why does folklore provide many techniques?

Increase chances of boy by having sex the day ovulation Increase chances of girl by having sex 2 or more days before ovulation

Using different sex positions

what is the most reliable sex-selection method?

Pre-implantation genetic testing

X and Y chromosomes in sex selection

Ova carry X sex chromosomes

Sperm carry either X or Y sex chromosomes

Y sperm appear to be smaller and faster swimmers

what is selective abortion?

Termination of pregnancy based on sex of the child

where is selective abortion most common?

Most common in countries which value male offspring

what is Infanticide?

Ending a child's life within 1 year of their birth

what are early signs of pregnancy?

missing a period, breast soreness, morning sickness, fatigue or frequent urination

what is a miscarriage?

when there is pregnancy loss before 20 weeks gestation

how many pregnancies end in miscarriages?

10-20%

how many miscarriages happen in the first trimester?

8 out of 10

what is stillbirth?

fetal loss after 20 weeks (~ 5 mos) of pregnancy

where are stillbirth rates highest?

teenagers and black women ages 35 and younger

what are reasons for a miscarriage?

rejection of abnormal fetus, smoking, drug use, cervical damage, infection

where is abortion high?

women 18- 24, lower SES women, and women who are cohabitating

what is an abortion statistic?

About 59% of women having abortions already have 1 or more children

how many minors account for abortions?

4% of abortions in the US

procedures for abortion

medical, Suction curettage, Dilation & Evacuation, Prostaglandin induction, Late term abortion

suction curettage

Surgical technique • Performed 7-12 weeks past last menstrual period

medical abortion

Use of medication (2 drugs) to terminate a pregnancy (Mifeprex) and can be performed up to 10 weeks of pregnancy (See 11.3)

what is dilation and evacuation

Surgical technique, performed past 13 weeks

Prostaglandin induction

Second trimester pregnancies, hormones that cause uterine contractions

Late term abortion

After 20 weeks (but before 24 weeks - viability) , intact dilation and evacuation (also called partial birth abortion)

what procedure of abortion is rare and the fetus emerges feet first

late term abortion

psychological reactions

relief is the most common

what is the #1 factor of relief

support from partners, friends, family members

prevention from abortion

comprehensive sexual education, availability of contraception, and education about effective contraception use

prenatal development

development from conception to birth

premature

before 36 weeks

extremely premature

before 28 weeks

when is the fetus visible?

23 weeks

embryonic stage

Lasts from implantation through Week 8 (2 months) and differentiation of the major organ systems occurs

Cephalocaudal

from the head downward

Proximodistal

from the central axis

what two trends does the embryo follow?

cephalocaudal and proximodistal

fetal stage

Begins by the Week 9 and continues until birth

if the baby does not turn upside down during the 7th month what is the baby considered?

breech

how long is the prenatal development stage

40 weeks

when is delivery premature?

before 36 weeks

what are the stages of childbirth

lightening, braxton-hicks contraceptions, prostaglandins, and oxytocin

lightening stage

Baby's head drops into the pelvis, usually early in 9th month

braxton-hicks contraceptions stage

So-called false labor contractions that are relatively painless

prostaglandins stage

Uterine hormones that stimulate uterine contractions

oxytocin stage

Pituitary hormone that stimulates uterine contractions

first stage of childbirth

Uterine contractions thin (efface) and dilate the cervix

4 inches (10 cm)

Transition

Cervix becomes nearly fully dilated and the head begins to move into the birth canal

May last from a couple of hours to > a day during a first pregnancy

Is usually shorter in subsequent births

second stage of childbirth

Shorter than first stage

Begins when cervix is fully dilated and baby begins to move into the vagina

Episiotomy may be performed

Surgical incision in the perineum to widen the birth canal, preventing tearing during childbirth

Ends with birth of baby

Episiotomy

surgical incision of the perineum to enlarge the vagina and so facilitate delivery during childbirth

what does research say about episotomy?

routine use caused worse perineal and vaginal trauma for women

third stage of childbirth

Placenta is expelled

fourth stage of childbirth

Once baby is breathing adequately umbilical cord is cut

childbirth methods

natural, C-section, anesthesia

natural childbirth

use of breathing to cope with painful contractions

C-section

Incisions in the stomach and uterus

what are risks of C-section

Surgical risks

Longer recovery

Increases rate of pregnancy related death

anesthsia

Use of an epidural, mom can be awake and alert throughout labor and feel pressure

postpartum period

hormonal changes in the first 48 hours, estrogen and progesterone and prolactin and oxytocin are secreted to support milk production

mood changes in the postpartum period

baby blues, postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety

baby blues

Normal mood changes following delivery

Lasts approximately 2 weeks

Postpartum Depression

Diagnosed as Major Depressive Disorder, Postpartum onset Symptoms are consistent with depression after having a baby or becoming a parent (post adoption depression) and last for 2 weeks or more

Postpartum Anxiety

Severe anxiety after having a baby or becoming a parent (the postpartum period)

Anxious feelings are often out of control and take over your thoughts.

Some level of worry is expected with postpartum anxiety, the worry can be all-consuming

Can causes you to have irrational fears or excessive worries about events that are unlikely to happen.

Pornography

Sexually explicit material intended to elicit or enhance sexual arousal

statistics related to pornography

By age 18, 93 % of college males and 63% of college females have seen porn at least once, some highly conservative communities have the highest rates of access to online porn

Obscenity

Offends people's feelings or goes beyond prevailing standards of decency or modesty and laws are written about obscenity rather than pornography