Reproduction: Menstrual Cycle, Fertilisation, Pregnancy and Birth

This report discusses the two main aspects of reproduction, sexual and asexual, and focuses on the menstrual cycle and its control through hormones. It also elaborates on fertilisation, pregnancy, and birth, including the three trimesters of pregnancy and the hormones involved in childbirth and breastfeeding. The report includes diagrams and an interview with a pregnant woman.

REPRODUCTION

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Part A: The menstrual cycle and its control...........................................................................1
Part B: Fertilisation, pregnancy and birth...............................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
Reproduction is defined as the production of offspring. In this, there are two main aspect of
reproduction which include sexual and asexual. In this, the sexual reproduction is defined as the
organism is combine with the genetic information which is associated with the parents and
transfer to the other with the base of genetically unique way. As per this, the asexual
reproduction, the one parents are carry a fact of copy itself to form a genetically identical
offspring. In this report, the discussion is based on two parts which may include the menstrual
cycle and their control with the help of hormone. In this, the other is elaborate about the aspect of
fertilisation, pregnancy and the birth (Duarte and et. al., 2020).
MAIN BODY
Part A: The menstrual cycle and its control
Male reproductive organs with functions
The male reproductive system is usually located outside the body. As per this, the
external organ majorly include penis, scrotum and testicles. Moreover, the internal organ include
vas deferens, prostrate and the urethra. In this, the male reproductive organ is usually responsible
for the sexual function and also used in urination. The male reproductive system is completely
depending upon the hormone. There is some chemical factor which help to regulate the activity
of the cell or any organs. The hormone which is involve with male reproductive organ is follicle
stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone and the testosterone.
There are some of the organ which is have essential role in body include:
Vas deferens: This is long tube which is travel from epididymis to pelvic cavity. They
are helpful in the transportation of sperm to the urethra in formation for ejaculation.
Ejaculatory duct: These duct is usually form due to the fusion of vas deferens and
seminal vesicle.
Urethra: This organ is helpful in carrying the urine from the bladder to external part. In
males, it has extra purpose include ejaculating the sperm when orgasm is achieved.
Seminal vesicle: This is sac like structure which is attach with vas deferens that provide
sperm with the basis of energy and help with spermatozoa ability to take movement called factor
of motility (Dubol and et. al., 2021).
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Prostate gland: The prostate gland play role in the fluid which is ejaculate. The fluid is
also helpful to nurture the sperm.
Bulbourethral gland: The bulbourethral gland of the Cowper’s gland located on the side
of the urethra. The gland is produce a clear slippery fluid that empties directly attach to the
urethra. They also help to neutralise acidity that may be current due to the remaining drop of
urine in the core aspect of organ name urethra.
Figure 1 Male reproductive organ
Female reproductive organs with functions
The female reproductive system usually provide number of functional which include
production of ovaries called egg cells. There are external and internal organs of the reproductive
organ which include:
Labia majora: Allow to defend other external reproductive organ. Through adolescence
hair development occur on the skin of the labia majora.
Labia minora: The skin is delicate and easily swallow.
Bartholin glands: These glands are located next towards the vaginal opening on each side and
produce mucus.
Clitoris: The two labia minor meet a point called clitoris, sensitive protrusion which have
taking comparison to the penis in males.
Vagina: The vagina is defining as the canal which help to join the cervix to the outside of
body and also named birth canals (Merklinger-Gruchala and et. al., 2017).
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Uterus: The uterus corpus which can easily which help to hold in developing baby. It
allows the sperm to enter in the menstrual blood which is exist.
Ovaries: They are usually yield eggs and the other essential hormones.
Figure 2 Female reproductive organ
Menstrual cycle and role of hormone
In this, the female has their own reproductive age which is classified from various
characteristic which include the beginning from the age of 11 to 16 year. The experience of
hormonal activity has been repeated about one-month interval. The menstrua mean monthly, and
after a collection it called as menstrual cycle. In this, the various of hormone take place during
the menstrual to balance the cycle which take 28 days and in various phase which include
follicular phase called as development of eggs. The second one is ovulatory phase called as
release of egg and third one is luteal phase, in this phase the hormone level decrease if the egg
does not implant. There are four hormones that take part in the menstrual cycle which named as
follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, oestrogen and progesterone.
The follicular phase is started during the initials day. It has two hormone called follicle
stimulating and luteinizing hormone which is unconfined from the brain and they are travel
through the ovaries. In this, other hormone also plays their essential role in the follicular stage.
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The second segment is ovulatory phase which is usually started about the 14 days from follicular
stage. This is phase is fall between the ovulatory and the luteal phase. In this, most of the period
have 10 to 16 days of ovulation, the increase in oestrogen show the dominant follicle trigger
which enhance the amount of the luteinizing hormone created by brain. It may also cause the
follicle which used to release their eggs (Ratna and et. al., 2020).
The luteal phase involve some process include once they secrete the egg, the empty ovarian
follicle formulates develop the new construction which is named as corpus luteum. In this, the
corpus luteum secrete the hormone name oestrogen and the progesterone. Whereas, progesterone
usually prepares the uterus for the fertilisation of egg with implant. As per this, the during the
foetal stage, a female produce about 6 million to 7 million eggs. During the state of birth, there is
approximate 2 million eggs is produced.
Figure 3 Stage of menstrual cycle
Part B: Fertilisation, pregnancy and birth
Fertilisation and hormonal change
A fertilisation requires sperm and ovum to fuse together but not only sperm and egg to fuse there
is also some step which is carrying for the fertilisation. The hormonal change is also analysing
during the fertilisation which may trigger the step in each stage.
Sperm capacitation: In this, it is related with the elimination of supporter seminal plasma
proteins. The reorganisation of plasma membrane lipid and protein. The capacitation occurs
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while sperm that is present in the female reproductive tract for the period, as they usually during
the gamete carriage.
Sperm zona pellucida binding: The connection of sperm to zona pellucida is associated
with receptor ligand communication with grade of specification. In this, the cellulose group
which is associated with the zona pellucida glycoprotein function as receptor based protein
(Sjunnesson and et. al., 2020).
The acrosome reactions: This reaction help to provide the sperm with the drill base on
the enzymatic through the zona pelluicda. In this, same zona pellucida protein used to take sperm
receptor which help to stimulate the series of event that may create fusion between plasma and
outer acrosomal membrane.
Penetration of the zona pellucida: In this, the constant force from the sperm flagellating
tail with combination with enzyme allow the sperm to formulate tract through the aspect of zona
pellucida.
Sperm oocyte binding: It bind to and the fuse with the core of plasma membrane of the
oocyte. The binding occurs at the posterior region of the sperm head.
Egg activation and cortical reactions: The egg is activated and the cortical response state
the massive exocytosis of cortical granules seen shortly afterward the spermatozoa oocyte fusion.
The zona reaction: It defined the alteration in the structure of the zona pellucida which is
trigger by proteases from cortical granules.
Post fertilisation events: Fusion of the sperm which is fertilised with the oocyte, in this,
the sperm head is incorporated into the egg cytoplasm (Thompson and et. al., 2021).
The change which is occur that support the embryo during the pregnancy. The hormone
which is responsible for these change name progesterone and is prepared in corpus luteum.
Under the influence of this hormone the uterus creates vascularised structure for the egg which is
fertilised.
Three trimesters of pregnancy: There are three different trimester of the pregnancy which
include:
 First trimester (0 to 13 weeks)
 Second trimester (14 to 26 weeks)
 Third trimester (27 to 40 weeks)
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Explain what prolactin does: In this, the prolactin is usually causes the breast which help to
grow and make milk during the pregnancy and the after the birth.
3 stages of birth: The first stage is based on the neck of the womb which is known as cervix
which open 10cm dilated. The second stage is when the baby used to move down through the
vagina and is born. The last stage is when the placenta afterbirth is delivered.
Figure 4 Fertilisation
Research in the form of interview with pregnant women
While interview with the pregnant women, she shares their feeling and what are the setup
she is planning for the baby room. This all is usually having pattern which is follow before
pregnancy. The change she feels in her body and various support she requires during the
pregnancy and after pregnancy.
Hormone involve during the birth and in post-natal period
In this, the oxytocin plays major role in child birth which is also known as hormone of
love which is involve in fertility, contraction during the labour and the birth and they play role in
release of milk during the breastfeeding. However, prolactin has also their implication in PPD62
(Wang and et. al., 2020).
CONCLUSION
As per the above discussion, it is analysing the reproduction play essential role in
fertilisation. Whereas, the menstrual cycle has number of phase which is based on days.
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Accordance to the study of fertilisation, it is divided into various part which is provide
information regards with sperm and egg fertilisation.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Duarte and et. al., 2020. Morphogenetic and structural characteristics of Urochloa species under
inoculation with plant-growth-promoting bacteria and nitrogen fertilisation. Crop and
Pasture Science, 71(1), pp.82-89.
Dubol and et. al., 2021. Neuroimaging the menstrual cycle: A multimodal systematic
review. Frontiers in neuroendocrinology, 60, p.100878.
Merklinger-Gruchala and et. al., 2017. Effect of air pollution on menstrual cycle length—a
prognostic factor of women’s reproductive health. International journal of environmental
research and public health, 14(7), p.816.
Ratna and et. al., 2020. A systematic review of the quality of clinical prediction models in in
vitro fertilisation. Human Reproduction, 35(1), pp.100-116.
Sjunnesson and et. al., 2020. In vitro fertilisation in domestic mammals—a brief
overview. Upsala journal of medical sciences, 125(2), pp.68-76.
Thompson and et. al., 2021. The acute effect of the menstrual cycle and oral contraceptive cycle
on measures of body composition. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 121(11),
pp.3051-3059.
Wang and et. al., 2020. Single-cell transcriptomic atlas of the human endometrium during the
menstrual cycle. Nature Medicine, 26(10), pp.1644-1653.
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