Gravid uterus

Blaustein Why is that gravid uterus in labour unless something happened prematurely and something else has gone wrong to make that uterus different from a typical gravid uterus ... 

The C-section ( litter ) values, i.e., gravid uterus weight, corpora lutea, total number of implants, and numbers of live and dead implants (including separate categories of dead implants) are presented as means, together with an indicator of variation, typically standard deviation. Additionally, pre- and postimplantation losses are calculated for each female ... 

C-section data, such as counts of corpora lutea and numbers of total and live implants, gravid uterus weight and fetal weight are... 

Weighing the gravid uterus is not mandatory for all regulatory guidelines, but the information gained with respect to maternal body weight corrected for uterine weight provides a very useful aid to data interpretation. After removal of the fetuses and placentae, the uterus of all females is placed in ammonium sulfide solution in order to stain any previously undetected implantation sites (15). 

In addition, the gravid uterus weight and the corrected maternal body weight can be included in data interpretation. 

At necropsy, the gravid uterus should be weighed and the ovaries and uterine contents examined. 

Porcu G, Courbiere B, Sakr R, Carcopino X, Gamerre M. Spontaneous rupture of a first-trimester gravid uterus in a woman exposed to diethylstilbestrol in utero a case report. J Reprod Med 2003 48 744-6. 

Fresh uterus contains from 1.1 to 3.5 % contractile protein, which is extractable under the same conditions as the actomyosin from striated muscle (Table III). It is interesting to note that the solubility of this material changes in the course of gravidity, the actomyosin from nongravid uterus passing into solution at an ionic strength of 0.3-0.4 n, independent of the amount of ATP present. The material from gravid uterus is already soluble at 0.2-0.3 and its solubility is influenced by ATP (Ledermair, 1959). 

Prostaglandins stimulate the myometrium of the gravid uterus to contract in a manner that is similar to the contractions seen in the term uterus during labor. Carboprost tromethamine, for IM use only, is administered in an initial dose of 250 meg, with subsequent doses of 250 meg at 2 to 4 hour intervals, and not exceeding a total dose of 12.0 mg. Dinoprostone (Prostaglandin E2) is administered by vaginal... 

The direct stimulatory effect of oxytocin is prominent in the gravid uterus during the late stage of pregnancy. Its action is augmented by estrogen and inhibited by progesterone. Oxytocin s effect is specific for uterine muscle, as little effect is observed on intestinal muscle or coronary arteries. 

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