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Springer Comparative Aspects of Reproductive Failure An International Conference at Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, N.H.—July 25–29, 1966 1st Editon 2013 Softbound by K. Benirschke
To many, the contents of this conference may not seem appropriate at a time when the minds are preoccupied with a 'population explosion.' To the participants and guests of this conference, however, this was a week of fascinating discussions. While quantitative aspects of reproduc tion were touched upon, it was mostly a search for an understanding of the qualitative aspects of reproduction and its failure. Only when we understand these more completely will it be possible to render optimum care and have the foundations for meaningful population control. The conference was conceived in discussions at the Committee on Pathology of the National Academy of Sciences, W'ashington, in 1965. It was felt that investigators in medicine and the veterinary fields would profit greatly from a closer liaison. All too frequently, we work relatively isolated in our respective fields and, with the burgeoning information filling our journals, we have not enough time and leisure to stand back and attempt a comparative look at the subject of study. Often we are not familiar with the techniques other disciplines use, and which we could well employ to great advantage. ,,yhile this applies to many aspects of medicine, a comparative approach to the study of reproductive failure seemed most advantageous at this time. to Comparative Reproduction.- Seasonality of reproduction.- The egg.- Implantation and placentation.- The neonate.- Comparative values.- The Overall Problem in Man.- Pathogenesis of abortion.- Defective segmenting ova.- Ova consisting of trophoblast only.- Ova containing no chorionic cavity.- Ova showing hypoplasia of trophoblast.- Superficial implantation of an otherwise reasonably normal ovum.- Spontaneous abortion.- Ovular factors.- Pathologic ova.- Embryos with localized anomalies.- Placental abnormalities.- Maternal factors.- Criminal abortion.- Uterine abnormalities.- Febrile and inflammatory diseases.- Miscellaneous.- Anatomically normal ova.- Reproductive Failure in Domestic Mammals.- Failure in ovarian functions.- Anestrus.- Seasonal anestrus.- Anestrus during lactation.- Anestrus due to aging.- Ovarian hypoplasia.- Abnormal estrus.- “Quiet ovulation”.- Cystic ovaries.- Nymphomania.- Fertilization failure and atypical fertilization.- Fertilization failure.- Aged and abnormal ova.- Aged and abnormal sperm.- Atypical fertilization.- Prenatal mortality.- Physiological mechanismsimplantation.- Endocrine factors.- Causes of prenatal mortality.- Age of dam.- Nutrition of dam.- Heredity.- Overcrowding in utero.- Thermal stress.- Semen quality.- Other pregnancy disorders.- Spontaneous abortion.- Metabolic disorders of pregnancy.- Immunological incompatibility.- Fetal mummification.- Retained placenta.- Perinatal mortality.- Neonatal mortality.- Environmental stress and reproductive failure.- Climatic stress.- Nutritional stress.- Plant estrogens.- Anatomical stress and hereditary defects.- Congenital and acquired defects.- Hereditary defects.- Intersexuality.- Freemartinism.- Physiological mechanisms of the syndrome.- Hormonal theory.- Sex-chromosome mosaicism theory.- Diagnosis of freemartinism.- True hermaphrodites.- Comparative aspects.- Pseudohermaphroditism.- Male pseudohermaphrodite.- Female pseudohermaphrodite.- Pathogens and reproductive failure.- Bacterial infections.- Future investigations.- Cytogenetics of Abortions.- Materials and method.- Results.- Discussion.- Summary.- Genetic and Biochemical Aspects of Reproductive Failure.- Inborn errors of metabolism.- Homozygous lethals in man.- The development of enzyme systems.- Embryogenesis and organogenesis.- Chemo-Mechanics of Implantation.- Historical remarks on implantation.- Muscular stage—transport, spacing.- Adhesive stage.- Invasive stage.- Interactions of maternal and embryonic factors.- Summary.- Comparative Aspects of Steroid Hormones in Reproduction.- Possible roles for the steroid hormones in control of gestation.- Implantation.- Pituitary inhibition.- Maintenance of decidua and the endometrial implantation site.- Myometrial tone and contractility.- Length of gestation.- Mammary function.- Metabolic effects.- Summary on the role of steroid hormones in gestation.- The role of the corpus luteum in pregnancy.- Steroid endocrine role of the placenta.- Progesterone.- Estrogens.- Estrogen synthesis by the placenta.- Steroid biosynthesis by the human placenta—The feto-placental unit.- Relationship of steroid hormones to pregnancy failures.- Summary.- Protein Hormones and Gestation.- Human chorionic gonadotrophin.- History.- Biologic effects.- Rate of excretion by biologic assays.- Rate of excretion by immunologic assays.- Natural role of HCG in pregnancy.- Human placental lactogen.- History.- Biologic effects.- Luteotrophic effect.- Somatotrophic effect.- Assay and quantitation.- Extrapituitary gestational gonadotrophins in other mammals.- Prolonged Gestation.- Abnormally long gestation in cattle.- Genetic factors.- Pituitary-adrenal factors.- Abnormally long gestation in sheep.- Experimental prolonged gestation.- Fetal pituitary destruction.- Fetal adrenalectomy.- Conclusions.- Oögenesis—Ovulation and Egg Transport.- Oögenesis.- Origin of primordial germ cells.- Co