PREFACE Reproductive Medicine is the study of human fertility and reproduction. Clinically, Reproductive Medicine deals with the anatomy, physiology, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of reproductive disorders, including infertility. The advent of Assisted Reproductive Technology (or A-R-T) has led to a rapid expansion in the field of Reproductive Medicine. Reproductive Medicine is often considered one of the more challenging topics for medical students and clinicians. Reproductive Medicine requires an understanding of the anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology of both the male and female reproductive tract. The purpose of this lecture will be to review the basic concepts of human reproduction and discuss the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of common reproductive disorders. This course will provide listeners with a foundation to approach simple and complex clinical scenarios in Reproductive Medicine. In chapter one, we will review the basic anatomy of the male and female reproductive systems. We will begin by discussing the anatomy of the female reproductive tract, which includes the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, and vagina. Next, we will review the anatomy of the major organs of the male reproductive tract, including the testis, efferent duct, epididymis, urethra and penis. While not all disorders of fertility are related to abnormalities of the anatomical structures of the reproductive tract, any abnormality that exists will automatically impair fertility. In humans, reproduction is dependent upon hormone signaling. The purpose of chapter two will be to discuss reproductive hormones. Reproductive hormones are part of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis. The hypothalamus regulates hormone secretion from the pituitary gland. The hypothalamus synthesizes and secretes GonadotropinReleasing Hormone (or GNRH). GNRH is released from the hypothalamus in a pulsatile fashion. GNRH stimulates secretion of follicle stimulating hormone (or FSH) and luteinizing hormone (or LH) from the pituitary. Both FSH and LH play a role in steroid
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