ANHB2216 Study Guide - Final Guide: Glucocorticoid, Hypothalamus, Catecholamine
3 Jun 2018
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Stress and Reproduction
Fecundability (f):
• Probability of the cycle being ovulatory
• Probability of insemination occurring during fertile period
• Probability of fertilization
• Probability of fertilization developing to a recognizable conception
• Statistics of fertility → timing
o Timing = 1 – (M-n)(M-n-1)/(M2 – M)
o n = number of coital acts within M days that includes fertile period
• Months to conception = 1.5/f
Stress:
• Response that occurs when organisms are faced with demands from the
environment that require them to change in order to cope and adjust
• Stressor → variations in temperature, poor nutrition, exercise
• Physiological response
o Autonomic nervous system
o Adrenal medulla
o HPA axis
o Prolactin
Suppression of Reproduction:
• Suppression of ovarian function
o Luteal phase defects → insufficient progesterone production
o Anovulation → no ovulation, elongated menstrual cycle length
o Oligomenorrhea → prolonged interval between consecutive
menstruations
o Amenorrhea → suspension of ovarian and menstrual cycling
o All are assoviated with suppression/irregularity in LH secretion
and disturbance of GnRH pulse generator
• Why suppress reproduction?
o Suppression occurs
▪ When eventual failure is likely
▪ Present conditions < future conditions
o No suppression occurs when future opportunities are
scares/limited
o Hypothesis
▪ Younger women are more likely to suppress in times of
stress than older women
▪ Psychological stressors signaling low social support →
more likely to be associated with reproduction than other
stressors
• Biological mechanisms of suppression of reproduction
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