question_answer

During the full term pregnancy, Lata was experiencing contractions that are required to expel the baby. In the absence of such contractions, the doctor induced parturition with the help of medicines which were injected into her body.

(i) What is meant by foetal ejection reflex?

(ii) What 'medicine' does a doctor inject into the body of a pregnant woman to induce uterine contractions? And why? How does it induce delivery?

Answer:

(i) Foetal ejection reflex refers to the mild contractions in the uterine muscles, induced by the fully developed foetus and the placenta.

(ii) The doctor has injected oxytocin which induces stronger uterine contractions   and   inturn stimulates more secretion of oxytocin. The stimulatory reflex between uterine contractions and secretion of oxytocin continues resulting in stronger contractions as time passes and it leads to expulsion of the foetus, i.e. parturition is achieved.