Perfect for Exam Review, Clinical Prep, or NCLEX Study
Childbearing (OB) Nursing Notes
Compiled notes from OB lectures and exams. Includes high-yield content across maternal
adaptation, fetal development, contraception, postpartum care, and labor/birth complications.
Ideal for:
- Final exam prep
- NCLEX studying
- Clinical reference
Prepared by a nursing student.
All content is general and anonymous.
Page 1
,Lecture 1: Conception and Fetal Development
Review of male and female reproductive system
● Female reproductive system
○ External structures
■ Labia majora
● Edematous postpartum
■ Labia minora
● Often involved in laceration
○ Examine skin integrity at site
■ Clitoris
■ Enteritis- vaginal opening
■ Mons pubis
● Where c section incision is made
○ Internal structures
■ Vagina
● Rugae- skin folds in vagina
■ Cervix
■ Uterus
● Fundus should be rock hard firm postpartum
● Kind of feels like your bicep muscle
● If not firm → patient will hemorrhage
■ Fallopian tubes
■ Ovaries
○ Gametogenesis- oogenesis
■ The process of egg/ovum formation
■ Begins during fetal life of the female
● 2 million primary oocytes (~1 million per ovary)
● Ovulation- one primary oocyte matures monthly
○ If fertilization occurs, zygote forms
○ If no conception, ovum degenerates → uterine lining
sloughs off (menstruation)
○ Normal egg development
■ Corpus luteum → secretes progesterone until the placenta takes over
■ Progesterone is the hormone that supports a pregnancy
○ Hormones during the menstrual cycle
■ Gonadotropin → stimulates ovaries
■ Follicle stimulating hormone → stimulates ovum to mature
■ Luteinizing hormone → ovulation hormone
, ● This is what ovulation predictor kit tests for
■ During the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, the corpus luteum releases
progesterone
● If becomes fertilized, the placenta will eventually take this over
● If not met with sperm, it degenerates and starts all over again
■ The endometrium builds itself back up during the luteal phase to create a
safe environment for implantation
● If nothing implants, will slough off again (menstruation)
● Male reproductive system
○ External structures
■ Foreskin
■ Penis
■ Scrotum
○ Internal structures
■ Testes
● Sperm is produced here starting at puberty
● Produce spermatocytes every 75 days
■ Epididymis
■ Vas deferens
■ Seminal vesicles
■ Prostate gland
■ Urethra
Fertilization and implantation
● Fertilization
○ Sperm and ovum unite at conception
■ Occurs within 12 hours of ovulation
○ 200-500 million sperm ejaculated into the vagina
■ Swim up fallopian tubes to meet descending ovum
● Few hundred survive the ampulla
○ Fertilization occurs in fallopian tube and then travels to uterus to implant
■ Zygote- 23 female/23 male chromosomes
■ Cleavage
■ Morula
■ Blastocyst
■ Fluid in cell membrane causes cells to move and spread out from each
other
● Some cells become trophoblasts → becomes the placenta
○ Everything the baby gets is through diffusion through
placenta
, ■ The maternal vessel does not directly connect to
fetal circulation
■ Chorionic villi are the ends of placenta that land it
in the uterus → grow and anchor into endometrial
lining
● Fingerlike projections that extend into
endometrium
● Obtain oxygen and nutrients from maternal
bloodstream
● Dispose of carbon dioxide and waste
products into maternal blood stream
● Some cells become blastocysts → become the baby
○ Sperm lives 4-5 days in vagina
○ The sperm and ovum
■ ZP binds the sperm and prevents additional sperm from penetrating the
ovum
○ The embryonic period
■ Critical in terms of the ability to be born healthy
■ Optimize maternal health at this time
■ Continues through week 8 post conception
● CRL is 3cm
● Most critical time in the development of organ systems and main
external features
● By the end of the 8th week post conception, all organ systems and
external structures are present
Fetal systems
● Teratogens
○ Agent that acts directly on the developing fetus, causing abnormal embryonic or
fetal development
■ Ex: viruses, bacteria, heavy metals, medications, etc.
○ Critical points of vulnerability of organs to teratogens
■ Neural tube closure- 3 weeks post conception
■ Heart- 3 weeks for heart formation, 4-5 weeks for chambers
■ lips/palate- 6-8 weeks post conception
○ During the first two weeks post conception- all or nothing
■ Meaning nothing impacts it or fetus is terminated
● Fetal membranes
○ Chorion
■ Outside: toward uterus
■ Develops from trophoblast