Abstract
Reproductive failure occurs in all forms of life, plant and animal. I have been asked to make a few introductory or general remarks about the problem in man. Whatever I have to say is based upon 35 years’ experience in obstetric and gynecologic pathology, seasoned by interest in the early embryology of the human and interspersed with a nine-year interval as clinical obstetrician. These remarks are in no sense an exhaustive review of reproductive anatomy, physiology and pathology, even as applied to the human, let alone to mammals in general. Comments will be confined to my observations on the early or potentially abortive phases of human development and a pathologic evaluation of a thousand consecutive human abortions, most of them spontaneous.
Aided by United States Public Health Service Research Grant HD-00137.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Adams, E. C., and A. T. Hertig: Studies on Guinea Pig Oocytes. 1. Electron microscopic observations on the development of cytoplasmic organelles in oocytes of primordial and primary follicles. J. Cell. Biol. 21: 397, 1964.
Blandau, R. J., and W. C. Young: Ovum age and pregnancy in the guinea pig. Data from 462 artificially inseminated females. Anat. Rec. 67 (suppl. no. 1): 33, 1936.
Brambell, F. W. R.: Prenatal mortality in mammals. Biol. Rev. 23: 370, 1948
Corner, G. W.: The problem of embryonic pathology in mammals, with observa-tions upon intrauterine mortality in the pig. Am. J. Anat. 31: 523, 1923.
Corner, G. W., and G. W. Bartelmez: Early abnormal embryos of the Rhesus monkey. Contrib. Embryo!. 35: 1, 1954.
Frazer, J. F. D.: Foetal death in the rat. J. Embryol. Exper. Morphol. 3: 13, 1955.
Hartman, C. G. (ed.): Mechanisms concerned with conception. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1963.
Hertig, A. T.: Angiogenesis in the early human chorion and in the primary placenta of the macaque monkey. Contrib. Embryol. 25: 38, 1935.
Hertig, A. T.: The Pathology of Late Pregnancy Hemorrhage, in Prematurity, Congenital Malformation and Birth Injury. New York: Association for the Aid of Crippled Children, 1953.
Hertig, A. T.: Gestational hyperplasia of endometrium. A morphologic correlation of ova, endometrium, and corpora lutea during early pregnancy. Lab. Invest. 13: 1153, 1964.
Hertig, A. T.: Morphologic criteria of the time of ovulation in the human being. In: Keefer, C. S. (ed.): Human Ovulation. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, Inc., 1965.
Hertig, A. T., and H. W. Edmonds: Genesis of hydatidiform mole. Arch. Path. 30: 260, 1940.
Hertig, A. T., and J. Rock: Two human ova of the pre-villous stage, having an ovulation age of about eleven and twelve days respectively. Contrib. Embryol. 29: 127, 1941.
Hertig, A. T., and J. Rock: On the development of the early human ovum, with special reference to the trophoblast of the previllous stage: a description of 7 normal and 5 pathologic human ova. Am. J. Obstet. Gynec. 47: 149, 1944.
Hertig, A. T., and J. Rock: A series of potentially abortive ova recovered from fertile women prior to the first missed menstrual period. Am. J. Obstet. Gynec. 58: 968, 1949.
Hertig, A. T., and J. Rock: Abortive human ova and associated endometria. Menstruation
Hertig, A. T., and J. Rock and its disorders (E. T. Engle, ed.). Springfield: Charles C Thomas, 1950
Hertig, A. T., J. Rock, and E. C. Adams: A description of 34 human ova within the first 17 days of development. Am. J. Anat. 98: 435, 1956.
Hertig, A. T., J. Rock, and E. C. Adams and M. Menkin: Thirty-four fertilized human ova, good, bad and indifferent, recovered from 210 women of known fertility. A study of biologic wastage in early human pregnancy. Pediatrics 23: 202, 1959.
Hertig, A. T. and W. J. Mulligan: On the preimplantation stages of the human ovum: a description of four normal and four abnormal specimens ranging from the second to the fifth day of development. Contrib. Embryol. 35: 199, 1954.
Hertig, A. T., and W. H. Sheldon: Minimal criteria required to prove prima facie case of traumatic abortion or miscarriage. Ann. Surg. 117:596, 1943. Heuser, C. H., and G. L. Streeter: Development of the macaque embryo. Con-trib. Embryol. 35: 1, 1954.
Kummer, J. M., and Z. Leavy: Therapeutic abortion law confusion. J.A.M.A. 195: 140, 1966.
Lewis, W. N., and C. G. Hartman: Tubal ova of the Rhesus monkey. Contrib. Embryol. 29: 15, 1941.
Mall, F. P., and A. W. Meyer: Study on abortuses: a survey of pathologic ova in the Carnegie embryological collection. Contrib. Embryol. 12:3, 1921
Noyes, R. W., A. T. Hertig, and J. Rock: Dating the endometrial biopsy. Fer-til. and Steril. 1: 3, 1950.
Perry, J. S.: Fecundity and embryonic mortality in pigs. J. Embryol. Exper. Morphol. 2: 308, 1954.
Tao, T. W., and A. T. Hertig: Viability and differentiation of human trophoblast in organ culture. Am. J. Anat. 116:1, 1965.
Williams, J. W.: Placenta circumvallata. Am. J. Obstet. Gynec. 13: 1, 1927.
Supplementary References
Ayre, J. E.: The impact of cytology and cytogenetics upon gynecology and obstetrics. Obstet. Gynec. Survey 19:799, 1964. (233 references).
Becker, V.: Placental causes of premature delivery and fetal death. Deutsch Med. Wschr. 90:1060, 1965. (20 references).
Benirschke, K.: Chromosomal studies on abortuses. Trans. New Engl. Obstet. Gynec. Soc. 17: 171, 1963.
Bonilla, E.: The anatomical factors in the spontaneous and habitual interrup-tion of pregnancy. Rev. Clin. Inst. Matern. (Lisboa) 15:77,1964. (Sp.)
Bonham, D. G.: Perinatal mortality. Aust. New Zeal. J. Obstet. Gynaec. 5: 183, 1965.
Brill, A. G., and E. H. Forgotson. Radiation and congenital malformations. Amer. J. Obstet. Gynec. 90 (suppl. no. 1149): 1964. (98 references).
Caldas, A. de C.: Toxi-infectious factors in the early and habitual interruption of pregnancy. Rev. Clin. Inst. Matern. (Lisboa) 15:39, 1964. (Por.).
Carr, D. H.: Chromosome studies in spontaneous abortions. Obstet. Gynec. 26: 308, 1965.
Carvalho, W. D. de: Organic causes of female sterility. Matern. Infant. (S. Paulo) 21:239, 1965. (I’or.).
Cordeiro, J. C.: Psychosomatic perspective of conjugal sterility. Acta Gynaec. Obstet. Hisp. lusit. 11:165, 1965. (50 references) (Por.).
Cunha, D. P. da: Early and habitual interruption of pregnancy. Rev. Clin. Inst. Matern. (Lisboa) 11:5, 1963. (187 references) (Por.).
Finley, NV. H.. and S. C. Finley: Cytogenetics in congenital malformations: a review. Alabama J. Med. Sci. 1:5, 1964. (269 references).
Freire-llaia, A., and N. Freire-Maia: Genetic load and undetected abortions. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 17: 93, 1965.
Gerfeldt, E.: Incidence, etiology and prevention of congenital maldevelopment. Med. Klin. 59:1287, 1965. (Ger.).
Gibbs, C. E., and H. R. Misenhimer: Perinatal mortality review. Texas J. Med. 61: 39, 1964.
Hammond, E. I.: Studies in fetal and infant mortality. I. A methodological approach to the definition of perinatal mortality. Amer. J. Public Health 55: 1012, 1965.
Hammond, E. I.: Studies in fetal and infant mortality. II. Differentials in mortality by sex
Hammond, E. I.: Amer. J. Public Health 55: 1152, 1965.
Harboe, M.: Infertility causes by immunological factors. T. Norsk Laegeforen 85:308, 1965. (Nor.).
Hornstein, O.: Problem of so-called sperm immunity. Urologie 3:211, 1964. (Ger.).
Kamal, I., D. Kandil, and M. Fathalla: On the pathogenesis of spontaneous abortion evaluation of chorio-decidual patterns. Preliminary report of 60 cases. J. Egypt. Med. Assn. 47: 631, 1964.
Kjessler, B.: Karyotypes of 130 childless men. Lancet 2: 493, 1965.
Krieg, H., and A. Eyquem. Immunology and sterility. Gynaek. Rundsch. 1:243, 1964. (185 references) (Ger.).
Kubo, H., M. Yano, K. Hanawa, and J. Kataoka: Statistical observations on perinatal death. Iryo 19:123, 1965. (Jap.).
Lemtis, H.: Disorders of the “unity of fetus and placenta” and its effects on the child. Gerburtsh. Frauenheilk. 25:428, 1965. (Ger.).
Lenz, W.: Epidemiology of congenital malformations. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 123: 228, 1965.
Lozzio, B. C. de: Congenital malformation and autosome abnormalities. Medicina (B. Air.) 24:344, 1964 (Sp.).
Ludwig, K. S., and R. Schenk: Teratogenesis symposium of the Schweizerische Akademie der Medizinischen Wissenschaft. Schweiz. Med. Wschr. 94:490, 1964. (Ger.).
MacPherson, C. R., and E. R. Zartman: Anti-M antibody as a cause of intrauterine death. Amer. J. Clin. Path. 43: 544, 1965.
Maier, W.: Our current knowledge on external injurious influences on the embryo and congenital defects. Deutsch. Z. Ges. Gerichtl. Med. 55:156, 1964. (Ger.).
Malhotra, K. K.: The problem of male infertility. J. Indian Med. Assn. 45: 367, 1965.
Manclark, C. R., and M. J. Pickett: A proposed role of in vivo uterine anaphylaxis in the etiology of abortion and sterility. Int. Arch. Allerg. 27: 54, 1965.
Medearis, D. N., Jr.: Viral infections during pregnancy and abnormal human development. Am. J. Obstet. Gynec. 90 (suppl. no. 1140): 1964. (58 references).
Milham, S., Jr., and A. M. Qittelsohn: Parental age and malformations. Hum. Biol. 37: 13, 1965.
Niendorf, F.: Polyspermy and spontaneous abortion. Gynaecologia 158:35,1964. (Ger.).
Pigeaud, H.: The hormonal factor in repeated abortion. Rev. Clin. Inst. Matern. (Lisboa) 15:65, 1964. (Fr.).
Plotz, E. J.: Virus disease. New York J. Med. 65:1239, 1965. (94 references)
Raboch, J.: Spermiological findings in repeated spontaneous abortion. Zbl. Gynaek. 87:194, 1965. (Ger.).
Rossberg, J.: Diagnosis and therapy of male fertility disorders. (Standard methods and review of literature from 1952–1962.)
Rossberg, J.: Derm. Wschr. 149:107, 1964. (88 references) (Ger.).
Rozenszajn, L., M. Lancet, and D. Roch: The presence of anti-M in a woman with successive miscarriages. Israel Med. J. 23: 198, 1964.
RĂĽmke, P.: Autospermagglutinins: a cause of infertility in man. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 124: 696, 1965.
Saldanha, P. H.: Genetic aspects of congenital malformations. Rev. Paul. Med. 65:270, 1964. (Por.).
Sarma, V.: Congenital abnormalities of the foetus and their association with genital tract malformations in the mother. Brit. J. Clin. Pract. 19: 375, 1965.
Sato, H.: Chromosome studies in abortuses. Lancet 1: 1280, 1965.
Shapiro, S., L. J. Ross, and H. S. Levin: Infant and perinatal mortality in the U.S. Vital Health Statist. 3: 1, 1965.
Sroka, L.: Morphology and histochemistry of normal and abnormal sperm. Fertil. and Steril. 16: 613, 1965.
Stickle, G.: What priority, human life? Amer. J. Public Health 55: 1692, 1965
Tartakow, I. J.: The teratogenicity of maternal rubella. J. Pediat. 66: 380, 1965
Thiede, H. A., and S. B. Salm: Chromosome studies of human spontaneous abortions. Amer. J. Obstet. Gynec. 90: 205, 1964.
Varangot, J., and R. Pauphilet: Sterility caused by absence of ovulation. Rev. Prat. 14: 2891, 1964.
Weller, T. H., C. A. Alford, Jr., and F. A. Neva: Changing epidemiologic concepts of rubella, with particular reference to unique characteristics of the congenital infection. Yale J. Biol. Med. 37: 455, 1965.
Wesolowski, J.: Influenza and congenital malformations. Wiad. Lek. 18: 381, 1965.
Widok, K., and H. Widok: Causes of congenital malformations. Hippokrates 35:417, 1964. (80 references) (Ger.).
Wingate, L.: Chromosome abnormality as a possible cause of habitual abortion. Bristol Mediochir. J. 80:5, 1965.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1967 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Hertig, A.T. (1967). The Overall Problem in Man. In: Benirschke, K. (eds) Comparative Aspects of Reproductive Failure. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-48949-5_2
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-48949-5_2
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-48951-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-48949-5
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive