1. The uterine pacemaker of labor
- Author
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Young, Roger Charles
- Abstract
The laboring uterus is generally thought to initiate contractions much similar to the heart, with a single, dedicated pacemaker. Research on human and animal models over decades has failed to identify such pacemaker. On the contrary, data indicate that instead of being fixed at a site similar to the sinoatrial node of the heart, the initiation site for each uterine contraction changes during time, often with each contraction. The enigmatic uterine “pacemaker” does not seem to fit the standard definition of what a pacemaker should be. The uterine pacemaker must also mesh with the primary physiological function of the uterus – to generate intrauterine pressure. This requires that most areas of the uterine wall contract in a coordinated, or synchronized, manner for each contraction of labor.
- Published
- 2018
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