For this project I describe the socio-historical development of a particular application of genetic prenatal diagnosis, in terms of changing social relations that govern an ethics of reproductive choice. I examine ways that medicine and government articulate prenatal diagnosis to problematise the maternal body and govern women's reproductive choices about chromosomal abnormality in the fetus. Since its introduction in the early 1970s, the major use of prenatal diagnosis has been to detect chromosomal abnormalities-in particular, Down syndrome-in the fetus. Medico-scientific knowledge claims negotiated in everyday practices in the genetic counselling clinic between health professionals and their clients are situated within broader social relations. Negotiations between medicine and government have produced technoscientific possibilities, realised with greater or lesser success in the co-construction of a workable prenatal diagnosis standardised package. I describe how these socio-technical relations have produced similarities and differences across time, and national and professional boundaries. My analysis draws on observations in three genetic counselling clinics, and of the health professionals' other work activities. I also draw on interviews with them and other actors in that arena, as well as claims made about prenatal diagnosis technologies in the medico-scientific literature. I analyse my data using concepts developed in social worlds/arenas theory within a Foucauldian framework of social relations that govern the body. Since the early formation of a standardised package of genetic counselling about amniocentesis, ethical decisions about prenatal diagnosis have identified multiple parts of the self to be governed. This ethics has relied on a duty to make genetically responsible decisions as a particular way to relate to oneself, although it has been expressed in different ways. Newer technologies have articulated greater ethical possibilities for governing the self by co-constructing new ways of assembling the constituent components. Throughout, there have been tensions between two major aims for governing the self: that of giving birth to a healthy baby, and that of managing maternal rationality in order to act as an autonomous rational individual. I have thus described how a woman's use of prenatal diagnosis is not simply one of individual choice. Her decision is a complex ethical one that is historically and socially contingent on relations between medicine and government that present the maternal body in certain ways for her to act upon herself.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 129-149).

Thesis (LL.M.)--University of Toronto, 2004. / Adviser: Bernard Dickens.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Rutgers University, 2008. / "Graduate Program in Political Science." Includes bibliographical references (p. 159-167).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--UCLA, 2008. / Vita. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 316-335).

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:23:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2013-08-01Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:50:09Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 ribeiro_ma_me_botib.pdf: 2954673 bytes, checksum: c990f9b8724da166aa165e88f89d2a7b (MD5) / A infertilidade acomete 10-15% dos casais em idade reprodutiva e o fator masculino pode ser responsável por 30-50% dos casos. A fertilidade masculina e o processo de espermatogênese estão diretamente relacionados à capacidade das células de Sertoli em produzir fatores determinantes para o desenvolvimento das células germinativas. Apenas as célulasde Sertolipossuem receptores paratestosteronaeFSHe, portanto, estascélulassão as principais reguladoras da espermatogênese. Estudos sugerem que 60-70% dos casos de infertilidade masculina são considerados idiopáticos, uma vez que os mecanismos moleculares envolvidos na espermatogênese ainda são desconhecidos. Estudos recentes relatam que homens oligozoospérmicos apresentam mudança no padrão de metilação do DNA nos espermatozoides,nas regiões que controlam a expressão dos genes regulados por imprintingH19 e IGF-2. Um dos grandes responsáveis para a alteração do padrão de metilação desses genes são os fatores ambientais, especialmente compostos orgânicos de alta toxicidade, como o 2,3,7,8- Tetraclorodibenzo-p-dioxina (TCDD). Modelos experimentais de exposição (camundongos) demonstraram que o TCDD ocasiona baixa contagem espermática e atraso na puberdade. O presente estudo correlacionou a ação do composto TCDD sobre as células de Sertoli humanas (in vitro) e sua ação na região controladoras de imprinting (ICR1) dos genes H19 e IGF-2. Inicialmente foi realizada a caracterização da amostra em estudo e foi constatado que esse tipo celular apresentrameilação entre 0 a 25% e é homozigota para os sítios polimórficos dos SNPsrs2839704 e rs10732516. Após 48 de exposição ao TCDD obervou-se tendência de aumento da metilação global do DNA da linhagem HSeC e discreto aumento da metilação dos sítios 4 e 7 de ligação do fator CTCF. A análise da expressão dos genes H19 e IGF2 deve ser finalizada... / Infertility affects 10-15% of couples on reproductive age and male factor may be responsible for 30-50% of cases. Male fertility and the spermatogenesis process are directly related to the ability of Sertoli cells to produce factors for germ cells development. Only Sertoli cells have receptors for testosterone and FSH, and therefore, these cells are the main regulators of spermatogenesis. Studies suggest that 60-70% of male infertility cases are considered idiophatic, once molecular mechanisms involved in spermatogenesis are still unknown. Recent studies report that oligozoospermic men showed an alteration of the DNA methylation pattern in the sperm, specifically in regions that control gene expression of genes regulated by imprinting: H19 and IGF2. Largely responsible for changing the methylation pattern of these genes are environmental factors, specialy organic compounds with high toxicity, such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-pdioxin (TCDD). Experimental models of exposure (mice) showed that TCDD causes low sperm count and delayed puberty. This study correlated the action of the compound TCDD on human Sertoli cells (in vitro) and its action on imprinted control region region (ICR1) of H19 and IGF-2 genes. It was initially performed the sample characterization and it was found that this cell type shows methylation between 0-25% and it is homozygous for the polymorphic sites of SNPs rs2839704 and rs10732516. After 48h of exposure to TCDD we observed a trend to increase global DNA methylation in HSEc lineage and also a slight increase in methylation status in the CTCF binding sites 4 and 7. Analysis of H19 and IGF2 expression must be completed to the best correlation between changes in the DNA methylation pattern and expression of these genes. Despite the important results obtained in this work, it is necessary to deepen the studies involving toxic agents such as TCDD and changes... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) was studied because of its effectiveness in inducing heritable translocations in germ cells of male mice. The health impact of translocations was studied through anatomical analysis of the progeny of semisterile translocation carriers. As expected, the semisterility of translocation carriers resulted primarily from embryonic death during periimplantation stages due to unbalanced chromosome sperm segregants. Among conceptuses that survived to mid- and late-gestation stages, there was an increased incidence of developmental anomalies including fetal death and phenotypic defects. These abnormalities are associated with unbalanced chromosome complements that allow survival to the later stages of development.

This study was conducted in order to understand Grade 10 Life Science teachers’ perceptions and experiences of teaching human reproduction topics in the Ohangwena political region in the northern part of Namibia. It also explored how the culture of the majority of the inhabitants of Ohangwena region who are Oshiwambo speaking impacts the teaching of human reproduction topics. The study was prompted by the fact that the Grade 10 Life Science syllabus requires learners to learn details of human reproduction although in Oshiwambo culture such things are not discussed openly. And this section has proven to be one of the poorly answered sections in the Grade 10 national examinations. A total of thirty five (35) Grade 10 Life Science teachers participated in this study. It is a qualitative case study underpinned by an interpretive paradigm. The unit of analysis for this study was teachers’ perceptions and experiences of teaching the topic of human reproduction. Data were generated through document analysis, questionnaires and tape recorded semi-structured interviews. Such data were analysed inductively by sorting them into categories and then into emerging themes. Categories included teachers’ views and experiences of being taught and teaching human reproduction, how culture influenced the manner in which teaching and learning of human reproduction takes place as stated in the socio-cultural theory, and how teachers of different gender perceived and experienced the teaching of human reproduction according to the feminist standpoint theory. The emerging themes were colour coded and then developed into analytical statements. Data triangulation, member checking, and follow up interviews ensured data validity and trustworthiness. This study revealed that the cultural belief of the Owambo people that prohibits adults to talk to children about things related to sex because it encourages them to practice sex is still strong among individuals in the community including teachers themselves. As a result, teachers are not comfortable with teaching human reproduction topics. From the findings, it is recommended that teachers should be empowered to teach Life Science, specifically human reproduction topics, with confidence. Furthermore, parents should be made aware of the importance of including human reproduction topics in the school curriculum so that they can motivate their children to study it with an open mind.

Bone loss among the elderly is of increasing concern to the medical community. In a study combining retrospective data on 438 women from southern Arizona and current bone mineral values determined at the one-third distal radius, the effects of premenopausal reproductive events on postmenopausal bone mineral are investigated. Among those women who reach menarche at an early age are some whose growth is not accompanied by normal height and long bone growth. These women tend to exhibit lower bone mineral density postmenopausally. In addition, the early accumulation of weight in excess of height and a later age at menarche appears to result in wider bones still observed postmenopausally. Pregnancy normally is accompanied by an acceleration of calcium accumulation in excess of the fetal demand. However, parity appears to have little significant impact on postmenopausal bone mineral status. However, women pregnant during their teens tend to accumulate a greater amount of bone than women who first become pregnant later. These benefits to the teenage mother can be lost during lactation, an impairment of the skeleton which may continue into the postmenopausal years. The skeleton appears to require a recovery period between pregnancy and lactation cycles. Inadequate recovery time, particularly when accompanied by advanced maternal age, may have adverse effects on postmenopausal bone mineral status.

A pesquisa aqui relatada foi realizada com 08 casais inférteis em tratamento na Unidade de Medicina Reprodutiva e Imaginologia de um hospital-escola do interior paulista. A fim de compreendermos o instigante fenômeno da infertilidade, acessamos a vivência desses colaboradores mediante uma questão norteadora: Gostaria que você contasse para mim a sua vivência afetivo-sexual durante o namoro, a partir de seu casamento, quando decidiram engravidar, quando perceberam que tinham dificuldade de engravidar e durante a trajetória clínica da investigação e tratamento da infertilidade. Para análise de seus relatos, utilizamos a metodologia qualitativa, alicerçada na fenomenologia, que consiste na leitura e releitura dos depoimentos, discriminção das unidades de significado, elaboração de categorias e identificação das convergências e divergências encontradas em seus discursos. Para o entendimento de suas declarações, nos apoiamos nas perspectivas psicológica, biológica, sociocultural, histórica e da sexologia. Ao analisarmos os depoimentos, destacaram-se as seguintes categorias de significado: 1) Lembranças do tempo de namoro; 2) A arte do convívio a dois; 3) Desvendando a intimidade sexual; 4) A busca por uma ajuda especializada; 5) O estigma da infertilidade; 6) O filho como projeto de vida; 7) A menstruação como marcador de (in)sucesso do tratamento. Como resultado, percebemos que os casais planejam uma família com filhos biológicos, ou seja, uma família nuclear: pai, mãe, filho, partindo do pressuposto que eles têm o controle da função reprodutora. Entretanto, ao deparar-se com a dificuldade de engravidar, buscam um culpado pela infertilidade. Tornam o sexo mecânico, voltado só para a procriação, sentem-se estigmatizados por sua importência e veem a menstruação como sinônimo de fracasso do tratamento. A perda do controle da função procriadora os leva a buscar por novas tecnologias de RHA. E diante do insucesso do tratamento, muitos casais partem para a adoção, construindo uma família adotiva. / The research reported here was conducted with 08 infertile couples undergoing treatment at the Reproductive Medicine and Imaginology Unit of a teaching hospital in the countryside of Sao Paulo state. In order to understand the intriguing phenomenon of infertility, we assessed the experience of these couples by one question: I would like you to tell me your experience during sexual-affective relationship when you were dating, after getting married, when you decided to get pregnant, when you realized you had difficulty to get pregnant and during the course of clinical research and treatment of infertility. For analysis of their reports, we used a qualitative methodology based on phenomenology, which consists of reading and rereading of testimonies, discrimination of the units of meaning, development of categories and identification of similarities and differences found in their speeches. In order to understand their statements, we rely on the psychological, biological, sociocultural and historical perspectives as well as sexology. In reviewing the testimonies, the highlights are the following categories of meaning: 1) Memories of time of dating, 2) The art of living as a couple, 3) Revealing sexual intimacy; 4) The search for expert help, 5) The stigma of infertility, 6) The child as a life project; 7) The menstruation as a marker of (un) successful treatment. As a result, we realized that couples plan a family with biological children, that is, a nuclear family: father, mother, son, assuming that they have the control of reproductive function. However, when faced with the difficulty of getting pregnant, they seek something to blame for infertility. Sex becomes mechanic, aiming at procreation only; they feel stigmatized by their impotence and see menstruation as a synonym for treatment failure. The loss of control of the procreative function leads to the search for new AHR technologies. And faced with the failure of treatment, many couples decide to adopt a child, building an adoptive family.