RT Book, Section
A1 Hoffman, Barbara L.
A1 Schorge, John O.
A1 Bradshaw, Karen D.
A1 Halvorson, Lisa M.
A1 Schaffer, Joseph I.
A1 Corton, Marlene M.
SR Print(0)
ID 1125287721
T1 Anatomic Disorders
T2 Williams Gynecology, 3e
YR 2016
FD 2016
PB McGraw-Hill Education
PP New York, NY
SN 978-0-07-184908-1
LK obgyn.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1125287721
RD 2024/04/23
AB Early  in  life,  embryos  of  male  and  female  sex  are  indistinguishable  from  one  another  (Table  18-1).  At  critical  stages  of  embryonic  development,  insults  can  lead  to  congenital  anatomic  disorders  of  the  reproductive  tract.  Influences  include  genetic  mutation,  epigenetic  factors,  developmental  arrest,  or  abnormal  hormonal  exposures.  Disorders  range  from  congenital  absence  of  the  vagina  and  uterus,  to  lateral  or  vertical  fusion  defects  of  the  müllerian  ducts,  to  external  genitalia  that  are  ambiguous.  Sexual  differentiation  is  complex  and  requires  both  hormonal  pathways  and  morphologic  development  to  be  normal  and  correctly  integrated.  Thus,  it  is  not  surprising  that  neonates  with  genital  anomalies  often  have  multiple  other  malformations.  Associated  urinary  tract  defects  are  especially  frequent  and  are  linked  to  the  concurrent  embryonic  development  of  both  reproductive  and  urinary  tracts  (Hutson,  2014).