Help me with my research paper topic :)

[kyndfolk]

Hi. I need to come up with a topic for a research paper in my biology class. It has to be a human body system. The first half has to describe the A&P of the body system and the other half has to describe some kind of dysfunction or disease states. Since I am an aspiring midwife I would like to do something to do with reproduction but I can't think of anything that would really be a dysfunction or disease... Can you think of anything in the realm of female reproduction that would be interesting enough to make a term paper out of? Thanks!

[amyro]

what about doing something on incontinence (or any other pelvic floor problem) and look at the A&P and then show that pelvic floor weekness is not associated with vaginal birth per se but rather with the MANAGEMENT of vaginal birth - i.e., episiotomy, directed pushing, fundal pressure, instrumental vaginal birth. There is a new systematic review on incontinence in the current issue of Birth (the journal - i can send it to you if you PM me) and also a very lucid discussion of it by Jennifer Block (author of "Pushed) here: http://www.pushedbirth.com/

With the current cultural assumption that cesarean section is protective for the pelvic floor (and all the subsequent discussion of elective cesarean) this is a really great topic use anatomy, physiology, and the scientific evidence to stick it to them.

Whatever you come up with, you should post it (or a summary) here on MDC!

[Girlprof]

You could do something on miscarriage and the various possible causes. There's a lot of interesting info out there and it is great information for a future midwife to have. Good luck!

Sarah

[Lynnette]

How about newborn circulation and the effects of early and or late cord clamping? Talk about its effects on newborn jaundice, plethora, pallor, etc. I don't know if you will find enough info, but it certainly would be unique.

[Ironica]

You could also discuss breastfeeding, and some of the reasons why some women are "unable to breastfeed", starting with the hard reasons (galactosemic or phenylketonuric babies; disorders that inhibit or prevent milk production; mother's illness that requires medication that is dangerous for baby) and then discuss the reasons that are a product of our medical practices' approaches toward breastfeeding and out-of-date information.