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The effect of synthetic oxytocin on motherhood
Jendrisková, Blanka ; Kaňková, Šárka (advisor) ; Třebická Fialová, Jitka (referee)
Oxytocin falls into the group of hormones, the synchronisation of which is very important for a correct procedure of childbirth. It is a hormone that has both peripheral and central effects. Its synthetic version belongs to the group of uterotonics, which are used in obstetrics. Synthetic oxytocin is administered both to induce labour or accelerate it directly in its course and after delivery as a prevention of postpartum hemorrhage. However, synthetic oxytocin administered in this way may affect the initiation of breastfeeding and further postpartum adaptation of both mother and child. For example, impaired primitive neonatal reflexes in newborns or greater propensity to postpartum depression in mothers have been observed following administration of synthetic oxytocin.
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Changes in sexual disgust sensitivity during women's reproductive period
Šeda, Jan ; Kaňková, Šárka (advisor) ; Landová, Eva (referee)
Disgust is one of the basic human emotions with an adaptive function, which is primarily to avoid potential transmission of pathogens. One of its components is also sexual disgust, which should serve as a protection against suboptimal sexual behaviour and help in choosing the right sexual partner. The female reproductive period is accompanied by many physiological and psychological changes, which may result in changes in the level of disgust sensitivity. The aim of this study was to track these changes in the still understudied domain of sexual disgust, particularly during pregnancy and postpartum period, but also in non-pregnant women in relation to changes during the menstrual cycle. In line with the proposed hypotheses, higher levels of sexual disgust were observed in women in the first trimester of pregnancy compared to non-pregnant, childless women, which may be related both to the protection of mother and child against possible harm, especially due to infections, or to protection against unpleasant experiences during sex, which may be caused by physical and psychological changes during pregnancy. No statistically significant differences were observed in the degree of sexual disgust in relation to the phases of the menstrual cycle. The results of the longitudinal study showed significant...
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Variation in human secondary sex ratio after extraordinary natural, social and cultural events
Hubová, Hana ; Kaňková, Šárka (advisor) ; Dušek, Adam (referee)
The secondary sex ratio represents the proportion of male and female births and is usually slightly skewed towards male births. Changes in the secondary sex ratio may be induced by a variety of ultimate (evolutionary) or proximate (physiological) causes. These causes tend to be linked to external factors such as natural disasters, armed conflicts, terrorism and/or important cultural and sports events. Natural disasters cause major destruction of housing, infrastructure and loss of lives. Such events are likely to be followed by a decrease in the secondary sex ratio. Stress-induced selection in utero against males is one of the widely discussed causes related to this phenomenon. Armed conflicts and terrorism commonly have a negative impact on society as well, however, an increase in the secondary sex ratio was often observed in the post-war periods. Important cultural and sports events, along with holiday celebrations, have a mostly positive impact on the social climate. These events induce a sense of community and are likely to be followed by an increase in the secondary sex ratio 9 months later, which suggests higher coital rates during such events.
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Maternal adaptations to pregnancy depending on the sex of the fetus
Nekolová, Denisa ; Kaňková, Šárka (advisor) ; Roberts, Kateřina (referee)
For the mother, pregnancy is a period of significant physical changes and transformations. The mother's physiological adaptations, including hormonal and immunological changes, and behavioural adaptations serve to ensure a successful pregnancy. However, different manifestations of these changes can be observed depending on the sex of the fetus. While human chorionic gonadotropin reaches higher levels in pregnancies with a female fetus, testosterone concentrations are higher in the presence of a male fetus. At the same time, increased levels of pro-inflammatory interleukins have been detected in the presence of a male fetus. However, inconsistent results regarding the sex of the fetus can be observed when focusing on the levels of cortisol and progesterone. Adaptive protective mechanisms play an equally important role in embryo protection. In line with the expectation that the more vulnerable male fetus would require increased protection, higher levels of disgust sensitivity were observed in mothers pregnant with boys. In the case of pregnancy-related nausea, however, increased levels were repeatedly reported in mothers expecting girls. Thus, a deeper understanding of these mechanisms should be the subject of further studies.
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The role of Toxoplasma gondii in human infertility - host manipulation or a side effect of the disease
Hlaváčová, Jana ; Kaňková, Šárka (advisor) ; Kodym, Petr (referee) ; Fajfrlík, Karel (referee)
Approximately one-third of the world's population is infected with the parasitic protozoan Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). Besides the classical sources of infection, sexual transmission of the parasite has recently been discussed and confirmed in many animal species. However, only indirect evidence supports this mode of transmission in humans. Our study found that Toxoplasma-seropositivity of sexual partner was a risk factor for T. gondii infection in women. These results supported the hypothesis of unidirectional male-to-female sexual transmission. We further proposed the hypothesis of T. gondii transmission during oral sex when an uninfected individual ingests the ejaculate of an infected man. If the ejaculate contained tissue cysts of the parasite, a mode of infection similar to ingesting the parasite in raw meat would be expected. To determine whether T. gondii is indeed present in the semen of men, we subsequently conducted a study in which we were the first to demonstrate the presence of tissue cysts of the parasite in the semen of men with latent toxoplasmosis. The impact of toxoplasmosis was also investigated in relation to reproductive functions. A higher prevalence of toxoplasmosis was found in infertile men compared to controls. In our study, we found that latent toxoplasmosis negatively...
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Evolutionary theories of homosexuality
Fořt, Jakub ; Kaňková, Šárka (advisor) ; Štěrbová, Zuzana (referee)
This thesis deals with male homosexuality from an evolutionary viewpoint. In the first part, it provides a review of knowledge about the genetic and immunological origin of male homosexuality, this consequently serves as a theoretical base for the main part of the thesis. Regarding the fact that homosexuals leave less offspring than heterosexuals do, it is appropriate to raise a question by which mechanism is male homosexuality maintained in population and what could eventually be its evolutionary role. The thesis summarizes five most influential theories which were constructed in a purpose to answer this question. The thesis also posits and critically evaluates results of empirical research that support particular theories or give evidence against them.
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Factors influencing weight gain in pregnncy
Vodrážková, Nicole ; Kaňková, Šárka (advisor) ; Horníková, Daniela (referee)
In this bachelor thesis I described different factors influencing weight gain in each trimester of pregnancy. There are factors influenced by a lifestyle, such as diet, physical activity, smoking, and BMI before pregnancy. There are also factors which are given individual dispositions, changes in metabolism and hormonal status of the organism. On this basis, this thesis deals with the consequences, that has excessive or insufficient weight gain in pregnancy for the mother and her fetus.
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Effect of latent toxoplasmosis on the thyroid function during pregnancy
Procházková, Lucie ; Kaňková, Šárka (advisor) ; Springer, Drahomíra (referee)
While several past studies dealt with the effects of latent toxoplasmosis on the function of the thyroid gland and on the pregnancy separately, the former one with varied results, this work combines the two areas together with goals to determine whether the latent toxoplasmosis affects levels of antibodies against thyroid peroxidase (TPO) in the 1st trimester of pregnancy, to analyze the effect of toxoplasmosis on the levels of the thyrotrophic hormone and to learn whether the interactions between latent toxoplasmosis and autoimmune thyropathies affect conception, foetal development, length of pregnancy and mode of delivery in childbirth. The work follows on the recent years' discoveries of our laboratory that showed the latent toxoplasmosis to affect both the course of pregnancy and the prenatal development of a child. It also takes up directly on a screening of autoimmune thyropathies in pregnant women conducted in years 2006 to 2009 in General University Hospital. The retrospective study comprised of 1434 pregnant women who underwent serological examination as a part of the 1st trimester screening and whose serum was subsequently examined for toxoplasmosis. The data set obtained from medical databases contained results of serological screening of the mothers, ultrasound examination of the...
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Disgust sensitivity during pregnancy: testing the Compensatory Prophylaxis Hypothesis
Dlouhá, Daniela ; Kaňková, Šárka (advisor) ; Třebická Fialová, Jitka (referee)
Disgust is an important adaptive mechanism in protection against disease. Disgust sensitivity is very variable between individuals and, according to the compensatory prophylaxis hypothesis (CPH), should be adjusted to individual's vulnerability to disease. The beginning of pregnancy is associated with a number of changes in the immune system and thus disgust sensitivity is expected to be increased. The aim of this thesis was to test the CPH in relation to longitudinal changes in disgust during pregnancy and after birth, as well as in comparison with non-pregnant control sample of women. Another aim was to observe the maladaptive role of disgust, specifically the relationship between trait anxiety and disgust. Against the set expectations, disgust was observed to increase during pregnancy in the animal reminder domain of disgust. However, the function of this domain in protection against disease has been criticized. These changes were only observed in pregnancies with a male fetus. In line with the CPH predictions, it was shown that women who reported having recent health problems also had higher disgust. Similarly, the results showed a possible protective role of mothers' increased disgust in the beginning of pregnancy, which was related to new-borns having a higher 10 minute APGAR score. When...
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