462 



CHANGES IN THE UTERUS 



[sect. 206. 



Fig. 187. 





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of earlier forms. Like the muscular fibres themselves, the fibrous 



tissue which unites them also in- 

 creases, and presents here and 

 there, towards the end of preg- 

 nancy, distinct fibrillse. 



Whilst the muscular coat is 

 growing in this manner, the mu- 

 cous membrane is also under- 

 going alterations of various kinds. 

 It is the mucous membrane espe- 

 cially which is the seat of the 

 earliest metamorphoses of the 

 gravid uterus, for as early as the 

 second week, it thickens to two 

 or three lines, becomes softer, 

 looser and redder, acquires more 

 prominent folds, and becomes 

 more distinctly marked off from 

 the muscular coat; these peculi- 

 arities are more and more dis- 

 tinct as the pregnancy is farther 

 advanced. Microscopically ex- 

 amined, the vessels of the mucous 

 membrane are seen to be more 

 dilated, .and we may observe an 

 abundant new formation of con- 

 nective tissue in its parenchyma, 

 while considerable enlargement of 

 the tubular glands has also taken 

 place; these latter now measur- 

 ing two or three lines in length, 

 and 0-04'" to o'li'" (o - o8"' on 

 an average) in breadth. In the 

 further course of the Changes, 

 the greater part of the hyper- 

 trophied mucous membrane goes 

 to form the well-known decidua 

 vera, whilst another portion at 

 the point of attachment of the 

 ovulum is transformed into the 

 placenta uterina, the decidua re- 

 flexa arising around the ovulum 

 by a growth from the border of 



