SECT. 



206.] 



DURING PREGNANCY. 



463 



Fie. 188. 



this last-mentioned portion. These processes, however, we will not 

 further discuss in this place. Two or three points it may be well 

 to remark : — Firstly, that the uterine glands 

 in the decidua vera are gradually converted 

 into wide saccules, whose openings give a 

 cribriform appearance to it, and to the border 

 of the refiexa. Another point to be noted 

 i-, that the deeiduae gradually decrease in 

 thickness from the second month onwards, 

 although in actual bulk thev continue to 

 increase for a much longer period, in con- 

 sequence of the enlargement of the inner 

 surface of the uterus. Lastly, we may ob- 

 serve, that the tissue of the decidua always 

 consists of round cells of various size, with 

 one or more very conspicuous nuclei ; along 

 with these, we find colossal fibre-cells with 

 beautiful large nuclei, and also numerous 

 vessels, especially in the decidua vera : on 

 the other hand, after the first month, there 

 is no longer any epithelium to be found on 

 either (Kcidua. — The mucous membrane of 

 the cervix takes no part in the formation 

 of the decidua, and retains its epithelium 

 (which has no cilia) during the whole period | 

 of pregnancy. Yet it likewise swells up and 

 becomes enlarged, its mucous follicles more 

 especially, which secrete the well-known 

 plugs of mucus that complete the occlusion 

 of the canal of the cervix. 



In the course of pregnancy, the serous covering to the uterus 

 distinctly increases in thickness, but not to the same degree as the 

 mucous membrane ; on the other hand, the thickening of the 

 uterine ligaments, especially of the lig. rotundum, is very distinct; 

 and this depends upon changes of their smooth muscular fibres, 

 similar to those which have been described as occurring in the 

 uterus; perhaps, also, the thickening may in part depend upon an 

 increase of the transversely striped fasciculi. The growth of the 

 blood-vc >sels and lymphatics in length and circumference is like- 

 wise evident, and this, too, is in great measure to be attributed to 

 enlargement and new development of muscular elements, which in 

 the veins can be demonstrated both in their tunica adventitia and 

 tunica intima. With regard to the nerves, they likewise become 



A uterine gland from a 

 primipara, eight days after 

 conception. 



