Abstract
For many decades (1945–2011) narrowed, uterine arterioles were thought to be the histological hallmark of preeclampsia after their original description by AT Hertig, Harvard, MA, in 1945. More recently Professors Brosens & Romero, described narrowed, uterine arterioles in many of the “great” obstetric syndromes including preterm labour, placental abruption, foetal growth restriction, pre-eclampsia, etc. In unrelated studies, our group have found narrowed arterioles surrounded by “halos” of injured nerves in the uterus, and other pelvic organs, in many of the gynaecological syndromes including chronic pelvic pain, endometriosis, “painful” adenomyosis, vulval pain, interstitial cystitis, etc.
Keywords: Autonomic nerves, Obstetric syndromes, Gynaecological syndromes, Difficult first labours, Straining on the toilet, Denervation, Reinnervation
Condensation: Many obstetric and gynaecological syndromes result from preventable injuries to pelvic autonomic nerves sustained during “difficult” first labours, minor gynaecological surgery, and, straining on the toilet.
Keywords
Autonomic nerves, Obstetric syndromes, Gynaecological syndromes, Difficult first labours, Straining on the toilet, Denervation, Reinnervation